On Christmas Eve morning, Maja got up very early. The flat smelled of gingerbread and oranges. Dad was hanging the lights and mum was stirring the borscht. Grandpa was slowly planing a stick for a star. Maja was counting the colourful baubles on the Christmas tree. Suddenly she noticed something under the lower branch. A small golden envelope with a star was lying there. On the envelope was Maja's name, written in white letters. The girl looked carefully around the room. No one was looking at her now. She carefully picked up the envelope and slipped it into her pocket. Her heart was beating like a little bell. Maja ran to her room and closed the door. She sat down quietly on the carpet by the window. A thin silver key fell out of the envelope. There was only one sentence on the note. "Please open me at midnight tonight." The girl looked at the reindeer clock. The hands were moving very, very slowly. Suddenly she heard a quiet tapping under the bed. Someone had moved the ornament box and the key buzzed. It rolled slowly straight under the bed.