EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the final chapter in a 12-chapter fictional tale. Parents are encouraged to read aloud to their children.

“So,” the mayor said slowly. “You want to change everything we’ve ever lived by in our world. To throw away our traditions and give away all we hold dear to all citizens? An open alliance? All for this ginger creation that you say will change the world at Christmastime? It’s reckless, Miss Gingersnap. An immature notion.”

Molly stared down at her drawings and felt in her heart that she was right. She glanced at Jax, and he smiled at her and nodded. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her bravery and looked up at the mayor before addressing the room again.

“We bring so much joy to humans all over the world during the most magical and hopeful time of the year, yet we don’t practice the very things that make up what Christmas spirit is all about. Love. Family. Friendship. Faith and hope. Sharing.”

Molly looked at the mayor and smiled.

“We don’t need to open our recipe books to all the people of Candyland to change things for the better. We just need to open our hearts.”

Mayor Gingerman rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “And you want us to approve this without even seeing this product created? And without speaking to the leaders of all the people?”

“Invite the leaders,” Molly said quickly. “Give me five hours and a bake shop, and I promise, I’ll have you convinced.”

And that’s exactly what happened. Five hours later, she revealed the world’s first gingerbread house in front of every leader in Candyland.

The roof and sides, made of perfectly baked squares of gingerbread, were held together by chocolate mortar and frosting with striped candies decorating the edges. The roof was dotted with gumdrops and laced sugar. Stained glass windows made of melted candy were framed by chocolate-dipped graham cracker shutters. Tiny lollipops and fluffy marshmallows created the illusion of Christmas lights on snow-covered shrubs. A candy cane striped walking path led away from the door to the edge of the small yard that was decorated with the nutcracker peeps and a snowman. Chocolate drops finished off the landscaping, posing as pebble stones along the walkway.

You could hear a pin drop. Everyone stared at the gingerbread house on the big projector screen that was set up to make sure everyone could see her creation. Jax stood with her as she finished her presentation and explanation on the details. She had even created individual bags of all the ingredients to package as a kit so that families everywhere could create their own versions of the sweet and spicy home.

Mayor Gingerman stood and stepped up to face the crowd, his face giving no hint into what he was thinking.

He simply said, “And now we the people of Candyland, gathered here together for the first time in our known history, will vote yay or nay.”

CHRISTMAS EVE

It was unanimous, of course. Everyone had voted yes. Molly was given her own team of bakers and became the youngest baker on the island. She was even expected to become a Master Baker within five years — and an inventor after that.

A massive workshop was built on Gingerdrop Beach, and Molly’s gingerbread house team consisted of bakers from every part of Candyland.

They made tens of thousands of gingerbread houses in the weeks following the vote, and so far they had been complete sellouts everywhere. The world loved the gingerbread house, and Molly was determined to expand to meet the demand. Next year, they planned to begin in the spring, greatly expanding production and building millions of gingerbread house kits.

Now on Christmas Eve, Molly’s family sat for dinner with both Jax’s and Bash’s families to celebrate Jax’s birthday and the success of the gingerbread house.

After they sang “Happy Birthday” to Jax — who had his sights set on becoming a Peppermint Ambassador, which would let him travel for a living — and enjoyed thick slices of chocolate mint cake with marshmallow frosting, Molly’s father raised his glass for a toast, and everyone followed.

“To new friendships. And many decades of shared creations to come.”

“To hope,” Molly’s mom said.

“To adventure and bravery,” Bash said, looking at Molly.

Jax raised his glass and smiled. “To Christmas spirit and the person who has taught us all to dream and to believe. To Molly.”

“To Molly!” they all exclaimed.

And as Molly’s heart overflowed with love and gratitude that Christmas Eve night, she realized here, where she’d always been, was exactly where she belonged.