The Mellop family, Bill Mellop, and his children, Samantha, Michael, and Jason will be spending their first Christmas alone since their mother died. Also the plant nursery run by Bill and his sister is under threat from a difficult and mean new neighbour, Berrie Dump. Samantha sitting with her dog Ajax, notices a mysterious falling star that comes in through their window, and crashes into a crystal punchbowl. The star refracts into seven smaller rainbow coloured stars, one hitting Ajax's new Christmas collar, and another Samantha's frilly apron. Strange things begin to happen. Samantha can hear Ajax talking, but when she asks Jason to listen he hears nothing. When Jason jokingly dons Samantha's apron he too hears Ajax talking. The frilly apron must be magic.
