Try this Charles Dickens story starter, borrowing the opening lines from A Christmas Carol. "Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no double whatever about that...."
There are many reasons that Dick might be complaining that this is the worst Christmas holidays ever. In the original Famous Five story - Five Get Into a Fix - it is almost certainly because the children haven't yet stumbled upon an adventure to enjoy!
These are the opening lines of the mous Five book, "Five Go Adventuring Again". They make an interesting story starter and could take your child off in many different directions!