#charles sprigs

[runaway-royals]

"I love you too, My Lady." The prince replied, giving her one last kiss before heading off to bed and being woken up a few hours later.

"Wait, did you actually make this Hunter? I really don't need to get food poisoning at my own wedding."

Alexander joked as his eldest brother threw his outfit at him.

"Haha, very fun, now get to your butt outta bed!"

Alex chuckled quickly, eating the food while his little brothers did his hair, then pulled him up to get dressed.

"I still can't believe you're actually getting married today!" Charlie exclaimed, putting on his own armor.

"I know, not mention Nana's going to be our sister soon!"

Tobias added, finishing the final details in the older prince's hair.

"Looking good, Big Brother!" The young man grinned before handing him a mirror to see the finished look.

"Wow, guys, this is incredible! You boys are getting really good it that, maybe even better than Mother."

Alexander said, hugging his baby brothers.

"Don't let Mom hear you saying that. You better hurry, Blue, you don't wanna be late."

Hunter mused, ushering the young royal out the door.

Kori hurried down the hall to check on the bride and groom after getting her family settled in their seats.

She just rounded the corner passing Takumi and his crew.

"Morning, guys!" She called out without stopping.

Finally, she made it to Nana's chambers with a large of flower leis in hand.

"Oh, Nana, you look beautiful!" The maid smiled, setting the floral accessories on the bed.

"These are from us. We finished making them this morning!"

She added, handing the princess the more elaborate one.

"And these are for Kenji, Anna, and Raiden."

Alexander made his way to the great hall before being stopped by the Mason boys.

"Hey Blue!" Lucas called out, causing the groom to turn around.

"Hi guys!" The prince smiled as they presented with a gift.

"This is from Kori and us, for good luck." Devon as Alexander placed the garment around his neck.

"It's lovely, thank you!" He replied before being called down to the altar for the ceremony to begin.

Nana smiled with Alexander, eyes filled with happy tears as well, as he pulled her closer to him, sealing their vows with a kiss. And once he finally pulled away, resting his forehead against hers, the princess gently rubbed his nose with hers. "I love you, my Prince." She whispered softly against his lips. Then, his words made her laugh. "That's true, my love! Although I'm not sure I'll be able to get much sleep... I'm just too excited for tomorrow!" She admitted, visibly happy as she watched Alexander carefully removing the wedding cord from their hands, keeping the knot intact. After that, the princess let her betrothed escort her back to her chambers, and the couple exchanged the last goodnight of their unmarried life.

The following day, Nana woke up with the garish light of day directly hitting her eyes, as one of the handmaids pulled the curtains completely open, forcing her to cover her face with her hands. "Rise and shine, Your Highness! Today is your big day!" The older woman announced, her tone denoting both excitement and pride. Groaning a little, the princess sat up. "Good morning, Yoko!" Nana greeted, still trying to wake up, as another handmaid placed a tray with breakfast on her bed. "Eat your breakfast, Princess! The royal hairdresser will be here in a moment to help you get ready! There's still much to do!" Another handmaid advised, just as her siblings stormed into the room. "Good morning, dear sister!" Anna grinned, while Kenji sat on the bed and stole a pastry from the tray. "Y-You shouldn't be here, Your Highness... we need to help your sister get ready..." One of the women advised, to which Kenji just groaned and wrapped his arms around Nana. "Nonsense! Let me have breakfast with my sister one last time!" The prince retorted, making Nana laugh. No matter how many years passed, he would always be her baby brother, and she knew she'd miss him terribly, as well as Anna.

After having their breakfast and chatting happily about the upcoming party, the younger Serizawa siblings finally said goodbye to Nana and returned to their own chambers, in order to get ready as well, while the handmaids prepared a warm, relaxing bubble bath for the soon-to-be-married princess. Then, as expected, the royal hairdresser arrived, followed by the seamstress and a few assistants, carrying Nana's beautiful wedding attire. At her request, while her garments were still made in the traditional Japanese fashion, her hair was to be styled according to Nordic tradition — she had her hairdresser memorize the exquisite way Alexander had braided her hair, and even acquire the small pieces of gold the nordics adorned their braids with. She meant this a surprise to her Viking prince, which she hoped he would like.

After a while, Nana stared into the mirror and smiled. She really looked like a bride, and a very happy one, for that matter! "You look beautiful, Princess!" The eldest handmaid, who'd practically raised Nana since she was a baby, exclaimed, visibly moved, to which Nana chuckled happily. Then, another handmaid left the room, in order to inform the Emperor that the bride was ready, and the ceremony could finally begin.

[laz-kay]

“Do you think we’re best friends in every universe?”

“Obviously, dumbass”

[23victoria]

christmas tree decorating

​​pairings: 𝓯1 𝓭𝓻𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝔁 𝓯𝓮𝓶!𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻

synopsis: 𝓭𝓮𝓬𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓶𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓻𝓮𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓭𝓻𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼!

word count: 1.1𝓴

authors note: 𝓱𝓸𝓹𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓮𝓷𝓳𝓸𝔂! 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼, 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓻𝓮𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓰𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭!!

𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓪 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽?! CLICK HERE!

F1 MASTERLIST F1 CHRISTMAS MASTERLIST

Charles

You hand Charles the ornament box as All I Want for Christmas Is You blares through the speakers. He's humming terribly off-key, holding up a glittering red bauble with exaggerated care. "This one needs to go here," he declares, pointing high up.

"Charles, that's too close to the star!" you laugh, watching him balance on his tiptoes.

"But it will catch the light perfectly—trust me!" He grins, looking over his shoulder for validation.

You shake your head, rolling your eyes, but let him place it. When he steps back, he tilts his head like he's studying a masterpiece. "Mon dieu, we are artists!" he says dramatically, pulling you in for a twirl.

“Artists, huh? Looks more like glitter vomit,” you tease.

Laughing, he spins you into his arms and kisses you in front of the tree, the lights casting a soft glow around you both.

Max

“Max, you’re supposed to spread the tinsel out!” you say, hands on your hips.

He stands there, mid-toss, with a chunk of silver tinsel in his hands. “No, this way is better. More chaotic. It has personality.”

“Personality or laziness?”

“Both.” He shrugs with a smirk, chucking the tinsel at the tree like confetti. You pick up a snowflake ornament and hang it while he adjusts the fake snow, muttering about how it should look ‘real but not too real.’

When Oh Santa! starts playing, he twirls you unexpectedly, nearly knocking over the tree. “Max!”

“What?” he says, wide-eyed, before tugging you close. “We can’t argue under mistletoe rules.” He points to a stray sprig hanging nearby before capturing your lips with a quick, sweet kiss.

Carlos

Carlos has the Christmas playlist blasting, shimmying his hips as Baby it’s Cold Outside comes on. You laugh from the couch as he insists on dancing his way to the tree with every ornament he hangs. “Look at this move, eh? I’m like a Christmas ninja!” he says, throwing in a spin.

“You’re ridiculous,” you tease, but you can’t stop smiling.

“Ridiculously in love with you,” he counters smoothly, handing you a candy cane to hang.

When the tree is finally finished—gold ribbons, red baubles, and twinkling lights shining brightly—he steps back with a satisfied grin. “It’s perfect. Just like us.”

Before you can respond, he dips you dramatically and plants a kiss on your lips, the music swelling in the background.

Lewis

The two of you are in a competition—who can hang the ornaments faster. Lewis is half-dancing to This Christmas, carefully placing his baubles while keeping an eye on your progress.

“You know I’m winning, right?” he quips, hanging a sparkly silver one high up.

“Oh, please,” you reply, laughing as you toss some tinsel at him. “Speed doesn’t equal quality.”

He narrows his eyes playfully. “Are you doubting my tree-decorating skills?”

You both step back once the last ornament is hung, admiring the colorful chaos of lights, baubles, and garlands. “I think we outdid ourselves,” he says, sliding his arms around your waist.

“We make a pretty good team,” you reply softly, and he kisses you under the glowing lights.

Lando

“Wait, wait!” Lando calls out as Jingle Bell Rock starts playing. “We have to time the star going on with the music drop!”

You burst out laughing as he scrambles to grab the star. “You’re such a nerd!”

“Shh, I’m setting the mood.” He climbs the step stool, balancing precariously while you hold your breath. “And… there!” he yells as the music hits, placing the star perfectly.

The two of you stand back, marveling at the tree. “We crushed it,” he says proudly, brushing fake snow off his sweater.

“You crushed it. I just supervised.”

Lando smirks, pulling you in for a quick kiss under the glow of the tree. “Best supervisor ever.”

Oscar

Oscar carefully unwraps each ornament like it's a fragile piece of treasure. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmasplays softly in the background as he hands you a snowman ornament. "This one should go in the middle," he suggests, his voice thoughtful.

"Are you sure you don’t want to measure it first?" you tease, hanging it where he pointed.

He chuckles, lightly bumping your shoulder. "Hey, someone has to take this seriously. Look at this tree—it’s a masterpiece in progress."

You step back, admiring the perfectly spaced ornaments and ribbons. “You’re way too meticulous for this.”

“Well, someone’s gotta balance out your chaos,” he quips with a grin.

Once the star is in place, Oscar wraps an arm around your waist, his cheeks slightly flushed as he looks at the tree. “It’s kinda perfect, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” you whisper, turning toward him just as he kisses you softly. “But only because of you.”

Sebastian

Sebastian is determined to make this a sustainable Christmas, so he insisted on a real tree from a local farm and eco-friendly ornaments. Last Christmas by Wham! plays quietly as he carefully hangs a wooden reindeer. “This one was carved by kids from the market,” he says proudly.

You laugh, holding up an ornament shaped like a pinecone. “And this one’s…from our garden?”

“Exactly!” He smiles, leaning over to adjust the tree skirt. “Nature’s decorations are always better.”

It’s a slower process with Seb, but every step feels meaningful. You help him string up the soft white lights, both of you smiling at how cozy the room feels.

When the tree is finally done, Seb turns to you with a gentle smile. “You know, I think this might be the best one we’ve ever done.”

“Probably because you picked everything,” you joke, but before you can say more, he pulls you close and kisses you softly under the tree, the moment as warm as the glow around you.

Jenson

Jenson insisted on turning decorating the tree into a full event—Christmas music, hot chocolate, and a ridiculous Santa hat perched on his head. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree blasts through the speakers as he hands you ornaments.

“This is so crooked,” you mutter, trying to fix the garland he strung unevenly.

“It’s called artistic asymmetry, darling,” he says, draping his arm around your shoulders.

You roll your eyes, shoving a candy cane into his hand. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

“Lucky, or irresistible?” He winks, and you can’t help but laugh.

By the time you finish, the tree is a blend of sentimental ornaments, flashing lights, and just enough chaos to feel cozy. “I think we nailed it,” Jenson says, stepping back with his arm slung around your waist.

“Mostly me,” you tease, leaning into him.

“Well, then I guess you deserve a reward,” he murmurs, pulling you into a deep kiss while the tree glows behind you.

𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽! ❥☽ @ham1lton @ietss @animeandf1lover @nelly187 @heartsfromtaeyong @bloodyymaryyy @nor-4 @zacian117 @mel164 @uhhvictoria @hadidsworld @zabwlky1999 @sya-skies @lillysbigwilly @avengers-assemble123456 @santanasaintmendes @km-23mr @hookhausenschips @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @ronpho @minekarina @aeongism @Formula1-motogpfa @slagclarens @aleexvqa @f1updates4you @booksandflowrs @chaostudee @winkev1 @strawblueberrys @blakesbearblog @cel-b @perfumejamal @aykxz98 @pandora-08 @teti-menchon0604 @bxtosa @fadingcloudballoon-blog @whatevenisthisxxxxx @anamiad00msday @luula @jimcarreyfann42 @oliviah-25 @bbwzrld @goldenroutledge @unkownmystery_22 @sophienorris18-blog @flowerpetalk @paucubarsisimp @its-elias-world @magixpracticality @poppyflower-22 @pear-1206

[cucumbermoon]

Two of my long-term obsessions have just collided in an odd way.

I was watching "Wooster With a Wife" for the first time in about a decade and when I got to this scene, I gasped.

Because that little painting behind Jeeves looks like nothing much, but it used to be famous. It's called "Between Two Fires," and it was painted by the American master, Francis Davis Millet, in 1892.

It depicts a 17th-Century man sitting between two standing women, beneath a sprig of mistletoe. The piece itself was extremely popular in its time. It was often hung in houses, it was printed onto cigarette cases and biscuit tins. That's probably how it came to be hanging there on the wall of a pub. Somebody hung it there in 1900 and never took it down.

The thing that is particularly interesting to me, personally, about this painting is the artist who painted it. Frank Millet, born in Massachusetts in 1843, was once one of the most famous American artists in the world. He did murals in great cities across Europe and America, painted a portrait of his friend Mark Twain, was a personal friend of President William Howard Taft and John Singer Sargent. He was married and had children, but he was also known for having rather public relationships with other men, most notably the writer Charles Warren Stoddard. Their love letters are still in existence and some have been published in a biography of Stoddard.

Francis Davis Millet:

These days, the most famous thing about him is that he died on the Titanic, and as such he is the only confirmed queer victim of the Titanic sinking (obviously there must have been many others, but he's the only one with existing documentation that proves it). He happened to be traveling with a close friend whom he lived with, one Major Archibald Butt, who is often theorized to have been his partner at the time. We don't know much about their lives together, but we do know (from a letter Butt once wrote to his sister-in-law) that Millet wall-papered the inside of their house while Butt was away on a business trip. The wallpaper he chose was roses – so many roses, Butt said that he felt he was suffocating beneath a giant pile of them. It's rare to get any insight at all into the lives of men who may have been partners at that time, and I always rather loved this particular little story.

Major Archibald Butt:

Both men died in the sinking and they share a joint memorial fountain in Washington, DC. It's just behind the White House and was erected by their friends, who remembered them as being devoted to each other. Here's a little bit of information about the fountain from the National Park Service:

[landoom]

F1 FANFICS REC LIST - Landoscar AU's

(this list doesn't contain Highschool/Uni AU's as there will be another list dedicated to those)

Capturing Your Heart With A Loud Click. (12088 words) by cxrnlia Rating: Mature Summary: Oscar is the guy at the park who takes walks to calm down, Lando is the guy who takes pictures at the park, but can't help but take pictures of Oscar instead.

oOoOoOo

what’s up, danger? (can’t stop me now) (12648 words) by startosphere Rating: General Audiences Summary: “What type of race?” He lets his phone down on his thigh, focusing fully on the conversation and suddenly more interested. “The type that you can’t do, y’know?” George says with a suspicious grin. Lando tilts his head because what in the world are they even talking about? ”We’re talking about street races, Lando,” Charles takes pity on him and starts a little explanation, “There are laws against it so you better shut up about this, I mean it, could get Oscar in real trouble.” Lando can’t help but let out a huff. Perhaps he slept on the couch and this is all some type of strange nightmare, it doesn’t seem right when his brain starts collecting and comprehending what they just told him, for some reason, he can’t believe that.   Or, Oscar is a street racing driver, and Lando needs to see before believing.

oOoOoOo

You Bring Me Closer to God (9808 words) by wanderingblindly Rating: Mature Summary:

They’re still close enough to whisper, Lando’s hand holding him in place as he grins wildly. “You like it rough, Osc?”

He doesn’t even care if it’s just a bit, just Lando’s stage persona washing over him like it does all his fans. Looking up at Lando, looking at the lipstick he smeared across his cupid’s bow and chin – it’s like he’s seen god. Felt it on his lips, tasted it on his tongue. Oscar grabs him by the nape of the neck without a second thought, pulling them together just as viciously as the first time.

Or: In which Lando is a very slutty front-man for a small band seeking their big break, Oscar is an enamored bartender, and Jenson's bar brings them together.

oOoOoOo

come feel this magic (i've been feeling since i met you) (10670 words) by lemonadedino Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: Lando is a faerie and doesn't know it Oscar is unequivocally in love with him and figures it out along the way

oOoOoOo

mistletoe wishes (5519 words) by 14CookiesGone Rating: General Audiences Summary: Oscar glances up and he sees the offender. The small sprig of green and white that Lando has been trying to avoid all evening, that they’re now standing directly underneath. They have two options. They can laugh it off and ignore it, despite the fact they’ve been playing at being doting boyfriends all evening. Or - OR Lando asks Oscar to be his fake date to his office Christmas party. It turns out to be a little more than fake.

oOoOoOo

the pacemaker blues (2233 words) by Anonymous Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: Carefully, slowly, Oscar moved to the other end of the couch, trying not to show the tension he felt. “So you got yourself cursed?” Lando yelped and dropped his phone. It laid on the floor, suddenly dead. “Shit.”

oOoOoOo

you wear it well (2080 words) by Anonymous Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: “I need to borrow one of your hoodies,” Lando says, as he makes his way into Oscar’s apartment and flops down on the couch, kicking off his shoes in the process. Oscar squints suspiciously in his direciton. “Why?” Lando sits up so his head pokes over the back of the couch. “Because I need George and Alex to think I have a boyfriend."

oOoOoOo

invocations one fall away from the concrete (10561 words) by debrief Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: “Okay,” Lando says. “What’s your power?” “Telekinesis,” Oscar replies a little too easily, like he’s trying not to make a big deal out of it. In fact, he’s already looking back down at his form. Lando doesn’t miss the way he seems completely stumped by the ‘Birth date’ square though. Telekinetics are far and few between. You’re probably more likely to be struck by lightning twice than to meet a telekinetic. They’re so highly sought after in the hero industry that any telekinetic baby would automatically have a net worth of at least three hundred billion US dollars the second it was born. Moreover Oscar's an Oxy. It’s like, the jackpot of jackpots. This guy’s simply unreal on paper. Lando scrunches up his face, rolls his eyes and says, “alright.” He shrugs. “Nothing to write home about, then.”

oOoOoOo

carried away (22168 words) by venerat Rating: Explicit Summary: "Oscar," Lando said. "Don't hate me, alright, but I've—”

oOoOoOo

only found (6872 words) by debrief Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: “Hey, well. No strings attached, right?” Oscar says, strategically. Lando smiles and says, “hell yeah. And now that that’s established, what’s your stance on aliens? Also, do you still want your cake?” -- cinderella soulmates au where whatever you lose, your soulmate finds. except: oscar has a soulmate and lando is a No-Match, a person who doesn't have a soulmate.

oOoOoOo

soft vanilla foreplay (7035 words) by Anonymous Rating: Mature Summary: “Oh shit, you’re,” Lando gasps, smiles. “You’re a. You’re Robin Hood. You’re a kitty Robin Hood.” Oscar stops grinding. “Can we have this talk tomorrow?” Lando laughs and comes down to place a kiss on Oscar’s lips. “Yeah. Oh yeah. Tomorrow. Tomorrow would be great. I’m sooooo busy right now. Hmm.”

@hc-dutch

(let me know if you want to be tagged in my upcoming reclists!)

[27dragons]

Countdown to 2025: Dec 21

Wizards AU / Dead Boy Detectives - Payneland / Mistletoe

“I need your help.”

No other sentence could have forced Edwin to leave his books and cozy tower and go out into the the longest night of the year. For a wizard, the winter solstice was a night of danger, when the veil between worlds was at its thinnest. A night when the demons that gave wizards their power sought to escape their spells of binding and exact revenge on their masters. A night best spent indoors, safely within a circle of protection.

But if Charles needed his help, then Edwin would go.

Charles was a witch. His power came from the natural world, manifesting in potions and hexes rather than the symbology and ritual that channeled Edwin’s magic. But Charles would also be at his weakest during the solstice, and if he needed Edwin’s help, then Edwin was powerless to deny him.

So despite his misgivings, he donned a cloak and his thickest boots and went out, into the woods that crowded around the hill that supported his tower. Charles’ cottage wasn’t too far into the woods, at least, and there was a path.

Charles greeted him with an easy smile and arms that opened wide for a friendly hug. (Only friendly, Edwin reminded himself firmly, however much he might wish otherwise. He was grateful that his awkward confession some months gone had not prompted Charles to back away.)

“Thanks for coming, mate,” Charles said, giving Edwin an extra squeeze before letting him go. “I know this is a shit night for you to be out, but this is just so much easier with two people. And if anything happens, I swear I’ll protect you.”

Edwin didn’t want to think too much about Charles leaping between him and danger, eyes flashing and muscles flexing. So he shrugged it off and said, “So what is it that you need?”

Charles grabbed up his bag and led the way out into the forest. “I need mistletoe. Specifically, mistletoe that’s been harvested on the solstice, using a silver sickle.” He rummaged in his bag and held up the wickedly-hooked blade. It shone in the darkness, reflecting the moon’s light into Edwin’s eyes.

Edwin looked away before it could dazzle his sight. “Right. And what will I be doing, then?”

“Keeping a lookout, mostly,” Charles said. “It’s not as dangerous for witches to be out tonight, but it’s not not dangerous, either. Also, the whole operation will go faster if you can maybe gather up the sprigs as I drop them? That way I can just cut a bunch at once, and as soon as I’m done, we’ll be ready to go.” Charles pointed. “The grove is just ahead. I’ve been up there every day since the full moon, blessing the trees.”

When they reached the grove, Charles gave Edwin a bag to collect the sprigs in, and a jar of pale green powder. “If you think something is coming, sprinkle that in a circle around us both. It should hold off most things until I’m able to get back down.” Without waiting for Edwin’s response, he grabbed a low-hanging branch and hoisted himself up into the tree, agile as a chipmunk.

Edwin looked through the trees and shadows and wondered how he would ever be able to spot anything with enough time to use the powder.

The tree stopped rustling, and Edwin felt a gentle crest of magic sifting down through the branches as Charles began the harvest. Edwin tensed, lest the magic draw other things to the grove, but nothing came.

“Look out below,” Charles called, and Edwin barely stepped out of the way before a handful of mistletoe sprigs rained down. He dutifully gathered them up and put them in the bag, though he noted a few had snared on the branches on their way down that he couldn’t reach. He reported it to Charles. “I’ll figure it out when I’m done cutting. Maybe the wind will blow them loose,” Charles replied. “I’m jumping over to the next tree now.”

“Jumping?”

“Relax, mate, the branches are basically touching.” The rustling spiked, and the tree next to Edwin shivered with Charles’ landing.

It went like that, Charles jumping from tree to tree like a monkey and cutting down mistletoe for Edwin to collect in between nervous glances around the forest to make sure they were alone.

Finally, Charles came back down to the ground. To hide his sigh of relief, Edwin turned away, pointing up to the snared sprigs in the branches above. They hung in constellations of pale berries over the whole grove. “What about those?”

Charles took the bag from Edwin and looked in, nodding. “We’ve got plenty for the next year, maybe even two,” he said. He looked up at the sprigs thoughtfully. “Does seem like a waste to leave ‘em unused,” he mused. He slanted a look at Edwin. “Well. You know what else mistletoe is good for?”

Edwin frowned, trying to remember his herb lore, but it had never been his strong suit. “I’m not sure I--”

Charles kissed him.

[lesbicosmos-writes]

again very very late but i wrote a fic for the day 6 prompt of @paynelandpromptfest !!

prompt: star / "make a wish"

summary: charles and edwin are in love and they stargaze on the roof on christmas thats it thats the fic <3

notes: very late for the prompt day but in time for christmas so that's all that matters <3

also on ao3!!

in a sky full of stars, i think i see you

Christmas had always been both Edwin and Charles’s favourite holiday, even when they were alive. Edwin because he loved the traditions, the decorations, the general joy of it all, and Charles because he loved giving gifts to people. Even if he didn��t receive anything in return, he loved seeing people’s reactions to things he got for them. Also, Christmas was about one of the only times where he felt like he could relax in his own house. They always had family over for a few days, so his dad was less rough. For just a few days, he could pretend like they were a normal family.

But nothing compared to Christmas with Edwin.

He hadn’t expected Edwin to love the holiday as much as he did, but it was amazing being able to show him the way traditions had changed since he was alive. They celebrated in their own special way every year, picking up little routines and rituals constantly.

Their Christmas was always a mixture of things Edwin loved when he was alive, things Charles loved when he was alive, and more modern things. Their office was decorated with both the holly and paperchains of Edwin’s childhood, and the brightly coloured lights and baubles that brought nostalgia for Charles. They’d play both classic carols and more modern hits on their record player. It was strange and a little all over the place but it was perfect and it was them.

Then, Crystal and Niko came into their afterlives and suddenly there were more people to celebrate with. Crystal raised an eyebrow at their strange little rituals at first, but eventually realised that they were just so true to the boys. Of course this would be how they celebrate.

This year specifically, since the relationship between the two of them had developed another layer if intimacy, yet another tradition had manifested itself in Charles and Edwin’s festive routine – mistletoe. There was a sprig hung from every doorway in the office, and the two took every possible opportunity to kiss beneath it. Edwin had always thought the idea a little silly when he was alive, but he hadn’t considered it in the context of himself having someone he could openly love in that way to kiss under the shining white berries. He’d always just been forced to sit there and cringe while his extended family members pretended that they hadn’t noticed the plant before despite having already kissed beneath it several times in the past two hours. It was quite ironic, in retrospect, that he was now the one in their place seizing every opportunity to get his lips on Charles’s, despite the fact he didn’t really need an excuse to at all.

The girls had gone out to do their own celebrations on Christmas Eve, then crashed at the office for the night so they could all open gifts together at the crack of dawn – much to the insistence of Charles and Niko.

A case came up in the middle of the day that they all had to run out and solve, but for the most part, their Christmas was a fairly chilled one, the four of them all just playing games together in the office. Edwin scoffed at the terrible jokes in the crackers, and Charles once again got very sad he couldn’t eat when Niko and Crystal brought in practically their entire kitchen cupboard’s worth of savoury snacks. Edwin vowed to find some spell that would allow ghosts to eat.

Eventually the girls fell asleep on the sofa, leaving Charles and Edwin practically alone in the office.

“It’s a surprisingly clear night,” Edwin noted, gazing out of the office window above the streets of London.

Brightly coloured lights shone in the surrounding streets, and they could quietly hear the music and chatter of the party going on in one of the blocks of flats across the road. Edwin looked up, away from the lights, and had an idea.

“I think this would be a perfect night for stargazing. Would you care to join me on the roof, Charles?”

“Course, mate,” Charles replied.

Language was one of Edwin’s passions, and he would constantly correct people if they used a word incorrectly or at the wrong time. And yet, he never corrected Charles calling him mate despite their growing romance. Somehow he had managed to take a common moniker used between friends and turn it into the most romantic petname Edwin could imagine. It was the way he said it; so naturally, so proudly, so full of love and feeling. Besides, there was nothing to correct about it in the first place. They were mates – best mates – and always would be. No matter the changes their relationship went through, no matter the colour or shape of the feelings between them; at their core they would always be two best friends. Two boys who found each other in their worst moments, a light in the other’s darkness, and felt nothing but love. Love – not just attraction - for the other person, just because of who they were. Edwin had always thought it was beautiful.

So when Charles called him mate, with that soft glint in his eyes and that smitten smile on his face, Edwin didn’t question or correct. He just smiled back.

“I’ll be out in a sec though, yeah? I’ve got an idea.”

“An idea?” Edwin asked, intrigued.

“Yeah, and it’s a surprise idea so you go sit up on the roof and I’ll meet you there.”

Charles pressed a soft kiss to Edwin’s cheek before ushering him out of the office.

Edwin took an unnecessary breath as he stepped out onto the roof of the abandoned building their office resided in, as though acclimatising to the cold December air despite being unable to feel its effects on his skin.

He looked up at the sky. From several storeys up, the light pollution wasn’t quite as bad - although it was still central London, so that didn’t really make much difference. Only a few constellations were visible directly above. He’d always thought it was a shame, really, the fact that advancements in technology meant they were no longer able to observe the natural universe around them to quite the same degree.

Edwin had always loved stargazing. When he was alive, his family had bought him books about the stars for Christmas every year since he was a small child, and he was obsessed. He never really understood the astrological beliefs surrounding them – although he had become more intrigued after reading the book Monty gave him in Port Townsend. No, he was always more captivated by the science behind them; those huge spheres of energy roaring away lightyears away from Earth. It made him feel insignificant at times, but he’d become used to that. It was easier to accept his insignificance on a cosmic scale than to accept it on a much closer one.

Then he met Charles, and gradually his thoughts about the cosmos became much less about insignificance and more about how lucky they were that they existed. Knowing that there was so much out there, and yet here was the only place that life had been found, that a new kind of life could somehow begin even after death; it felt special.

He never felt insignificant when Charles was by his side.

As though aware Edwin was thinking about him – which he probably was, considering there’s rarely a time Edwin isn’t - Charles stepped onto the roof behind him. Edwin turned around to find him standing there with a pile of blankets and pillows in his arms.

“Charles,” Edwin chuckled, shaking his head slightly as he walked towards him.

“What?”

“We do not feel the cold!”

“I know but, like, it’s the vibe innit? Snuggling up together under blankets and watching the stars.”

“You’re quite the hopeless romantic, aren’t you?”

“Yep,” Charles grinned, stepping towards Edwin and handing him a few pillows from the pile.

They set their little spot up – one blanket on the ground to sit on with pillows against the wall – and sat beside one another, the other two blankets covering them both.

Edwin swore he felt a rush of warmth as he relaxed into the soft knitted material, but he was quite sure that was less to do with the blankets themselves and more to do with Charles’s presence, leaning his head on his shoulder and cuddling up close. They were facing each other just a little, their hands clasped together in between them covered by the thick blanket.

“This is nice,” Charles said, gently brushing his thumb over Edwin’s hand in the way he knew drove him a little insane with affection.

“Hmm,” Edwin hummed in agreement.

They sat together in silence for a while, snuggled up to one another, until Charles turned his head just enough to whisper in Edwin’s ear.

“Make a wish,” he said.

“Charles, there aren’t any comets,” Edwin smiled.

“Make one anyway. There's always a shooting star somewhere.”

He had a point.

“The greatest wish I never even thought I was allowed to have has already come true. I don’t know what else there is,” he said, looking down at the top of Charles’s head on his shoulder.

“Well, I wish that every Christmas is as brills as this one.”

“You know if you say it aloud it won’t come true?” Edwin moved his head away from Charles momentarily, questioning.

“Nah. That doesn’t count when it’s you.” Charles looked up into his eyes. “Telling you doesn’t feel like revealing it to someone. It’s like you already know anyway.”

Edwin just smiled.

“Go on then, what’s yours?”

“Hmm. I suppose...” Edwin thought for a moment. “I wish for an infinite bookshelf.”

“Oh.” Charles laughed, taken aback.

“What?”

“Sorry, I guess I was expecting it to be something about us.”

“I told you, I already have everything I could possibly wish for in that department,” Edwin said proudly.

“You flirt,” Charles grinned, leaning up to kiss his cheek. “Infinite bookshelf would be pretty brills, though. It’d be like my backpack, only way more organised.”

“We could have several libraries worth of books and yet never run out of space in the office.”

“That’d definitely make case research easier.”

“Precisely. Which would leave us with more time for... other things.”

Charles moved out of the embrace but kept one arm around Edwin’s waist, his eyebrow raising with his smirk.

“Oh yeah?” he teased. “What other things you thinking of?”

“You know what things I’m thinking of.”

“Damn, who would’ve taken Edwin Payne for an insatiable horny teenager?” Charles said, he amusement evident in his voice.

Edwin laughed, a real open from-the-heart laugh that Charles had never heard around anyone but himself and the girls. “It’s you. You corrupted me,” he half-joked.

“Can’t exactly say I’m complaining.” Charles pulled him closer so that he could press light kisses to Edwin’s neck.

“Besides, I didn’t only mean... that,” Edwin argued, his voice shaking slightly at the contact. “I also meant we would have more time for things like this,” he Charles’s hand a light squeeze under the blanket.

“This is definitely good, love,” Charles replied, squeezing back and shuffling somehow even closer, nuzzling his head into his neck.

They couldn’t fall asleep, not really, but they got as close as they could; snuggled up against each other on the rooftop as the 25th of December ticked away into the 26th.

They’d stargazed on Christmas a few times before, the first time being December of 1990, back when they’d barely known each other a year and had just set up the agency, operating out of a treehouse in an old woman’s back garden. They’d climbed on top of the wooden structure, and Edwin pointed out all the constellations they could see above the horizon. That night, there had been a shooting star passing overhead, and Edwin had wished on it. He’d wished that Charles would stay with him for the rest of their afterlives. At the time, he’d thought it foolish and naïve. Surely Charles would eventually move on, perhaps Edwin would – they couldn’t spend the rest of eternity playing detective together, could they?

Well, thirty-four years on, Edwin was starting to believe that maybe that wish had come true, but it wasn’t entirely down to the star.

Sure, their little Christmas routine changed over the years; but so had their existences, their relationship, the people around them. And no matter what changed, the holidays always brought the same warmth to the still hearts of two boys who may not have been given as many Christmases to live as they should have been, but more than made up for it in their afterlives, and would continue to do so for as long as there were stars in the sky to wish upon.  

[f1crecs]

Fic Rec List - Carlos/Charles (Jealousy)

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hello, anon. thank you for your ask. we hope you enjoy some delicious charlos jealousy! 🤍

tempest by stivesofmarch (ryeflower) | M | 2.4k

Charles has some feelings about Carlos' relationship with Lando. I really loved this one! I love this characterisation of Charles - it really highlights his stubborn and passionate nature! I love this author's writing style, it flows beautifully.

'There is a hard bit of muscle at Carlos’ shoulder that Charles particularly likes. Just that one little coveted spot, right above the blade, to the left of the shoulder bone. And beneath the sheath of his sweat-slicked suit, Charles knows that it is that exact spot which has been branded by one of his little hickeys.'

hall of mirrors by @lafaerie | M | 14.5k

This is a two-parter, one side each of Charles POV and Carlos POV, a character and psychological study of what it means to be in love with someone you are in competition with, and yet also have to work closely with. I liked the push and pull of their own emotions, and the push and pull between Charles and Carlos here is delicious, as is the surreality of the religious and dream imagery. There is a recurrent theme of Charles being above the clouds, inspired by the quote he made about "not thinking" in the car.

'Charles is dreaming.He’s not flying, he’s firmly grounded here. He squints his eyes, trying to block out the glare of the sun. It’s unbearably hot and there’s sand blowing everywhere. It’s almost reminiscent of being back in the Qatari desert. But that race is over, Charles tries to remind himself. They’re not due back until next December. When it will hopefully be cooler. Charles holds his arms out in front of him and realizes that he’s wearing his race suit. No wonder he’s so hot. It’s stifling. He’s about to undo the snap of his collar at his neck when he notices someone else in the dream. It’s Carlos walking across the desert landscape towards him. He has one arm behind his back, his other arm swinging at his side. Carlos is wearing his race suit, just like Charles. Two splashes of red paint standing out against the horizon. Two Roman Cardinals, meeting in the courtyard outside of St. Peter’s, whispering to each other before mass. But they are not at St. Peter’s. They’re not in Italy. They’re in Charles’ dream. They are in the desert. Carlos comes to a stop right in front of him, still with one arm behind his back. He’s holding the knife, Charles thinks. He takes a deep breath in, trying to brace himself. In the next minute, Carlos will surely have the cutting edge of the knife pressed right up against his throat. Carlos swings his arm around to reveal something. Charles blinks. It’s not the knife at all. Carlos is holding a bouquet of wildflowers. It’s a sweeping bouquet of wild lavender mixed with green sprigs of thyme and rosemary, the smell of it heady and aromatic. He’s offering the bouquet to Charles. “But, Carlos,” Charles sputters, “these flowers do not grow in the desert.” Carlos looks around in the dream as though it’s only just dawning on him that they’re in the desert. Like he thought they were in Italy. He thought they were in the courtyard at St. Peter’s. “I brought the flowers for you,” is all Carlos says. Charles accepts the bouquet with both hands, being careful not to crush any of the flowers. When Charles looks up again, Carlos is gone. Charles stands there — alone in the desert — holding a bouquet of wildflowers.

nsfw: Internal Mechanics by venerat | E | 15.4k

A misunderstanding at their shared gym has Carlos spiralling. I love everything this author writes, and this is no exception! Carlos is so gone for Charles in this story, and it is so much fun to read. One thing I particularly liked about this one was the dialogue - it was perfect: funny, hot, emotional. Amazing!!

'Now it is not so much butterflies when he sees Charles; nothing so sudden or churning. Now it’s just warmth. A tingle on the back of his neck. An urge to touch, jittering his hands. An inability to keep from smiling, whenever he’s with Charles.'

nsfw: Thin White Lines by bloodmoonforme | E | 23k

This fic plays on the idea of devotion and to whom devotion falls. The dynamic here feels well-constructed and present while retaining the AU.

'As suddenly as he came close, he's pulling away, watching Charles' alarmed eyes carefully. His are brown, Charles distantly registers. The corner of his mouth quirks upwards in a smirk. "I'll see you around, Mr. Duchamps". And just like that he's suddenly gone, blending into the crowd. Charles' brain has turned to static. "Charles? Charles! What the hell was that?", he hears Pierre exclaim. A sudden cold chill washes through Charles as he recovers from the shock. When he buries his hand in his pocket, he finds it empty.'

nsfw: All The King's Horses by @7msc | E | 38.5k

Carlos knows he doesn't have the killer instinct Charles has, and struggles to reconcile that aspect of his innate nature with his career goals. This is a deep, thoughtful, insightful character study, examining the mental and emotional realities of this elite sport and the sacrifices it demands - whether they be corporeal or intangible, such as innate aspects of one's own self. It asks the question - is carving these softer parts of ourselves away truly worth it, or even possible?

'This time, Charles finally looked at Carlos. The lights hit his face from below, making him look almost eerie. His eyes were too green, his nose was too pointy, and his mouth was too well-shaped. Charles looked like a character from a fairytale. He laughed with mirth. “Oh, I promise to give you a run for your money, then.” Carlos felt his own mouth curling into a smirk without his consent. “I will hold you to that.” That night, in bed and with the AC set to a nice 18ºC, Carlos thought that Charles had looked beautiful with the fire of battle in his eyes. A hunter disguised as prey.'

nsfw: Head over heels by @betzykielberg | ? | 44k

A lawyers AU wherein Charles has a very pragmatic view of sex and Carlos is a romantic and they meet in the courtroom. I love the way the author creates tension between the main characters, ranging from professional competiveness to sexual tension. The Carlos in this fic is a total dreamboat with a soft squishy heart and Charles has trust issues and has never been in love, and the emotional rollercoaster of them getting together is lovely. As far as the theme goes there is a fair bit of traditional jealousy in this but for me the most delicious jealousy is that of Charles wanting Carlos to have sex with him and being denied, imagining who else could be warming his bed.

'“To me, sex without love is”, he hesitates for a second as if trying to find the right words, “it’s like watching a movie without the sound, you can still see the images moving and you get the gist of what’s going on, but you’re just missing this major component to complete it”, he uses his hands to signal something big and Charles is hit with a wave of curiosity. What was it like to sleep with someone he was truly in love with? More importantly, what was it like to sleep with a Carlos Sainz that was truly in love with you?'

this list was compiled by @ocontraire, @frickinsweet, @lydia-petze & @boxboxbrioche 🤍

[byronic-mess]

Mistletoe kisses - chewis fluff

Charles wasn’t even sure whose party he was at.

Christmas parties always left him a bit dizzy, especially with all the lights and alcohol. He wasn’t feeling particularly festive this year, mostly because his girlfriend had broken up with him right at the start of the winter break, something about not wanting to distract him from his driving during the season. He wasn’t completely heartbroken, but he wasn’t completely fine either. It always hurts being broken up with, especially this close to Christmas. 

Looking around at the party, he wasn’t sure there was anyone he recognised. He spotted someone out on the balcony that his drunk mind vaguely recognised and he made his way over there, relaxing when he opened the door and saw Lewis stood on the other side, breath foggy in front of him. 

Lewis looked up when Charles came to stand next to him and smiled, looking out over the harbour.

“I would’ve thought you would have gone home for christmas.”

“Monaco is home, right now. If you mean England, I’m going in a few days to see the family.”

Charles nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets and joining Lewis in staring out at the harbour at night, the lights of Monaco sparkling on the water. The party still rages on inside, but it’s quiet out here, and Charles feels like he can finally breathe for the first time tonight. Lewis turns to watch him, head tilted in consideration.

“What? Do I have something on my face?”

Lewis shakes his head and shrugs, saying he’s just looking. Charles feels his cheeks darken slightly at the attention, hoping he can blame the flush on the alcohol. Lewis’ gaze feels heavy as it rests on him, and Charles wants to say something to break the growing tension but he can’t find the words. Lewis’ eyes dart to something above Charles’ head and back down and Charles finds his own gaze following Lewis’, landing on a small sprig of greenery above their heads.

Mistletoe. 

Lewis raises an eyebrow and Charles darkens again, nodding ever so slightly. The movement was barely visible, so much so that it would have been missed if Lewis wasn’t paying such close attention. Lewis brings a cold hand up to cup Charles’ face and draws him close, their breaths mingling for a few seconds before Charles leans forward and closes the rest of the gap, pressing a slow kiss to Lewis’ lips.

Lewis’ hand winds into the strands of Charles’ hair and tugs, making Charles whine against his lips. He tastes of mulled wine and something else, something purely Lewis. It makes Charles’ head spin. Behind them, the party goes on, unaware of the way Charles’ whole world has shifted with just a single kiss. He pulls back to say something but Lewis tugs him back in, his other hand coming to rest on Charles’ hip, holding him close. Charles lets himself be pulled closer and melts into the hold Lewis has on him, nipping his bottom lip lightly. 

Lewis eventually lets him pull back, both of them needing to catch their breaths. Lewis moves his hand back to Charles’ cheek, stroking gently over the skin beneath his thumb.

“Come home with me?”

Charles just smiles and nods.

[daimonclub]

Christmas food

Christmas food traditions Christmas food, an article about traditional food and dishes to create the real atmosphere of a magic Christmas time, with some quotes and historical information. I am going to church, Watson. I believe such attendance was a prominent element of the Christmas season before the giving of gifts and the consumption of certain fowl became de rigueur? Sherlock Holmes If I could work my will every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should! Ebenezer Scrooge People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas. Anonymous On a silver dish the Christmas pudding reposed in its glory. A large football of a pudding, a piece of holly stuck in it like a triumphant flag and glorious flames of blue and red rising round it. There was a cheer and cries of 'Ooh-ah.' Agatha Christie Oh look, yet another Christmas TV special! How touching to have the meaning of Christmas brought to us by cola, fast food, and beer conglomerates. Who'd have ever guessed that product consumption, popular entertainment, and spirituality would mix so harmoniously? It's a beautiful world all right. Bill Watterson Christmas dinner... was a feast indeed. Oyster soup had been consumed, two enormous turkeys had come and gone, mere carcasses of their former selves. Now, the supreme moment, the Christmas pudding was brought in, in state!' Agatha Christie

Christmas pudding Oh! All that steam! The pudding had just been taken out of the cauldron. Oh! That smell! The same as the one which prevailed on washing day! It is that of the cloth which wraps the pudding. Now, one would imagine oneself in a restaurant and in a confectioner's at the same time, with a laundry nest door. Thirty seconds later, Mrs. Cratchit entered, her face crimson, but smiling proudly, with the pudding resembling a cannon ball, all speckled, very firm, sprinkled with brandy in flames, and decorated with a sprig of holly stuck in the centre. Oh! The marvelous pudding! Charles Dickens For many of the islanders, this anniversary is memorable (apart from all religious significance) because it evokes a great slaughter of turkeys, geese and all kinds of game, a wholesale massacre of fat oxen, pigs and sheep; they envisage garlands of black puddings, sausages and saveloys ... mountains of plum-puddings and oven-fulls of mince-pies ... On that day no one in England may go hungry... This is a family gathering, and on every table the same menu is prepared. A joint of beef, a turkey or goose, which is usually the pièce de résistance, accompanied by a ham, sausages and game; then follow the inevitable plum-pudding and the famous mince pies. Alfred Suzanne In Great Britain today, Christmas is a time for families coming together and with the recently acquired wealth, this event is a great excuse for a boom in buying expensive consumer goods especially for children who normally are at the centre of most of the festivities. We are very much in the mainstream of Western European customs, taking the Christmas Tree from Germany, the turkey and plum pudding from England - although there was a tradition, especially in rural areas, to have a goose, rather than a turkey.

Christmas roasted turkey Holly and mistletoe were the decorations at this time of year and thought to have magical properties. The Druidic ceremonies invariably involved mistletoe and was noted by Roman writers. In some areas, Wales for example, on Christmas morning a special service was held in Churches as early as 3.a.m called the Plygain when particular carols would be sung in three or four part harmony - a custom which is still practised somewhere. Christmas time is a traditional moment, so nothing better than preparing only classic dishes on Christmas Day. So, for Christmas morning you can start the day with Bloody Mary, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, because it's better to keep things light before the onslaught of roast dinner with all the trimmings. As starters you can prepare some chicken liver, some prawn cocktails lettuce cups and smoked salmon salads. Anyway on this occasion food is certainly the pivotal part of the day. A classic Christmas dinner is the main Christmas meal and is traditionally eaten at mid-day or early afternoon on Christmas Day in England and also in the rest of Britain. After the parcels are opened and after the Queen’s speech at 3pm, the high point of the celebrations can start, a time to gather family or friends together and enjoy the best of British produce. Little has changed over centuries, and the whole dinner is steeped in heritage and tradition. The British sit around wearing paper hats from Christmas Crackers with their silly jokes, and tacky gifts and many still stop to listen to the Queen, and no Christmas is complete without a tray of dates, bowls of nuts and oranges - the first two are rarely eaten but are part of the traditions anyway. A traditional English and British Christmas dinner includes roast turkey that is a typical Christmas meal, the most common meat, but other birds such as chicken or goose are alternatives; rich nutty stuffing, roast potatoes, brussels sprouts or other vegetables, tiny sausages wrapped in bacon (pigs in a blanket) and lashings of hot gravy to eat with the meat. In Britain, a traditional Christmas cake is a rich fruit cake topped with mazipan and covered with white icing sugar. This is eaten at tea-time (in the late afternoon) on any day shortly before or after Christmas. A Christmas pudding is a traditional pudding. Brandy is sometimes pourred on top and set alight. Rum butter (or rum sauce) and ice cream may be served with the pudding. A common alternative pudding is trifle. The Christmas Pudding is the traditional sweet eaten in England on the 25th of December. Every family has its own recipe that has belonged to someone who was famous in the family for his/her delicious pudding. There are many curiosities linked to the preparation of this dish: it is good luck to be asked to stir a pudding when it's being made; it is a custom to add silver coins, or wedding rings, or little silver tokens shaped into buttons to the mixture; it has to be served steaming hot and ablaze, no matter what the climate of the country is; pouring a spirit or brandy over the pudding is a ritual from the past, and it refers to the tradition of the fire worship of the British ancestors.

Christmas special roasted turkey Christmas pudding is a type of pudding traditionally served as part of the Christmas dinner in the UK, Ireland and in other countries where it has been brought by British emigrants. It has its origins in medieval England, and is sometimes known as plum pudding or just "pud", though this can also refer to other kinds of boiled pudding involving dried fruit. Despite the name "plum pudding," the pudding contains no actual plums due to the pre-Victorian use of the word "plums" as a term for raisins. The pudding is composed of many dried fruits held together by egg and suet, sometimes moistened by treacle or molasses and flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and other spices. The pudding is usually aged for a month or more, or even a year; the high alcohol content of the pudding prevents it from spoiling during this time. Brandy is often poured over the pudding, which is then set a light as it is carried to the table. The lights are turned off so people can see the flames. Christmas Pudding is served with custard or brandy sauce. The Christmas pudding known today began life as Christmas porridge called Frumenty, a dish made of wheat or corn boiled up in milk. As time went on, other ingredients, such as dried plums or prunes, eggs, and lumps of meat were added to make it more interesting. When cooked, it was poured into a dish. This pudding was called Plum Pudding. The name 'Plum Pudding' continued to be used even when people used raisins, currants, and sultanas instead of prunes. A proper Christmas pudding is always stirred from East to West in honour of the three Wise Men and traditionally made with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and His Disciples. Every member of the family must give the pudding a stir and make a secret wish. In recent times, however, two-thirds of British children surveyed, revealed that they had never experienced stirring Christmas pudding mix. It comes with their parents' preference for ready made-mix of puddings available in grocery stores.

Christmas pudding tradition Here is the legend of this delicious dish. The king was going through a thick forest with his page, when the night came the two men got lost and stumbled upon a woodsman's hut. The man welcomed them and offered to share his humble porridge. The king ordered his page to add to the pot whatever was left in his saddlebags, because he, too, wanted to share his food, with the poor man. The page obeyed his king and poured some prunes, six eggs, bread crusts, a sprinkling of spice, slices of apples and a generous amount of brandy into the mixture. It was then stirred and served in wooden bowls. Believe it or not, this is how the Christmas Pudding was invented. In the end the king slipped a gold coin under the woodman's slice to thank him for his warm hospitality. That's why for a long time it's been common practice to include silver Christmas pudding coins, charms or tokens into Christmas pudding. Finding a Christmas coin in your slice of pudding is believed to bring good luck and especially wealth in the coming year. Stir-up Sunday is an informal term in Anglican churches for the last Sunday before the season of Advent (4-5 weeks before Christmas). It gets its name from the beginning of the collect for the day in the Book of Common Prayer, which begins with the words, "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people". But it has become associated with the custom of making the Christmas puddings on that day. The Christmas pudding is one of the essential British Christmas traditions and is said to have been introduced to Britain by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria (the reality is that the meat-less version was introduced from Germany by George I in 1714). Most recipes for Christmas pudding require it to be cooked well in advance of Christmas and then reheated on Christmas day, so the collect of the day served as a useful reminder. The Christmas pudding remind us in some ways of the Italian panettone (literally meaning "big loaf") which is a tall, dome-shaped cake risen with yeast. It has a somewhat light and airy texture but a rich and buttery taste, and it's not very sweet. It's a typical Christmas-time cake all around Italy and in Italian communities around the world, but it originates in the northern Italian town of Milan. It traditionally contains raisins and candied fruit (orange and citron zest) and is topped with crisp pearl sugar. More modern versions might substitute the candied fruit with chocolate chips. Most Italians do not make panettone at home, for the simple reason that it is a rather lengthy and complicated process, requiring multiple risings. Usually, it is bought from a local baker or in a supermarket. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tly6suosH7Y Read also our other posts on Christmas  ; Christmas quotes ; 60 great Christmas quotes ; Christmas tree origin and quotes ;  Traditional Christmas Carols ; Christmas jokes ; Christmas cracker jokes ; Christmas food ; Christmas thoughts ; Christmas story ; Christmas in Italy ; Christmas holidays ; Christmas songs ; Christmas poems ; An Essay on Christmas by Chesterton ; Quotes by authors Quotes by arguments Thoughts and reflections Essays with quotes Read the full article

[obscurehistoricalinterests]

The Republic is worth a sauce gribiche

by Aurélien Soucheyre

„21 January is the day of the tete de veau dish, to celebrate the day in 1793 when the monarchy of divine right lost its own head. But where does this tradition come from and what's the recipe?

It's been going on for over two hundred years: every 21 January, thousands of gourmets enjoy a tete de veau at republican banquets. The date is no coincidence: it's the anniversary of the beheading of Louis XVI in 1793, the ultimate symbol of the fall of the Old Regime. The tradition comes from the pamphleteer Romeau, who in 1794 invited people to eat a pig's head on 21 January, a biscuit in the shape of the Bastille on 14 July and a 'fat chicken of India' on 10 August, the date of the collapse of royalty in 1792. Only the 21 January head has survived. It went from being a pig, referring to a king caricatured as a piglet in 1791, to a calf in 1848, when the Second Republic was established. The Third, Fourth and Fifth Republics then refrained from changing the animal. As for the sauce, it has evolved over the years, and it is the gribiche that has held the rope for decades, composed, for the purists, of eggs, mustard, oil, parsley, tarragon, chervil, and above all the indispensable capers and gherkins, which represent neither the body nor the breasts of the deceased king.

It's just that the practice has nothing to do with an anthropophagic delirium. It is not the individual Louis XVI who is being eaten, who had already lost his crown and had once again become "citizen Louis Capet". It is the monarchy of divine right that is being swallowed, the political regime itself, digested by the republican stomach. And if that sounds far-fetched, it's because the original idea came from England, as recounted by Gustave Flaubert in E'Education Sentimentale. On 30 January 1649, the British were the first to decapitate their monarch, by attacking Charles 1st. They were also the first to eat calves' heads on that date, in response to the royalists' commemorations. And even though the English throne has since been reoccupied, without absolute powers, the French replay the match every 21 January, with the royalists in the Basilica of Saint-Denis cowering on one side and the republicans laughing on the other.

Cold or hot

So there are confreries of calf's head eaters all over France on D-Day, a combination of English humour and French terror, all under the revolutionary flag. A great fan of tete de veau and "roborative cuisine", according to legend, former French President Jacques Chirac has never said whether he discovered this speciality at a banquet under the tricolour cockade, somewhere between Paris and Corrèze. But he did help to popularise the dish. It can be eaten cold, with little touches to the eyelids, nostrils, tongue and brains, for those who like to chew, or hot like a pot-au-feau. A matter of taste. Because the French Revolution is neither cold nor hot: it's lukewarm, because it's still waiting to be over.“

Tete de veau with gribiche sauce

Ingredients:

- 1 boneless veal head and 1 tongue

- 80g flour - 1 clove of garlic - 4 carrots

- 2 sprigs celery - 3 large onions spiked with cloves

- 1 bouquet garni - salt and pepper

Preparation:

The day before, soak the head and tongue in salted water and change the water several times. The next day, blanch the veal head, previously cut in half. Bring the veal halves and tongue to the boil, starting with cold water. Decant, peel the tongue and cut in half lengthways. Place each tongue half in each veal half, then roll into rotis before tying.

To cook the head. In a large pot, pour the flour delayed in a glass of white vinegar and add 10 litres of cold water. Add all the ingredients (herbs and chopped vegetables) and mix. Bring the bouillon to the boil before adding the two halves of the steak. Leave to simmer for two hours.

Check that it is cooked through, remove the two halves and leave to cool. Remove the string and roll into a ballottine, then wrap tightly in cling film to cut into equal slices.

Serve hot (or cold, according to taste), accompanied by potatoes cooked separately in salted water and a gribiche sauce.

For the sauce

Ingredients:

- 2 or 3 eggs - 1 tbsp wine vinegar (optional)

- 1 tsp mustard - 25cl peanut or rapeseed oil

- salt and pepper - 30 g chopped gherkins

- 30g chopped capers - 1 tbsp parsley

- 1 tbsp chopped tarragon - 1 tbsp chopped chervil

Preparation:

Boil the eggs until they are hard-boiled. Crush the yolks, add the mustard and mix the mayonnaise with the oil. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and mix in the gherkins, capers, herbs and finely chopped egg whites.

[ao3feed-narlie]

The Christmas Cottage

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/PWNYF8J by TheIrishGirl Charlie is off to the snowy and picturesque Cotswolds for Christmas with Tao, Elle, and Isaac. Their other friends, Tara and Darcy, will join them, bringing along two people the others haven't met yet, Imogen and Nick. The new friends get to know each other in the stunning countryside cottage under the twinkling Christmas lights and sprigs of mistletoe. Charlie harbours a serious crush on the hot, auburn-haired Rugby player, but he’s unsure if his feelings are reciprocated. Could he get his man by Christmas? Nick has the hots for the curly-haired beaut he'll be sharing a cottage with for two weeks, but he can't understand why Charlie keeps pulling away! Will he get his man? A Christmas tale set in the idyllic English countryside sprinkled with love, friendship and fun. Words: 1629, Chapters: 1/14, Language: English Fandoms: Heartstopper (TV), Heartstopper (Webcomic) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M Characters: Nicholas "Nick" Nelson, Charles "Charlie" Spring (Heartstopper), Isaac Henderson (Heartstopper), Imogen Heaney, Elle Argent, Tao Xu, Tara Jones, Darcy Olsson, Victoria "Tori" Spring Relationships: Nicholas "Nick" Nelson/Charles "Charlie" Spring, Elle Argent/Tao Xu, Tara Jones/Darcy Olsson Additional Tags: Smitten Nicholas "Nick" Nelson, Bisexual Nicholas "Nick" Nelson, Smitten Charles "Charlie" Spring (Heartstopper), Flirting, Friendship, Fluff, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Alternative Universe - Christmas, Possible smut, Rating May Change, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, They may want to get freaky for christmas, Happy Ending, charlie is clueless, Imogen is a menace, nick is cheeky, POV Nicholas "Nick" Nelson, POV Charles "Charlie" Spring (Heartstopper) read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/PWNYF8J

[shinyasahalo]

Top 100 AO3 TV/Streaming Ships (Sept. 11, 2024)

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(M/M) Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1) 29,793 fics

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(M/M) Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones (Torchwood) 13,265 fics

(M/M) Steve McGarrett/Dany "Dano" Willaims (Hawaii Five-0) 13,198 fics

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(F/M) Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak (Arrow) 12,729 fics

(M/M) Rorona Zora/Sanji (One Piece) 12,625 fics

(F/M) Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler (Doctor Who) 12,538 fics

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(M/M) Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski (Teen Wolf) 12,080 fics

(M/M) Will Byers/Mike Wheeler (Stranger Things) 11,861 fics

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(M/M) Patrick Brewer/David Rose (Schitt's Creek) 8,720 fics

(F/F) Robin Buckley/Nancy Wheeler (Stranger Things) 8,712 fics

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[ao3feed-jeevesandwooster]

Christmas Offerings

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/qFjDONb " by sandwichsapphic I watched with both pain and amusement as Mr Wooster spotted the sprig, and leaned down to peck Mabel on the cheek. “This stuff is perilous, Mabel,” Mr Wooster laughed. “You know how many times I’ve ended up engaged at Christmas because of rotten red berries like these?” - Bertie and Jeeves spend half a dozen or so years trying to organise Christmas Day together. Eventually, they will succeed. Words: 8083, Chapters: 5/5, Language: English Fandoms: Jeeves & Wooster, Jeeves - P. G. Wodehouse Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Reginald Jeeves, Bertram "Bertie" Wooster, Mabel Biffen, Charles Edward "Biffy" Biffen, Dahlia Travers, Agatha Gregson Relationships: Reginald Jeeves/Bertram "Bertie" Wooster, Charles Edward "Biffy" Biffen/Mabel Biffen Additional Tags: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Getting Together, only light emotional angst, because its jeeves, interrupted at christmas time, Mistletoe!, Kiss under mistletoe " read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/52604875

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

🔁 (for an updated version 😅🥺)

Under the cut bc it is absurdly long, also let's please ignore the fact that I'm supposed to be studying for a midterm rn!

(I'm sure I'm still missing a million and I left out the ones we've talked about for ages, but also for the ocs that already had sections, I italicized the new ones so they wouldn't get lost 🥺 but also there's so many ocs and crossovers that if I missed any, lmk!)

(RWRB is a completely new section, other new ocs include Juni, Rose, Andrew, Vance, and Hana, plus the descendants section has been added to so extensively that it feels like it's basically new?)

DC

Cassandra

Angelina Winters

Dani Merlyn

Diana Queen

Kelsey Doyle

Mercy Bowen

Mia Queen

Fraya

Annika Webster

Imogen Allen

Kelsey Doyle

Mia Queen

Parker Allen & Noah Altman

Gillien

Ophelia Wayne

Isolde Kean

Lorena Falcone

Gwen

Annika Webster

Dani Merlyn

Kelsey Doyle

Mia Queen

Lillian & Max

Annika Webster

Dani Merlyn

Imogen Allen

Kelsey Doyle

Mia Queen

Nia West

Parker Allen & Noah Altman

Descendants

Andrew

Addie

Anissa Radcliffe (& all of her siblings there are 10 of them)

Roisin Sprigging

Winona Sykes

Aria

Chiara Potts

Chryseis

Finley Rider

Harmony Of Atlantis

Kate Turner

Keto Jones

Lani Of Atlantis

Mae

Fortune

Beatrice

Eliane

Evander Grimhilde

Finley Rider

Gloria Gothel

Hannah Westergaard

Harley Hook

Princess Isabelle

Raina Gold

Rosabelle Legume

Juni

Chessy

Chiara Potts

Elise Charming

Robin & Rylan Fitzherbert

Taryn Porter

Violet Kingsleigh

Winnie Pan

Mystery OC 

Blossom

Finley Rider

Isadora Darling

Nerissa

Violet Kingsleigh

Winnie Pan

Rose

Addie

Beatrice

Blossom

Isabelle

Gilmore Girls

Addie

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Brady Mariano

Brielle & Austin

Elle Hearst

Emmeline Forbes

Freya Morgan

Nellie McCrae

Paige Huntzberger

Sienna Elliot

Callum

Kirsty & the dance squad

Willow & the squad

Sam Gleason

Holland Bass

Sage Hall

Daisy

Allie St James

Annabel Gilmore

Antoinette Kensington

Ashley Nardini

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford & Charles Gilmore

Brady Mariano

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller

Charlotte Howard-Danes

Dani Gilmore-Danes

Eliya Rygalski

Evan Mariano

Gabi Mariano

Holland Bass

Ilsa Gilmore-Danes

Jane Forester

Jocelyn Gilmore

Kaylee Hayden

Lili Gilmore

Lucas Gilmore (ft the Willow Squad)

Lorrie Gilmore-Danes

Marley Tinsdale

Preston Gilmore

Sam Gleason

Evie

Antoinette Kensington

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller

Chelsea Geller

Dani Gilmore-Danes

Sienna Elliot

Grace

Adalia Kim

Allie St James

Brady Mariano

Catie Gleason

Eleanor Doose

Evan Mariano

Gabi Mariano

Holland Bass

Ilsa Gilmore Danes

Jacqueline Grant

Jane Forester

Lucas Gilmore & Natalie Lister (ft the entire Willow Squad)

Paige Huntzberger

Sage Hall

Sam Gleason

Vicki St James

The Band

Hana

Allie St James

Bex Harding

Cecilia Ackerman

Eleanor Doose

Evan Mariano

Jane Forester

Vicki St James

Imogen

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Brady Mariano

Emmeline Forbes

Jacqueline Grant

Kaylee Hayden

Lydia

Lexi Danes

Jocelyn Gilmore

Preston Gilmore

Mercy

Antoinette Kensington

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford & Charles Gilmore

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller

Chelsea Geller

Dani Gilmore-Danes

Elle Hearst

Lili Gilmore

Sienna Elliot

Sophie Dugray

Millie

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller & Brooks Livingston

Chelsea Geller

Dani Gilmore-Danes

Nellie McCrae

Paige Huntzberger

Sienna Elliot

Regina

Annabel Gilmore

Antoinette Kensington

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller

Dani Gilmore-Danes

Elle Hearst

Jocelyn Gilmore

Lili Gilmore

Lucas Gilmore

Nellie McCrae

Preston Gilmore

Sienna Elliot

Richie

Allie St James

Annabel Gilmore

Antoinette Kensington

Avery Stiles

Bex Harding

Blythe Langford (& Charles Gilmore & Kaito Lauder but also Blythe x Richie)

Brielle Livingston & Austin Geller

Carlie Hayden

Catie Gleason

Chelsea Gellrr

Cosette Gerard

Dani Gilmore Danes

Eleanor Doose

Elle Hearst

Eliya Rygalski

Evan Mariano

Gabi Mariano

Harry Bechtel

Holland Bass

Hyacinth Nelson (???)

Ilsa Gilmore-Danes

Jacqueline Grant

Jane Forester

Jocelyn Gilmore

Kaylee Hayden

Lili Gilmore

Lucas Gilmore

Lorrie Gilmore-Danes

Marley Tinsdale

McKenna Hayden

Natalie Lister (ft the whole willow gang)

Nellie McCrae

Paige Huntzberger

Preston Gilmore & Lexi Danes

Sage Hall

Sam Gleason

Sara Topaz (??)

Sienna Elliot

Vicki St James

Viviana Lozano

The Band

Vance

Avery Stiles

Blythe Langford

Chelsea Geller

Emmeline Forbes

Lili Gilmore

Sienna Elliot

Glee:

Andrew

Abbie Hudson

Betty Fabray

Bobby Seurat

Cece & Colton Cartwright

Charlie Sylvester

Dolly Corcoran

Hillary Holliday

Jo Berry

Josie St James

Joy Schuester

Roxie Flores

May Taylor & June Harris

Savannah Evans

Valeria Ramirez

Aro

Betty Fabray

Jaci Jones

Kendall Pierce

Lilibeth Anderson

Sadie Berry

Savannah Evans

Brax

Betty Fabray

Jaci Jones

Kendall Pierce

Lilibeth Anderson

Sadie Berry

Savannah Evans

Elliot

Betty Fabray

Dolly Corcoran

Jaci Jones

Johanna Berry

Kendall Pierce

Lilibeth Anderson

Sadie Berry

Savannah Evans

Faith

Betty Fabray

Christina Hummel

Faye Anderson

Jaci Jones

Kendall Pierce

Lilibeth Anderson

Sadie Berry

Savannah Evans

May Taylor & June Harris

Mona

Betty Fabray

Jaci Jones

Kendall Pierce

Lilibeth Anderson

Savannah Evans

Harry Potter

Castor

Ara Black

Adhara Black

Carina Goldberg

Danica Lestrange

Lyarra Vance

Venus Malfoy

Violetta Greengrass

Seraphini

Adhara Black

Ara Black

Carina Goldberg

Venus Malfoy

Violetta Greengrass

Misc

Ariana Pendragon

Elsine Pendragon

Allyria Pendragon

Lynette Starfall

Princess Aelia

Beatrix Shellstrop

Bridget Atkins

Tatum Shellstrop

Amber Cain

Beth Jasper

Deborah Winchester

Elle Winchester

Esther Colt

Genesis

Isla George

Jude Winchester

Nevaeh Murphy

Phoebe Winchester

Trix Stilinski

Bridget Bridgerton

Augusta Beauchamp

Dorothea Bridgerton

Eliza Huntington

Emmeline Bridgerton

Georgina Pemberton

Harriet Warwick

Clara Gale

Andrea Hagreeves

Andromeda Hargreeves

Audrey Hargreeves

Cleo Sullivan

Dahlia Mort

Gemma Hargreeves

Helena Hargreeves

June McLaughlin

Lorelai Hargreeves

Max Carmichael

Sierra Nearing

Sunny Talbot

Tiffany Katz

Tori Hargreeves

Virginia West

Wilhelmina Hargreeves

Genesis Jones

Calleigh Sheridan

Odelia Kowroski

Josie Spencer

Calleigh Sheridan

Odelia Kowroski

PJO

Cordelia

Blake Castellan ( & Jasper Gabriel )

Cressida Brantley

Crystal Solace

Elaine & Felicity Castellan

Liz Castellan

Melody Weiss

Penelope Grace

Stella Beauregard

Victoria Blofis

Viola Di Angelo

Kendra

Carissa Grace

Cassandra Aelius

Melody Weiss

Penelope Grace

RWRB

Anneliese

Cate

Eileen

Margaret

Betsy

Abi

London

Lucy

Madi

Nina

Isabel

Madi

Whoverse

The Healer

Abbey Baker

Carys Harkness-Jones

Cassiopeia Harkness

Celeste Nichols

Ceridwen Lewis

Estella Tyler

Mina Ambrosia / The Scribe

Rose Harkness

Rusalia / The Oracle

Theia Wolfe

Matilda Fairbanks

Abbey Baker

Carys Harkness-Jones

Cassiopeia Harkness

Celeste Nichols

Ceridwen Lewis

Estella Tyler

Mina Ambrosia / The Scribe

Rose Harkness

Rusalia / The Oracle

Theia Wolfe

[justforbooks]

Is this the best April Fool's ever?

The news report was produced as an April Fools' Day joke in 1957, and presented a family in the canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland gathering a bumper spaghetti harvest after a mild winter and "virtual disappearance of the spaghetti weevil". Footage of a traditional "Harvest Festival" was aired along with a discussion of the breeding necessary to develop a strain to produce the perfect spaghetti noodle length. Some scenes were filmed at the (now closed) Pasta Foods factory on London Road, St Albans, in Hertfordshire, and at a hotel in Castagnola, Switzerland.

Panorama cameraman Charles de Jaeger dreamed up the story after remembering how teachers at his school in Austria teased his classmates for being so stupid that if they were told that spaghetti grew on trees, they would believe it. The editor of Panorama, Michael Peacock, told the BBC in 2014 how he gave de Jaeger a budget of £100 and sent him off. The report was made more believable through its voice-over by respected broadcaster Richard Dimbleby. Peacock said Dimbleby knew they were using his authority to make the joke work, and that Dimbleby loved the idea and went at it eagerly.

At the time, 7 million of the 15.8 million homes (about 44%) in Britain had television receivers. Pasta was not an everyday food in 1950s Britain, and it was known mainly from tinned spaghetti in tomato sauce and considered by many to be an exotic delicacy. An estimated eight million people watched the programme on 1 April 1957, and hundreds phoned in the following day to question the authenticity of the story or ask for more information about spaghetti cultivation and how they could grow their own spaghetti trees; the BBC told them to "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best".

The origins of April Fools Day are not clear but it is known that the tradition of practical joking and mischief-making dates back to Ancient Roman times.

It would appear that the festival is closely related to the coming of Spring.

Ancient Romans and Celts celebrated a festival of practical joking at about the time of the Vernal Equinox, as do millions of India's Hindus.

The French also mark 1 April but instead of April Fools they call it Poisson d'Avril (April Fish).

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com