#christmas craft ideas for adults

[streetmaille]

Learn to make a beautiful butterfly pendant out of tiny rings with my fun chainmail DIY Kit!

Choose your pattern at: https://streetmaille.etsy.com/listing/660718261

[thecluelessdoctor]

CHRISTMAS MOVIES

Now as much as I rip and hate on chrismas at times, I need to admit there is not a better feeling than experiencing a childlike wonder again. Seeing beautiful hand crafted clock work decor and extraordinary snow globes, or seeing those mechanical trains youd see in the movies, nothing beats the feeling like that.

I'ma talk about the movie Klaus. A personal favorite of mine, not just for chrismas.

Klaus was released on Netflix about four years ago (I feel old)

I love this movie. It breaks the Christmas movie stereotype and it does it well. I love it from animation, to story, to duologue to characters, it's amazing.

So to start off, let's start with animation and style.

Uhm.

I can't explain it just look

Stupid thumbnail. But yeah. Watch it. Beautiful.

Story!

The story is beautiful.

It starts, with a letter. Just a letter.

And a man.

The plot starts with Jesper, the snotty son of the owner of a huge postal company. Jesper is failing postal school, before being told to be a post man in a town in a island called Smeerinsberg, and have 6000 letters done in one year.

Smeerinsberg is a violent town, a large feud between two family's that go back generations living there.

Jesper has a hard time getting letters at all. Until that is a small child drops his drawing out the window and towards Jesper. Remember this. Jesper tries to get the child to mail the letter, before he is attacked by the child's father's dogs. Before this he meets a character named Ava, who was a attempted teacher

Weeks pass by, and he finds out about the old woodsman cabin, and desides to go there, finding many hand crafted toys.

The woodsman comes home, holding his large axe, and scaring jesper. Jesper flees, dropping the drawing from the child.

Things happen, and the woodsman, Klaus, tells jesper to bring him to the home of that child to deliver a present. Jesper does so (unwillingly) and nearly dying.

The next day, jesper wakes up to a few children saying they have letters for Klaus. Montage of Jesper bribing kids for toys lmao.

Jesper then goes back to klaus's home, pleadunf to be able to take the toys to the kids and shiz. Klaus agrees, and they'll do it at the dead of night.

Word gets around about Klaus, no one knowing it's actually jesper that's going into the homes lol.

One day he's getting letters, and meets a little girl named Márgu, who is Sámi, and Jesper cant understand her. He also learns some of the children can't write and read, so he sends them to Ava's school.

He also remeets a kid who told him to go home earlier in the movie, who he gave coal, and ends up making a thing called the Naughty list, sorta as a explanation.

Children all over town start doing good deeds, and soon after, the adults follow after. The two family's have dwinled, the large fued basically being ignored. The two leaders of the families make a truce to put a end to this peace.

Jesper is then at Klaus's cabin, rambling about his idea called 'Christmas'

After this, Jesper and Klaus get into a argument, and jesper goes home to find Márgu there. Jesper sorta vents, before deciding to try and figure out what Márgu wants. He goes to Ava's school, who helps translate a letter basically

Jesper goes home, and attempts to make what Márgu wanted, even though he doesn't know how to work wood

Klaus comes back, and helps him make Márgu's gift, and they go to deliver it, seeing her excited. They are later back at Klaus's cabin feeding the reindeer, and jesper is obviously happy that he made Márgu happy.

More stuff happens, and after a bit, Márgu's people have come to Klaus's cabin to help. They make him a sleigh, and a outfit similar to theirs, as well as help with toy making.

Though during this, what's left of the two family's finds out about jesper's goal of 6000 letters, and end up 'helping' him.

It's December 24th now, daylight, and suddenly jesper's dad comes to collect him, saying he's done 14000 letters. Klaus, Ava, and the Sámi people feel betrayed, and are mad at him

He goes to leave, but looks extremely sad, sadder than when he came to Smeerinsberg. His dad gives him the look, and he ends up staying.

Márgu went to go find him, trying to stop him. But looks like he missed his ride.

He ends up seeing the mob planning to get rid of the gifts, and trys to intervene, que drama scene with lots of tension, before it was revealed it was all a decoy, and jesper ends up regaining everyone's trust, and they go to deliver the gifts.

Years pass, and word spread, and they had to expand, just as they had hoped. Ava and jesper are in love, and jesper gets a mustache at one point (in which Klaus remarks 'what is on your face')

But suddenly, by the 12th year, Klaus's time has finally come, and he goes to join his wife. To anyone other than the viewer though, he seems to have just.m disappeared.

We cut to later, in a Christmas eve with jesper's kids. Him and Ava tuck them into bed, and Jesper goes down, to stay up for the night, the movie ending with the line 'but once a year, I get to see my friend'

Truly a beautiful movie.

I can't express how much I love this movie, and I can't even explain how good it is.

It's a 20/10, go check it out

[onskepa]

This ask is a bit of a funny, i think of humans trying to explain human celebrations or customs like Christmas or prank wars to na'vi and them trying to emulate it so the humans feel comfortable? Like Dr Augustin mentioned one holiday at her school and na'vi go ham for it!

Oooooooooooooh~!! This one will be interesting~!! Hope you all like this one as much as I did! XD

--------------------------

Happy Holidays!

The Omatikaya clan has plenty of rituals, ceremonies, traditions, and their own special holidays.

So when the humans explain what celebrations were done back on their native planet, the na'vi were VERY interested. They wanted to know everything and what were the stories or reasons behind it.

Grace Augustine explained to her students at one time in her school what holidays were and what type were celebrated back on the Earth.

As the na'vi children took in more information about the holidays, there were three they loved the most: Mother's day, Father's day and Halloween.

Christmas they couldn't understand. How can humans let some large man inside their home through a tiny pipe and can fly top speed across the world while using poor animals to carry the heavy weight of gifts?

So many years later, during the peace with the humans and the na'vi. Those students of Dr. Grace, they never forgotten about their three favorite human holidays.

But as a refresher the students, now fully grown adults, would ask the humans about the holidays once more. And once more, mother's day, father's day, and Halloween remained to be their favorite ones.

That gave the humans an idea, by counting the current time of earth, mother's day is getting close. So that will be the holiday to celebrate.

It was a holiday to look forward to. As mothers, they care and treasure their children. Willing to protect and love their beloved children. Through pain and tears the mothers deliver the future from their body.

Even Eywa was praised more as she is a mother to all of pandora. She is the mother who loved and gives life to the na'vi and their world.

The children and mates would craft, and create things for the mothers to keep and remember forever. Beads, new tops, favorite foods, etc.

During the communal dinner to celebrate, children would sing and dance about what they love about their mothers, mates would praise their beloveds and share moments that are pure and full of love.

Neytiri and other fellow mothers truly felt seen and high appreciated. A day to remember. And all agreed to keep celebrating it every years.

And father's day was no different.

By sharing information, the young children and mates began to prepare for the coming father's day. Despite the na'vi seeing humans strange with their customs, they have to admit, celebrating a parent truly is a wonderful reason to celebrate as parents they give and protect their children. Efforts must be recognized and appreciated.

Hell, even neytiri and her children were preparing things for jake. As he had given and sacrificed much for them.

The males knew something was about but sensing it was something good, they rather not intervene their families suspicious activities as knowing they would find out soon.

So what father's day arrived, it was full of laughter, smiles and wonderful moments. The fathers were given wonderful gifts from their families.

Children crafted their own things believing it would be useful for their strong fathers, mates crafting a bead as a momentum or giving praise. Truly a wonderful day for the strong fathers.

And months later, Halloween came. Now this one the humans loved and put their all in sharing the festivities with the na'vi.

The children had a better concept of what to do. Dressing up and be something you're not for a day? How exciting!

With the help of the adults, many kids had fascinating costumes, some dressed as their favorite animals, pretending to be a different na'vi clan.

The humans dressed up as classical monsters and had fun telling the na'vi what each monster was and telling to many stories during communal dinner.

Of course what is Halloween without treats? Everyone part took in creating sweet treats for the young ones and according to the humans, the children go to each hut and ask for treats.

By the end of the night, stories from Earth was told. From vampires, werewolves, Skinwalkers, ghosts, zombies, etc.

To say...the na'vi were so glad those monsters dont roam on pandora.

aaaaaaaand that is it for this one! Hope you all enjoyed it! Until next time! see ya!

[sweetpayaso]

🤡🖤🤍 Laughing Jack: Lore and HCs 🤡🖤🤍

Hello again! This post is sort of a follow-up to the Cake Topper headcanons post. This time, I will be covering keypoints of my version of Jack.

While some things in my version follow canon, a lot of stuff has been altered to give my version of Laughing Jack his own identity.

• Laughing Jack’s origin story ( in my take ) takes place in the mid to late twentieth century, rather than the late nineteenth century.

• The character of Laughing Jack, or as he was originally referred to, Jack ( or Jack the clown ), was actually an image created by Isaac himself, not an otherworldy deity.

• Jack originally did not have a physical form in our reality. He slowly manifested himself, similar to a Tulpa, as Isaac’s mind and personality only grew more vivid. In fact, he didn’t maintain a full physical form until he was completely monochrome and corrupt.

• His colorful form, therefore, was only ever able to be “seen” as drawings, or inside of Isaac’s dreams when they were still close.

• Jack still had his own “Jack In The Box” that he was assigned to. However, it was an average box that Isaac had painted/handcrafted himself. This is what stemmed Isaac’s creative work with carving in his adult years.

• The clown’s “birthday” is celebrated on Christmas Day. No day is more fitting for an initially jovial, colorful clown than the happiest day of the year. This is also because Christmas Eve was the day Isaac first thought up of him.

• The corruption of Laughing Jack started when Isaac grew out of their games, and eventually forgot about him, in favor of horror-based medium. Jack would slowly watch and gain ideas from the movies Isaac would watch, thinking all of them were ok and fun to “perform” in reality.

• Jack actually didn’t earn the full name/alias of “Laughing Jack” until after his first few kills. This is because children would describe him to their parents as “always smiling and giggling” when interacting with the clown.

• Laughing Jack is partially stuffed. The stuffed part of his body is his arms, which is why he is able to grow and stretch them in comparison to other parts.

• He, quite literally, always smiles. He can hold a toothy smile open without ever needing to rest his face.

• He is only able to view things in greyscale. This is due to the loss of color in his eyes. It’s like watching an old movie 24/7.

• His nose does not function like a regular nose. It’s merely for aesthetic purposes.

• He actually hides his candy inside of his stuffed sleeves.

• He is approximately seven feet tall.

• Jack, despite his corruption, is still able to feel emotion to a very minimal degree. It’s incredibly hard to do so, though, and most of it is found through his drive during killing.

• He mostly smells of must and old candy.

• Jack still finds time to practice playing the accordion. It’s his main act as a clown, besides being rusty at it after his abandonment.

• Laughing Jack prefers hard candy over anything chewy.

• Because Isaac was a craftsman, Jack also has a knack for crafting things. Often, he has to repair his own arms, because stuffing falls out of it due to the constant tearing of his sleeves.

[judedeluca]

I think that if Roy were to take Lian's brother Tommy into their family, it'd be more fitting if Tommy were the one to take on the Speedy name after his sister BUT is the one who takes on the Arsenal name as an adult.

I like this idea that it's come full circle, Roy, a foster child himself, passing on the name he crafted for himself onto a child he adopted into his family.

But I do think Tommy tries, emphasis on TRY, to carry on Roy's bad boy image and he's just too... sweet to really do it successfully. Like as a kid there was one attempt by him to play up the cute kid angle to get more birthday or Christmas gifts but he IMMEDIATELY caved and had this hilarious sobbing breakdown feeling guilty about it.

But it doesn't stop him from trying though.

[starlightoaks]

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO… STARLIGHT OAKS ANNUAL WINTER FESTIVAL!

Mayor Perry has personally invited you, as a citizen of Starlight Oaks, to attend the town’s annual Winter Festival! From Friday through to Sunday (26th January – 28th January), after 5pm, come join your neighbors in celebrating the season! This year is going to be the biggest festival yet, and we promise that you don’t want to miss out on the fun. This year’s festivities will include activities such as ice skating and mini golf. Come hungry, as the classic fair foods will all be available for purchase: cotton candy, elephant ears, pizza, kettle corn... but that's not all! A number of stalls operated by your local favorites will be popping up throughout the square that won't only satisfy the kids, but warm our adults from head to toe. Grab yourself a glass Cosmo's famous mulled wine while you're there! Or shimmer and shine with Gravi-tea's Winter Festival exclusive flavors! It won’t be the weekend to forget your wallet! And, don’t you fret! The holidays may be over, but colorful lights and brilliant art installations will decorate in formations that celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Multiple streets along and around the town square will be blocked off, where there will be a small train that circles and brings you past the biggest light displays. If you’re looking for the rides, the ferris wheel will have just what you need! Take a few spins so you can take in the wonderful view that is the evergreen trees surrounding the area, and if you squint hard enough, you might just catch a glimpse of the glowing Starlight Pier in the distance. The ferris wheel will be the only ride available during this event. For our thrill seekers, keep an eye out for the spring fair! #StarOaksWinterFest

ACTIVITY IDEAS

ice skating, mini golf, giant board games (chess, checkers, connect four, etc), axe throwing, friendship bracelet making, silent disco, craft workshops + many more!

EVENT DETAILS

This event will begin on Friday, January 26th (from midnight PST) and end on Friday, February 2nd (at midnight PST).

All threads pertaining to the Winter Festival must begin during this period. No new starters should be posted after this time, however you may continue in the days following to wrap up these threads.

This event is entirely optional, however as this is the first event of the group to commemorate its opening, we recommend getting involved.

Please tag all event related posts with the Winter Festival with #StarOaksWinterFest and #starlight.event, and make sure you're following @starteroaks as we will be reblogging any open event starters over there.

[pintsizemama]

Christmas Craft Fair

Day 11

Summary: Marcus & Peanut shop at the craft fair.

Pairings: Marcus Pike x You, Marcus Pike x Female Reader (Peanut)

Fandom: The Mentalist

Rating: Mature

Warnings: talk of drinking

Word Count: 542

A/N: This takes place before The Proposal

Marcus & Peanut Masterlist

Day 10 Day 12 Christmas Masterlist Main Masterlist AO3 Join my taglist

Marcus’s hand was warm and strong clasped in yours. You walked leisurely by all the booths at the Christmas craft fair. You always loved coming to these. It was so much fun to see all the creative things people made for the holidays. You had just closed the sale of your home in DC last week, and were now settled…well, settling back in Seattle. You didn’t have a place here yet, so you were staying with your parents until you found something.

Sarah was in heaven with 24/7 uninterrupted Grandma and Grandpa time. And your parents were thrilled as well. You had planned to bring your daughter with you today, but your mom insisted you and Marcus enjoy some adult time. So, you decided to take advantage of a baby free shopping trip and buy the rest of your Christmas gifts.

“Do you think my mom would like that?” Marcus asked. You looked to where he was pointing. It was a Christmas sweater that said ‘Best Grandma Ever’.

“Oh my god, yes!” You said immediately. “But you know my mom is gonna want one too.”

“I figured that,” he replied. “They have different colors, so we can get them each one.”

“Perfect,” you agreed. “Let’s get a blue one for your mom since it’s her favorite, and red for mine.” Marcus stepped into the booth to buy the sweaters.

“I think we should give these to them on Christmas Eve so they can wear them on Christmas day,” Marcus said after he paid.

“Good idea.” You walked along and bought more gifts as you went. You had already gotten everyone the big items. This was just some fun extras you guys wanted to get for everyone.

“Oh my god,” Marcus gasped as you approached a woodworking booth. He rushed over and picked up a beautiful doll cradle. It was solid wood and gorgeously crafted. It had a cute tufted headboard with a scene of baby bears on it and a matching blanket and pillow set.

“I have to get this for Sarah,” Marcus told you. “She will love it.” You smiled at your handsome boyfriend. He loved to spoil his little girl.

“She definitely would love this,” you said. Marcus quickly purchased it, afraid to lose out since it was the only one.

“I think we should head back to the car and unload some of this stuff,” you said. Both your arms were very full now.

“Good idea,” Marcus agreed. “Do you want to walk around more or do you want to grab lunch?”

“Mmm,” you moaned. “Lunch sounds good.” Marcus smiled

“Alright,” he said, “how about the pub?”

“Yes!” You shouted. The pub was a local favorite, but it had been years since you’d been there. Living in DC—and then having Sarah when you came to visit—made it impossible to go.

“Oh man, I’m getting a pint for sure,” you said. “Maybe two!”

“I’m not carrying your drunk ass home, Peanut,” Marcus warned.

“You totally would if I needed you to,” you teased.

“I would,” Marcus sighed.

“That’s one of the reasons I love you,” you sing songed.

“C’mon, you lush,” Marcus said. “Let’s go get your beer.” You giggled and followed him to the car.

Day 12

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[the-radio-demon-blog]

Regarding misogyny; just listen to us call out other men. (Maybe eat some misogynists who refuse to reform...I mean...🤐)

Oh! I would love to hear what someone thinks of the movie that hasn't seen it dozens of times! I grew up with them and didn't understand how problematic the second one was until I was an adult. Though, it was always my least favorite. I still watch them all at least once a year.

I gave the cannibal deer a cannibal alligator! It must be kismet! 😆 I had no idea. Glad the dear departed gator was enjoyed. You *shared* with Stanley?! You lovveee him. Careful Alastor, people will think you're a secret softie. 😝

I was wondering about holidays in hell. How does Charlie celebrate Christmas?? I'm not religious even a tiny smidgen. But I still adore Christmas. I treat it as more of a celebration of the end of the year. I love giving presents. I love the food and the lights. Ohhh I fucking love the lights. My living room becames a Christmas Wonderland. I have 2 Christmas villages, a large 6 foot tree and a small 3 foot tree, among other stuff.

There are plenty of Christmas monsters and ghost stories too. I'm particularly fond of the Yule Cat and the Mari Lwyd. And last year...I got to meet Krampus. He gave me head scritches. 😮 Ah fuck it. Here's my stupid face (pre pink hair) with Krampus. https://ibb.co/RQg5rbz

I've gone Halloween shopping already last week. Stores are getting their spooky inventory. It's like catnip to me. I was internally squealing at alllll the stuff. 🎃

Thank you for the compliment on my wreath! 🤗  I don't do crafts, really, so I'm glad it doesn't suck. Hah.

Are you familiar with this? I feel like you would be. I can imagine you singing it actually.

https://youtu.be/sVjk5nrb_lI?si=2G1okbhaCKDFbrwe

After while, crocodile! 🐊

For a picture film, it was surprisingly tolerable. If anything enjoyable. The soundtrack was rather tasteful. I would say that the Raiders of the Lost Ark is my second favorite and it does set up for the series. I would say that the most enjoyable for me was the Last Crusade. While I am all one for darker movies, the 3rd was rather light and comedic which was very refreshing. The Natizs (within this series) never cease to be ridiculous antagonists chasing after Christian religious artifacts. And the Last Crusade chase scene was rather fun.

Somehow Harrison Ford's and Sean Connery's dynamics were endlessly entertaining as a father-son duo.

I could on and on but I shall end this here.

Well, Charlie used to celebrate it with some strange Krampus nonsense before she met us. Apparently, many of the hellborns (understandably so) had no idea what Christmas was. Despite Charlie's loving nature, the first Christmas she shared with us at the Hotel was rather horrifying and something I would rather not get into.

Thankfully, even though a few of us are Christian we were able to assist in the next Christmas. Two of us are even lapsed Catholics, hah! So with our combined forces, yes, we were able to put together an non-disturbing (secular?) Christmas celebration. Nowadays, we all get together and decorate the Hotel. It looks rather wonderful when its all down. A winter wonderland if that's what you call it. And with Charlie's magic, it makes it more wonderful.

We have wonderful colorful lights strung throughout the lobby and the halls. Christmas trees. Little Christmas Towns that apparently Angel Dust and Husk are obsessed with putting together. Wreaths, of course. Everything Christmas-y of the like. And well, we have St. Nicolaus and a secret Santa which usually ends with an argument. I'm not one for holidays but it is rather fun (but don't tell the others).

Oh my goodness! Well that's certainly a picture! Krampus looks like a somewhat dapper fellow. Are you nervous or simply happy? Hah, you don't have to answer that.

Unfortunately I am acquainted with that song. Charlie wouldn't stop playing it as the elevator music during the spooky season. It was a fun song at first but after the first few times I tired of it. Next time, I'm certainly going to consult Charlie about the Halloween music, hah!

See you later, my dear, alligator!

[animehouse-moe]

Black Night Parade Volume 1: Christmas Come Early

Well, it's November, you know what that means: it is now the domain of Christmastime! What a dreadful period of limbo with crappy weather and no proper holiday as we drag Christmas out from the shadows.

Anyways, this manga's about Christmas but from the perspective of the inverse/black Santa Claus. It's fun, unique, stylish, and very much promises the ability to go the distance. I don't think I need to sell people on checking it out, but I will, just to be sure.

So, what's the idea? Well, it's kind of hard to give a good overview without spoiling certain aspects, but our main character Miharu is working a dead end job at a convenience store where he decides to steal an expired cake. Rookie mistake, obviously, as anyone with half a brain would know that stealing that cake would get you in quite a bit of trouble with our black Santa, Knecht.

Also, fun fact! Knecht in German, the origins of Saint Nick, means "Servant". Don't have anything too much to add there, but do pay attention to Knecht's design in the manga.

Anyways, I might as well get to art since I already showed some. Black Night Parade can be really good looking when it wants to be. Really great storyboarding, layouts, and blocking, all atop very sharp and pretty line art. I'd say that art is just one of Nakamura's strong points, of which this first volume proves that there are many.

I mean, take a look at this art that also comes from this volume. Sort of completely different, no? That's something that Nakamura does really well this volume. The fluidity of the designs and their expressiveness is incredibly well done. If I were to compare it to anything, this opposite end of the art gives off a "Fujimoto feeling" in terms of detail and line art, but Nakamura's refinement is still ever present in things like hands. It's almost scary how well they draw them.

You know, I've named Nakamura a good bit here, but I haven't really explained them. They're the creator of Arakawa Under The Bridge, you know, the very popular and long running comedy manga that got an adaptation from SHAFT? Yeah, that Nakamura. I had high hopes for their ability to perform with this series so I came in very blind, and I am not disappointed in the slightest.

Their ability to work with humor, specifically in the context of this story, is very very solid. The personalities of the characters aren't super deep, as they tend to gravitate towards one note, but not in the "flat" way, if that makes sense. They all have very strong personalities that they don't tend to stray from, which you might think makes them one note or flat, but the approach to the humor really helps with that.

Our main character Miharu acts as the receptacle of those characters, where we don't see them unless through the lens of Miharu, and Nakamura is very thoughtful in exposing only bits and pieces of a character at a time. As expected of a certified veteran in the craft, they avoid falling prey to exposing 110% to readers off the line, and are very conscious of keeping things at a reasonable pace and avoiding re-iteration of humor.

It's all very very well thought out in that regard, and balanced even better. The volume doesn't rely on a specific "brand" of humor like rug pulls or a straight man to be consistently funny. It pulls from a wealth of backgrounds to create comedy that is wonderfully adapted to each moment.

And that's the highest praise I can give the volume, really. It's consistently funny, and is able to be funny without laying all of its cards on the table. It's got a set pace at which it plays its hand, and that basically guarantees that the only way is up.

So, it's a dark humor series about Christmas with great art, great humor, great basically everything, and it has an adult cast. There's really nothing I can fault this first volume for, so all I can do is say that it's an incredibly easy recommendation for people looking for a good laugh or some "Christmas cheer" in manga format.

[denimbex1986]

'Most of us want to connect and be understood. Most of us want to feel less alone in the world. It’s why we read books and watch films. Taichi Yamada’s novel “Strangers,” a ghost story set in Japan, may not be my story, and yet it spoke to me on a profoundly personal level. As Harada, the melancholic screenwriter, wanders back to his childhood home on the outskirts of Tokyo to reconnect with his parents, I was transported to my own childhood home, pulled into my own past. His story was becoming my own, and that is what I needed to put on the page.

Filmmaking is always exposing, but for this movie to work, I knew I had to dig further into my own life than I had before in my work. I needed to be specific, hoping that honesty would unlock the universal themes of the piece. It is worth stating that this is not an autobiography; unlike the protagonist, my parents are still alive, but the story offered the scope for me to examine loneliness and loss, and how these experiences shape our childhood and ultimately define the adults we become. It allowed me to explore my understanding of love, both familial and romantic, and how those dual aspects can inform each other, for better and worse.

Unlike the original source material, there was never a question that I would keep the central character straight. If this was ultimately a story about love, then it was important to me that it would portray queer love. I had been looking to say something about growing up gay in the 1980s for some time and how that experience haunts many of us like a ghost, but I hadn’t found the right story until now. Telling any queer story can be a challenging experience. The pressure of representation can be a heavy burden, but I knew I wanted my focus to be narrow, to the experience of a distinct generation of gay men who grew up in a certain time and place. Again, specificity became the mantra.

The script came together during the pandemic: trapped in my apartment, separated from family, fearful of what might happen to the world and everyone in it. I dug deep into my own memories: photos, diaries, music. Many of my own stories became Adam’s. And as I wrote about my protagonist returning to his family home, it was my own childhood home I pictured. And then, as we prepared the production, I made the decision to shoot in that actual location, a place I hadn’t been back to in more than 40 years. I wasn’t totally prepared for how it would make me feel, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

It was a strange experience working in that space, shooting scenes in my parents’ old bed or around the Christmas tree in a version of my old front room. I felt dragged backwards and forwards in time. I developed eczema again, something I hadn’t had since I was young. The body seems to remember. I wasn’t the happiest of kids. Interestingly, it seemed to have an effect on many of the cast and crew too, all navigating their own complicated relationships with their pasts as the film’s themes emerged throughout the production. Again the specific seemed to be becoming universal.

Editing was a long process. For months my editor and I were locked alone in a room trying to craft the unusual tone, the liminal space in which the film exists. With it came the growing anxiety that in sharing this film, I would be revealing too much of myself. As we shared cuts, I could sense how over-sensitive I was to any criticisms of the film, feeling it was, in effect, a criticism of me. But if I wanted the film to radiate a certain vulnerability, then it had to contain my vulnerability too.

Now the film is out and seemingly connecting with audiences. It is reassuring to know that perhaps we did something right. We managed to excavate a feeling that others can recognize. We found the universal in the personal. It has allowed people to reflect on their own lives and the important people within it.

I’ve been asked if I feel liberated somehow now that the film is out there. That is a hard question to answer just yet. I do feel that making the film has given me a greater understanding of the nature of love and its power to soften the harder edges of life, but it has not been an easy ride. Nor, perhaps, should it be. Making any kind of art is often both as joyous and as painful as life itself, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep trying.

I’ll end with a quote from Jung. “Real liberation comes not from glossing over or repressing painful states of feeling, but only from experiencing them to the full.”'

[adamwatchesmovies]

A Christmas Story (1983)

A Christmas Story so perfectly captures what it’s like to be a kid around Christmas time it's become a classic. Even if you’ve never had to bundle up to go outside in the cold and your father didn’t curse like a sailor growing up, you instantly “get” what this movie is talking about. Hilarious and memorable, it sometimes feels more like a trip through your family's photo album than a movie.

Narrated by Jean Shepherd and told in flashback, the film is set in a nebulous era in the past (looks like the 30s or 40s). For Christmas, nine-year-old Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) wants nothing more than a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock and a sundial. Unfortunately, his mother, his teacher and every other adult around dismisses his wish as a bad idea. They all say the same thing: “You’ll shoot your eye out.”

The plot at the center of A Christmas Story revolves around Christmas and that Red Ryder BB gun but the movie frequently branches off. The neighborhood dogs, the school bully, the “major award” Ralphie’s father (Darren McGavin) wins, the malfunctioning furnace… each one of these has an equivalent in your memory. Everyone remembers the first time they were truly disappointed by a toy. For me, it was in 1993. I had seen commercials for the Mighty Max toys - small horror-themed playsets featuring a cool teenager battling hideous monsters. In the commercial, the children would close the toy and thrust their hands toward the screen. Instantly, bolts of energy transformed their hands to match the ghoulish designs of Kingdom of Gargantua, Skull Dungeon or Wolfship 7. On my birthday, I received Doom Dragon. I couldn’t be more excited as I grasped the toy in my hand, punched the air and… nothing. Had a camera been on my face at the time, it would’ve held the same look as Ralph’s when his reality comes crashing down.

A Christmas Story gets all the details right and the period-piece setting makes it feel authentic. “The details are fuzzy” it seems to say “but it went something like this”. The results are warm and nostalgic but also darkly comedic. We’re looking back at times when disaster was narrowly avoided or when things got so bad they'd be traumatic if they weren't so funny. You recognize yourself in Ralphie, which is why the film is consistently hilarious. Over and over, you’ll feel compelled to pause the movie, turn towards the people watching it with you, and tell them how your version of these events went but that would ruin the flow of things so your recollections will have to wait.

Even the names are spot-on. They don’t match the ones from your childhood exactly, but they’re not that far off. Funny how things work out that way sometimes. Director Bob Clark (also responsible for one of my other favorite Christmas-themed movies, 1974’s Black Christmas and the lump of coal that is Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2), along with co-writers Jean Shepherd and Leigh Brown have crafted a picture that’s destined to endure.

A Christmas Story is filled with memorable, quotable moments that will bring the whole family together. It’s a must for the holidays. (On Blu-ray, December 22, 2019)

[munchkinfox-the-deviant-fox]

Anhedonia Chapter 1 Part 1

This turned out to be a lot longer than seemed reasonable for a post so I've split the chapter into 2 parts.

Rhene has long since accepted the fact that her life is boring. She works a job, she goes home to her cat, she has friends she can spend time with. Life is perfectly full of things that make most people perfectly content. But she's not. So maybe going back to school will give her the chance to improve things, change things, find a better a job. There's always a salary increase if you've got a Masters degree and what's a few loans compared to improving ones life? Oh! Ya know, she never got to study abroad as an undergrad! She could totally start off abroad! That's totally exciting, right? At least maybe she'll find something new to hyper-fixate on so she can pretend like her life isn't completely unfulfilling. Yeah, this is totally a great idea. What could possibly go wrong?

Tags: Long fic, slow burn, eventual poly MC, named MC

CW: None

Prologue <- Master List -> Chpt 1 Prt 2

Peace in Our Time

Rhen exhaled a long sigh weighed down by the weariness and exhaustion burdening her body. The bedroom door shut with a punt from her heel, feet kicking off shoes before shuffling across the carpet, her bag tumbling off her shoulder to the floor as she flopped onto the welcoming mattress and comforter.

It was only the first week of the foreign exchange program, but she had been run around and kept busy to the point of near-exhaustion. Yet, Rhen still had enough energy to smile, a hidden, secret feeling only for her. It was something she hadn’t felt in a hell of a long time: light and giddy with anticipation like an electrifying surge flooding her system. Memories of being a teen—a kid, really—walking through the painted and poster-ridden halls of high school, holding hands with a guy she couldn’t keep a coherent conversation with as she blustered and flustered after him… the picture saturated her memories. Being an adult now and not an absolute idiot of a teenager, Rhen knew she hadn’t been in love, but it sure had felt like it then, and it sure felt like it now. 

This wasn’t what she had expected from studying abroad. Studying? Sure, of course, maybe some sightseeing on the weekends. But not this. She never even hoped for something like this. The campus was sprawling, architecture ancient and awe inspiring, the students so diverse even despite their human appearance. The university town brought back memories of her time as an Undergraduate, living on campus. Though, back then, the apartments were a hell of a lot smaller. And here, the class selection was too good to be true. For years she had begrudged her university’s class unavailability and selection, but this… This was academic nerd heaven. Being able to learn Infernal, and Infernal and Ancient Human Linguistics was absolutely fascinating! Not to mention Spellcraft, Devildom History, Potions, Curses and Hexes. And magic. Holy shit, there was magic. Real magic! Practicing the Craft was a secret witches held tightly to their chest in the human world, but here?... Damn, she hadn’t been this excited about school in, well, a hell of a long time.

The monotony of life before the program: working a 50 hour work week, everyday, only to go home to sleep or watch a few hours of Netflix while eating microwave meals, was upended by this absolute chaos, and honestly? She couldn’t really complain. Hell, she was ahead of some of her classes just because she wanted to read the textbooks.

Was this all just a dream? A part of her trembled at the thought of this all just being a cruel imagining of her mind.

A yawn wrought open her jaw and she buried her face further in the comforter. She wanted to stay up, to keep reading: it felt like she didn’t have enough time in the day to do all the things she wanted to do. The fact that she even wanted to do anything was a fuckin Christmas miracle and she needed to ride out this wave of energy and motivation for as long as she possibly could and sleep was trying to interfere with her plans. Granted, maybe if she actually left her bedroom for anything besides school then maybe she could get more things done, but then that would increase the risk of running into one of her housemates. Could she even call them housemates? It was more like she was an unwanted guest in their house.

For the most part she had been successful in keeping out of sight of her devilish hosts. Since their first interaction her first night in the entrance hall of the house, Levi hadn’t spoken a word to her, nor had she really seen him, yet he still insisted on existing in her space and spamming her with texts. She almost thought that perhaps he had set up a bot to do his dirty work, if not setting alarms to remind himself to harass her.

Why? Because for some reason he was convinced she could get Mammon to pay his debts to the brother. How the hell he came to that conclusion she couldn’t fathom. Her tour guide and escort babysitter seemed to want as little to do with her as she did him. He walked her to campus and to each of her classes—if he decided to show up—and then home again, but every moment they spent within the vicinity of each other, he complained loudly about how annoying she was and how too good he was to be having to do the lowly task of watching over her safety. He was complaining to the wrong person: if it was up to her, she’d be on her own.

Aside from them, Asmodeus was the only other one who had seemed intent on interacting with her and that interest had faded after a day or two. Thank sweet baby Jesus. His flirting grated on her nerves, like he was making fun of her as he cooed over her while picking at her clothes with poorly hidden judgement.

Her DDD chimed again. And again, and again and again. She groaned, pulling the comforter over and around her. If the phone hadn’t been a gift from Lord Diavolo himself—it sucked that communication between the two worlds was impossible through human technology—she would have thrown the damn thing against the wall. It was either one of three people: Mammon, demanding to know where she was, Lucifer, who wanted to check on her and her progress with settling in in the most oppressive, cold manner she had ever experienced, or Leviathan. Leviathan, who continued to text her phone despite her obstinate refusal to even open his texts.

Another chime and Rhen reached for the offending device, the main screen nearly blinding her with LED brightness. Instead of the litany of unread messages, the time was what caught her attention and Rhen exhaled a whine. How did it get so late?! How was time so weird here?! Maybe it was the constant darkness of a never ending night that covered the Devildom, or maybe she just wasn’t counting down the monotonous minutes until something less boring happened like she used to.

“Human!” Mammon kicked down her door.

Then again, she was finding that her moments of peace and solitude were all too often disrupted. And that was saying something considering she had only been here a week.

“Yes, Demon?” The words slipped from Rhen, and she cringed at the brashness. On top of everything else, Rhen was having a hard time putting to words why exactly she kept slipping into a casual tone with Mammon. Maybe it was because he was a demon, or maybe because he was a shit, but she didn’t feel guilty being upfront with him, if not even a little mean. The part of her that used keeping up that socially expected niceness and politeness as a means of keeping people at her preferred distance? It was no longer her first go-to with him, the ingrained need to be passive and agreeable just… an anxiety that didn’t exist with him. Rhen didn’t care about making friends, so why was she treating him like he was one? Sure, demons hardly seemed to respond to polite requests and kind words, but that hadn’t stopped her a week ago.

So many things were changing.

It was unnerving and one hundo percento needed to just not be a thing.

Mammon scoffed, “Human, I need you to do my Devildom History assignment!”

“Absolutely not.” Rhen sat up, phone forgotten amongst the blankets, ruffling her wildly loose hair and yawning.

“Come oooooon! Lucifer will kill me if I don’t do well on the next test and I have a photoshoot to go to, so I can’t do it. Since we’re in the same class, you can totally just do my assignment too!” He laughed, so carefree and jovial, as if it was the most obvious thing to do.

“Nope.”

It was surprising to see a demon so easily fall to tears. No, actually, he was probably just trying to guilt her into saying yes and thought she’d cave under his waterworks. Too bad for him, “Instead, I’ll help you study and complete the homework yourself. Academic dishonesty is nothing to joke about. Come on, go get your books and I’ll help.”

Mammon paused and she could feel the scrutiny. Careful Mammon, don’t wanna pop a synapse thinking too hard. That was another, another thing: despite being a multi-millenium year old being, the demon was a bit of an idiot.

Whatever thought passed, he was quick to turn his nose up. Ah yes, the haughty asshole approach. Wasn’t Lucifer supposed to represent all things prideful?

“As if a human could help me. I’m Mammon, the great Avatar of Greed. Humans bow and revere me, and if they’re lucky, I might just help them. You, little Human, have nothing of worth to me.”

Holy shit, apparently human men weren’t the only ones with fragile egos. “Ah, my mistake. I thought you had come to my room, asking for my help. Must’ve gotten confused; my bad.” Maybe if she ignored him he’d just go away?

The ensuing silence meant he was going to give up and go bother one of his brothers, feeding Rhen just a taste of hope.

Yeah, she wasn’t that lucky.

Mammon, having kept to the door, further strode into her room, even going so far as to sprawl himself along the foot of her bed. The tilt of his head, the purposeful rise of his shirt, the simmering half-lidded expression he was giving her…

Ah. He was changing tactics.

Rhen rolled her eyes.

“If you did the assignment for me, I’d owe you a favor~”

Rhen cleared her throat, schooling her features and leveling the most uninterested expression with absolutely zero effort, “Why do you assume a favor from a demon sounds appealing to me? And you can stop: being pretty won’t get you what you want.”

The soft, almost ethereal expression hardened and he’s right back to being Mammon, “Why are ya so difficult, Human? Come on, I need to work! With Goldie still in Lucifer’s evil clutches, I have to get money somehow! Can’t you give me a break?”

Rhen sighed, closing her eyes and scratching her fingers over the crown of her forehead, “I’m sorry you had your credit card privileges revoked, but that’s on you. The only thing I can offer is to help with the homework. I’m not cheating for you, or anyone else. Take it or leave it.”

His displeasure was obvious and he scoffed, crawling off the bed in dramatic fashion and headed out the door, “I shouldn’t be surprised; it’s not like a lowly human could help me anyways.”

The salty-ass bitch!

Rhen brought her middle fingers up as the door shut. For a sliver of a moment she felt for the guy. As far as demons went, not being able to perform your sin sounded like it would be uncomfortable. She could get that. At least that’s how it made sense to her. Now that he was gone though—

Her cell phone chimed and Rhen whipped around to find the offending object, forcing it under her pillows. Insistent, manipulative, annoying as shit assholes! Did no one understand social-emotional boundaries?! Leviathan still wouldn’t leave her alone about finding Goldie—the fact that he named his credit card is… a lot—and tricking Mammon.

                                               OtakuWaterLizard

You can’t keep ignoring me!

                                                                             I’m really sorry, but my answer won’t change.

Make a pact with Mammon.

                                                                                      I’m sorry Leviathan, but I can’t do that.

Make a pact with Mammon.

Make a pact with Mammon.

Make a pact with Mammon.

Don’t you dare ignore me, Normie!!!

Make a pact with Mammon

Make a pact with Mammon

                                                                      If you want your money back, you should really talk to Mammon

I will not stop until Seraphina is avenged and I have my money back!

To do that, you need to find his credit card and then force him to make a pact with you!

Would this be never ending?

Would she never be allowed a moment of peace ever again?

Wait…

Another chime went off.

Fuckkk, this was the most stupid-ingenious idea. She had said she wouldn’t get involved, but holy fuck getting Leviathan off her ass and Mammon in a better mood would be worth anything at this point. And apparently the only way to do that was to find the damn credit card. Then she could give it to Mammon, tell Leviathan his plan is ruined, and live in relative fucking peace.

But only one person knew the whereabouts of the card, and if she wanted to find it…

That only meant one thing: talking to Lucifer.

“I am in literal and figurative hell.”

All morning she had been distracted, logic-ing out the best way to get what she needed. It didn’t help that she had no idea as to Lucifer’s schedule, but for once Mammon assisted her, supplying her with exactly what she needed: a time and place to ambush him.

Ambush, politely coerce if not beg: same difference.

She wanted to get there early, that way if Lucifer was ahead of schedule—he seemed like such a Type-A personality, it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility—she wouldn’t miss her chance.

Being anxiously aware of the time, however, made everything drag out, keying her up even more so.

The second the professor dismissed class, Rhen was packing her bag, shoving pens and notebooks in haphazardly. The room was still bustling with students trying to leave the class and if she was quick enough she could dodge lingering demons hoping to eat her, find Lucifer before her next class, and evade-

“How are you holding up? Every time I see you, you’re always running off somewhere. The work isn’t too difficult for you? I could help tutor you if you would like.”

Dammit.

Rhen looked up, the pale sorcerer smiling down at her. Solomon—like, the Solomon, biblical king Solomon—was the other human exchange student, who, unlike herself, was an established sorcerer and is also inhumanly old despite his youthful appearance.

How in the hell did she get chosen for this program? It’s not like the other students were competition, but having herself next to Solomon as representatives of the human world… Man, she couldn’t even perform magic yet. It’s no wonder she’s caught eyes with demons as they—literally—circled her in the RAD commons. Rhen glanced behind Solomon, three demons lingering outside the door, glancing in at her and Solomon.

Yeah, these asshats weren’t subtle.

She smiled, beaming with enough cheer that she hoped Solomon was able to read her sarcasm, and at the same time the idea of him picking up on her irritation at being talked to being mortifying, “Oh, that’s sweet of you, Solomon. Thanks, but I’ve just been busy, settling in, ya know?”

“Ah yes, I imagine living in a house with six handsome demons can be very distracting.”

Rhen’s eyes narrowed, but her smile remained perfectly intact, “Honestly, any demon would make it difficult to settle.”

“If it would help, you should come to Purgatory Hall: Simeon and Luke are eager to meet you,” he said and for a moment her thoughts of active disdain for the man in front of her fell away.

“The other exchange students? You mean-”

“The students from the Celestial realm: angels, yes,” he said.

Rhen paused. Huh, she had been so immersed with the demons and the demon-world, she had completely forgotten that there was a flip side to this world that also existed. Hmm… She refused to ask Solomon for help—she’d rather punch Satan, Lord and avatar of Wrath and all things hissy-fitty—but maybe befriending some angels would be enough of an incentive to ward off the soul-hungry bottom feeders.

“That… would be nice. I’d love to meet them,” Rhen said, the first genuine smile ever directed towards the sorcerer. 

Solomon nodded, “The three of us are planning to go out to Café Lament to eat Friday; you should come.”

“You’re going into town?” Right, Solomon can go into the city with no worries since he’s a powerful wizard who commands 72 different demons, “I haven’t had a chance to explore the city. My babysitter only sticks around long enough to walk me to and from RAD…” Rhen huffed, and Solomon let out a laugh and for once it didn’t feel like he was being condescending.

“If you want, and your babysitter is being negligent, I’d be more than happy to walk around and show you the best places to go. Here, hand me your DDD.” Solomon held out his hand and she only hesitated a moment before letting it fall into his slim fingers. How taxing was this outing going to be? Sure, she was getting a bit cabin-feverish to the point where she was contemplating just taking a gamble on the roulette board of ‘Ways to Die or Get in Trouble’ and go for a walk in the woods surrounding the House, but… while she hadn’t found a reason to care about the only other human down here with her, making even the most basic of relationships was beneficial. Also, meeting angels was interesting as fuck and she would not miss that opportunity. Though, perhaps she should keep the ‘goddammit’s to a minimum around them… Would they be offended by that? “There, now we have each other’s number.” A tinge of smugness slipped onto his voice as he slipped Rhen her phone back.

She stood there, letting silence settle between them as she looked over the sorcerer. Pale skin and white hair, a slim build, he was honestly nothing special. She could admit he was physically attractive, but how he held himself—like he was always aware of some joke that no one else was in on—had been keeping Rhen constantly on edge. The fact that Lucifer had also warned her about Solomon only cemented the fact that she didn’t want to get involved with the dude.

Yet… according to myth? Legend? Solomon had control over 72 demons. So did that mean he had pacts with them? If so, maybe he could give her some insight on how they worked, or why Leviathan was so desperate for her to make a pact with Mammon.

Solomon cleared his throat, “Well I should-”

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

Solomon’s eyes widened before settling back into place, “Of course.”

Rhen fiddled, twisting and pulling at her fingers, “Your pacts… Why did you make them?”

He didn’t respond at first, watching the Rhen as she peered at him through her lashes. “Are you thinking of trying to get one of the brothers in a pact? That's admirable, especially considering how inexperienced you are. I’ve tried many times to make a pact with a number of the brothers; only Asmodeus has ever agreed.”

Rhen was too startled, her back straightening with a snap, to be offended by the backhanded comment, “You and Asmodeus? The socialite, Avatar of Lust, who comes onto anything he deems pretty and will only do things for his own pleasure? Huh. Well, that’s surprising.”

Solomon shrugged, giving her a sheepish smile, “Yes, he is rather like that, but there’s more to him than just being a flirt. I would not underestimate him, or any of them for that matter. That would be your first and last mistake.”

Her initial reaction was to scoff. Right, like Asmodeus would risk doing anything that threatened to break even a single nail, but Rhen caught herself. As much as she didn’t care for the guy, Solomon was… well, a powerful sorcerer, and the Lords of the House of Lamentation were much older and much more powerful than Rhen could ever imagine a human becoming. Shit, he was right. Most of her interactions were with Mammon and Leviathan by proxy, both of whose personalities mirrored those she associated with idiotic humans. They had their flaws—intense flaws—but if she pushed them enough, even by accident, they could probably completely erase her from existence. And Rhen was pretty sure Lucifer wouldn’t stand against one of his brothers for her meager safety.

Rhen shook her head, shifting her weight, “No, I’m not interested in making a pact. I’m just curious as to how it works. From how Leviathan talks about it, it’s all about subjugation. Is that it? You trick or overpower demons and collect them like Pokémon?” She asked, her curiosity quite genuine.

Solomon laughed, and Rhen frowned, turning away out towards the window to mask her reaction. There it was again: the oh-you-sweet-naive-girl-why-don’t-you-know-this-supposedly-obvious-thing vibes. Green light washed over her face as she moved towards the window overlooking one of the alley alcoves that sat nestled, innocuous, throughout the campus. A little stone bench surrounded by bushes-that-weren’t-quite-bushes, flame beetles flickered in and out of sight, the insects Devildom fireflies more-or-less.

Solomon mirrored her only moments later, “I guess some would see it like that, yes. As for me, I’ve made a large number of pacts, all for various reasons and all through various means. I would warn you though: if you are considering making pacts, I would wait until you’ve gained some proficiency with your magic. Pacts are an extremely complex magic; most don’t attempt to make one unless they’re certain they can withstand any potential backlash.”

Backlash?

“What do you mean?”

Even though he didn’t, Solomon sure as hell looked like he wanted to give one of those big, exasperated sighs, “No pact made is the same because pacts are contracts—promises—made between two individuals, usually a human and a demon, which is reinforced by magic. What goes into a pact depends on the two making it. There are some who make pacts that have an equal exchange between the two parties, a symbiotic relationship, but there are others who make pacts by tricking or overpowering an individual. Those ones are much more common. If a party breaks a component of their pact, there tends to be significant consequences.”

Rhen nodded, humming. So, that’s why Leviathan wanted her to make the pact: with Mammon’s credit card, Leviathan could pretty much force Mammon into accepting all kinds of terms and conditions, and if he broke the pact, he’d be punished for it. Leviathan wanted to use her as a means of absolute control over Mammon.

Yeah, fuck that.

And thinking of– She’d dawdled too long.

Meeting Solomon’s curious gaze, Rhen smiled, “Thank you, Solomon, for satiating my curiosity.”

“I’m glad I could help.”

She turned, gathering her things, glancing at the time, “I’ll text you later and let you know my schedule for Friday. Later!”

Solomon nodded, waving as Rhen ran out of the classroom.

“Lucifer!”

Rhen went over her made up script again in her head, needing to not flub this. As idiotic as the brothers seemed (to be fair, she had only really held a decent conversation with 2 of them), Lucifer… well, wasn’t. He was what she had kind of expected a demon to be: intelligent, cold, demanding, and domineering. Red eyes that stared into her soul, ink black hair groomed in a way that suited suave, intellectual types. The fact that he was either always in his school uniform or in a suit with his coat hanging off his shoulders like a frickin’ cape was somehow even more intimidating. It only made sense that she was a bit terrified of the dude. Lord Diavolo wasn’t even that chilling. But trying to lie or be clever prooobably wouldn’t go over too well with Lucifer; the deceit would only put her in a bad light and the chances of him seeing through her bullshit were high.

So half truths it was.

“Good afternoon, Rhen. You’ve become quite the celebrity here, haven’t you? And you’ve made it through the week without being eaten. Good for you.” Red eyes glanced around behind her, “Where is Mammon? He is supposed to be with you outside of class at all times,” Lucifer’s eyes narrowed, pinning Rhen to the spot, “Unless you are not in between classes? You know, it would look poorly on you, and therefore me, if you were skipping.” Those piercing, always staring eyes always kept Rhen on edge, and the fact that he had a cool smile leveled at her only made the fact that he was so nonchalant over her well being even more terrifying.

“What? No! Of course I’m not skipping! I–” Rhen cleared her throat. Right, let’s try not to yell at the scariest motherfucker. “I mean, no, I am not skipping. I wanted to find you, and Mammon was complaining about not having time to grab something to eat. So, since I’d be with you for a few minutes I told him he should go and get something while he could.” Please believe the lie. Please believe the lie!

“It is Mammon’s job to ensure your safety. He cannot do so if he is not with you.” Lucifer sighed, “I will have to remind him of his duties.” Collecting himself, he refocused on Rhen, “You said you were looking for me?”

“Yes, I was actually looking to find you because I had a question I was hoping you could help me with,” she smiled, polite and as perfect as her nervousness allowed her.

Lucifer tilted his head, “If it is within my power, I will answer as best I am able.”

Rhen took in a deep breath, “So, theoretically, if a student were to have an item confiscated from them, what would happen to it? I imagine how human universities and demon universities handle that sort of thing differ from one another. How involved does the student council get with the personal lives of its students? It’s a thought I had that could help with my end-of-year paper.” Lucifer can’t not answer considering it’s a question that affects how she performs as a student!

The shift of his expression was minimal, a slight narrowing of his eyes. Rhen held her breath.

“I suppose it doesn’t hurt to tell you. Compared to other schools, RAD traditionally allows its students quite a bit of freedom. However, if the student council decides that a student possesses something that is causing problems, we confiscate it. Sometimes we return the item after an amount of time, sometimes we don’t. Any particular reason you asked?”

Rhen nodded, her smile faltering as she tugged and fiddled with her fingers. It was only a moment before she was able to hide the nervous tell, “Well, you see… Mammon is my delegated chaperone; however, he is still a demon, and hence has certain advantages over me… As Student Council President and his older brother, is there any… advantage I could use? Something for leverage?”

“Are you implying that I know his weaknesses and can exploit them when I like?” The subtle smug expression did nothing to encourage Rhen to try and refute his statement, “I suppose that is true in a way, but that’s not the only reason Mammon cannot say no to me. Mammon has many weaknesses, however, it is not my place to just freely give them out to whoever may ask. I may have, however, taken one particular weakness of his and frozen it, but the others you will have to discover for yourself, understand?”

“Ah, yes, of course. Thank you.”

Lucifer nodded, “Yes, well, I must be off. Take care not to be late for your next class, Rhen.”

“Of course.”

Rhen watched Lucifer walk down the hall and around the corner, a loud exhale filled with panic and relief leaving her practically deflated against the wall.

Holy shit. He knew. He had to know! There’s no way he couldn’t. Yet he mentioned freezing the account. Which seemed stupid. Of course he’d freeze the account if he didn’t want Mammon spending money. That was probably the most obvious thing she’d ever heard Lucifer say to date.

Rhen chewed on her lip.

She couldn’t say she knew Lucifer; they’d barely spoken aside from status updates, but he practically oozed control-freak vibes.

Lucifer was the type to always have a reason for what he did. So why did he say something so… dumb?

Wait…

Why would he freeze the account and then take the credit card? If the account’s frozen, he wouldn’t physically need the card to prevent Mammon from using it… What did Lucifer say? He took one of Mammon’s weaknesses and froze it? No, ‘and frozen it’ was what he said. How do you freeze a credit card aside from through the credit lenders? It’s not like he shoved it in the freezer or something.

Incredulous disbelief washed Rhen from the inside out.

No… He couldn’t be serious. He wouldn’t possibly do something that obvious.

Not that having a credit card sit in a freezer was an obvious, normal thing to have, but it seemed much too… silly of a thing for Lucifer to do. Could there possibly be a not-so-serious side to the first born?

That thought was much too unnerving to focus on. No, no it kind of made sense. It’s something so not-Lucifer that no one would ever think of it. That totally had to be it! Rhen glanced at her DDD for the time. If she was quick, she could make it back to the dorm, grab the card, make it to class, and then give the damn thing to Mammon when he came to pick her up. Little shit better be grateful.

He wouldn’t be, but Rhen was kinda okay with that.

Hopefully no one was in the kitchen and whoever had cooking duty wasn’t keeping on top of things.

[jmrothwell]

Nov & Dec ‘22 Prompts

AO3

Spinning a Yarn (G):  AO3 ; Tumblr

“I was wondering if you could go to the craft store with me.” He asked as he rocked where he sat. (Julie & Willie)

Getting Warm by the Fire?  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

“Why doesn’t this place have central heating?” Reggie’s muffled voice came from somewhere within the blanket pile. (Reggie/Alex/Willie)

Cold Never Bothered Me  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

Now, Alex knew stereotypically Los Angeles didn’t get that cold. However, the fact that he could clearly see his and Luke’s breath, he knows Luke should definitely be dressed warmer than he was. (Alex/Luke)

A Beautiful Melody  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

Luke eyed the papers spread out before him, a colorful collage of inks taking shape into a beautiful melody. It wasn’t finished, not yet but he was close, he was so close he could taste it-or hear it rather. If only he could figure out what was missing. (Luke/Julie/Reggie)

On Your Side Forever More  (T) : AO3 ; Tumblr

The last time any of them had heard from Reggie was as school ended. When he’d insisted, via text, he had to go home really quickly before practice. He further insisted he would be fine and they should all get started without him. (Reggie/Everyone)

Happy at Home  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

“Since when did we have mistletoe?” Luke muttered as he eyed the bunch hanging over the base of the stairs. (Reggie/Everyone)

We've Been Good (But We Can't Last)  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

Julie probably could just try and peek in through the windows to see what her ghosts were up to. But that would just add extra time if she needed to get in to stop something stupid. Which from the sounds and bits of conversation she was catching was more than likely the case. (Julie & Alex & Reggie)

Ghosts of Holidays Past  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

Reggie had few fond memories associated with holidays. (Reggie/Luke/Alex/Bobby)

Holiday Movie Night  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

Movie nights at the Molina’s had gotten weird. Ray had insisted the group move movie night inside the main house. And for some reason it was like everyone forgot how to be comfortable with each other. (Gen Everyone)

Bushels of Fun  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr 

This was the first time in a long time they’d finally be able to break out all the boxes of decorations. It was also the first year they’d spend Christmas at the home they’d bought years ago. Julie couldn’t wait, and she hoped her guys were just as excited as she was.  (Julie/Reggie/Luke)

Reindeer Games (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

A box landing on the table with a dull thud pulled Flynn’s attention to a green eyed mischievous smirk. “I’ve got a new challenge for us.” Reggie chirped. (Flynn,Reggie)

I’m With You (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

They were coming back, Julie repeated it like a prayer. A mantra she quietly whispered under her breath as she walked.  (Julie,Reggie)

Let it Snow (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

“Didn’t you hear?” Alex laughed as he ran his fingers through Willie’s silky hair. “It snowed last night.”  “Oh?” Willie’s eyes brightened (Alex/Willie)

Blanket Made of Stars (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

Who thought a winter camping trip was a good idea anyway? (Julie/Reggie)

Stain on the Vision (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

Bobby didn’t usually have this much difficulty breaking free from bed. However, something felt off about today (Bobby/Luke)

On My Team (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

Carrie Wilson's first movie night at the Molina house in a while.(Carrie & Everyone)

Last Cookie  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

Reggie slowly crept his way back to the kitchen, certain he wouldn’t be missed. None of the adults had really paid him any attention since he arrived. (Reggie/Julie)

Secret Santa (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

“I was thinking that it might be fun to do a secret Santa for gifts this year?” Reggie plastered a smile on his face as he brought the small bowl of names from behind his back with an enthusiastic shake. (Reggie/Everyone)

Silver Moon's Sparkling  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

He’d found a good spot leaning against the railing of the patio area, attempting to see any form of starlight in the sky above. His search was interrupted, “this spot taken?”

He turned to see a curly haired young woman about his age. Her dark eyes shined bright like the stars he couldn’t find. (Reggie/Julie)

Midnight Kisses  (G) : AO3 ; Tumblr

Luke’s scowl melted into a smirk as he elbowed Reggie’s ribs, “hoping to kiss someone special tonight?”

“No,” Reggie squeaked, with the lighting it was hard to tell for sure but Luke was willing to bet good money Reggie’s face was close to matching his flannel in color. His face scrunched up as he scratched the back of his head, “I don’t know, maybe.” (Luke/Julie/Reggie, Flynn/Julie/Reggie)

[mkohmapers]

Christmas Hamper Ideas and Secret Santa for Work Colleagues

Christmas is a joyous time of year when we come together to celebrate and spread cheer. In many workplaces, the tradition of exchanging gifts among colleagues during the holiday season is a way to foster friendship and express respect. One popular gift option that includes the spirit of giving is the Christmas gift hamper or Corporate Christmas Gift Basket Online in Australia. In this blog, we will explore innovative ideas for Christmas hampers and discuss the benefits of incorporating a Secret Santa gift exchange for fellowship. Christmas Hamper Ideas:

A. Gourmet Delights

1. Indulgent Treats: Include a selection of premium chocolates, artisanal cookies, gourmet popcorn, and other yummy sweets.

2. Savoury Delights: Incorporate high-quality snacks like nuts, pretzels, cheese straws, or flavoured popcorn for a savoury twist.

3. Fine Beverages: Include a bottle of fine wine, craft beer, speciality coffee, or exotic teas to add a touch of luxury to the hamper.

B. Wellness and Relaxation

1. Spa Essentials: As the holiday season can be hectic, consider including items such as scented candles, bath bombs, essential oils, and luxurious bath products for a soft experience.

2. Mindfulness Kit: Encourage relaxation with items like a mindfulness journal, an adult colouring book, soothing teas, and meditation aids.

3. Wellness Snacks: Add healthy snacks like granola bars, herbal teas, dried fruits, and nuts to improve well-being.

II. Secret Santa for Colleagues

A. Fostering Team Spirit

1. Anonymous Giving: Secret Santa allows colleagues to exchange gifts anonymously, adding an element of surprise and adventure.

2. Team Bonding: The anticipation of receiving and guessing who their Secret Santa is can foster a sense of togetherness and strengthen team dynamics.

B. Setting Gift Guidelines

1. Budget: Establish a reasonable spending limit to ensure fairness and inclusion for all participants.

2. Personalization: Encourage colleagues to consider each other’s interests and hobbies to select meaningful and personalised gifts.

C. Unveiling the Secret

1. Revealing the Secret Santa: Organise a team gathering or virtual event where colleagues can unveil their Secret Santa gifts, share their appreciation, and celebrate the holiday spirit together.

2. Optional Clues: To add an extra layer of fun, participants can provide subtle hints or clues leading up to the gift exchange, making the guessing game even more exciting.

Conclusion

Christmas hampers are an excellent choice for corporate gifting, offering a wide range of possibilities to suit various preferences and occasions. From Gourmet Treats to Wellness Essentials and home decor, there are countless ways to curate thoughtful and memorable Christmas Gift Hampers Online in Australia. Additionally, incorporating a Secret Santa gift exchange among colleagues adds an element of surprise, fun, and team bonding during the festive season. By embracing these ideas, you can make the holiday season more joyful and memorable for everyone in your workplace a Secret Santa gift exchange among colleagues adds an element of surprise, fun, and team bonding during the festive season. By embracing these ideas, you can make the holiday season more joyful and memorable for everyone in your workplace.

[pinatafarm]

Top 1 custom Piñata services with nationwide delivery in Vietnam

Are you looking to add a touch of fun and excitement to your celebrations in Vietnam? Look no further! We offer custom pinata services tailored to your needs and deliver them anywhere across the country. We create personalized pinatas that are perfect for birthdays, weddings, or any other special occasion. If you’re searching for "pinata near me," we’ve got you covered!

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Why Choose Our Pinata service?

1. Personalized Designs: We create piñatas based on your specific requirements. Whether it's a beloved character, a company logo, or a unique theme, we can bring your ideas to life. 2. High-Quality Materials: Our piñatas are crafted from durable materials to ensure they withstand the fun. They are safe for both children and adults, making them perfect for any occasion. 3. Safe and Fun: Our pinatas are filled with a variety of treats, such as candy, toys, or confetti, making them a fun and exciting activity for guests of all ages. 4. Easy Ordering Process: Simply tell us your idea, and we will take care of the rest. Our team will work closely with you to design and create the perfect piñata for your event. 5. Nationwide Delivery: No matter where you are in Vietnam, we can deliver your custom piñata to your doorstep. We ensure timely and secure delivery, so you can focus on enjoying your celebration. 6. Fast and Reliable Delivery: We offer fast and reliable delivery throughout Vietnam. Need a pinata in a hurry? Just let us know!

Perfect for Any Occasion

- Birthday Parties: Make your child's birthday unforgettable with a custom piñata that reflects their favorite character or theme. - Corporate Events: Add a fun twist to your company event with a piñata featuring your logo or a team-building theme. - Festivals and Holidays: Celebrate special occasions like Christmas, Halloween, or New Year with unique and festive piñatas. - Weddings and Anniversaries: Surprise your loved ones with a beautifully crafted piñata that adds a special touch to your celebration.

How to Order

- Contact Us: Reach out to us with your piñata idea and any specific details you want to include. - Design Approval: We will create a design based on your input and send it to you for approval. - Production: Once the design is approved, our team will start crafting your custom piñata. - Delivery: Your piñata will be delivered to your address anywhere in Vietnam.

Additional pinata service to enhance your experience

1. Piñata Fillings: We offer a wide range of fillings for your piñata, including candies, small toys, and even custom messages. You can choose a mix that best suits your event and audience. 2. Piñata Accessories: Enhance the piñata experience with accessories such as blindfolds and themed hitting sticks. We can customize these accessories to match the design and theme of your piñata. 3. Event Planning Assistance: Need help planning your event? Our team can provide tips and suggestions to make your party a hit. From decorations to games, we’re here to help. 4. Themed Packages: We offer themed party packages that include not only the custom piñata but also matching decorations, party favors, and more. Choose from a variety of themes to create a cohesive and memorable celebration.

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Get in Touch

Let's make your party unforgettable! Contact us today to request a quote or to discuss your custom pinata ideas. - Email: pinatafarmvn@gmail.com or partnership@pinata.vn - Phone: +84 82 721 0257 - Website: www.pinata.vn - Order via facebook messenger: https://facebook.com/pinatafarmvietnam Add joy and excitement to your celebrations with our custom piñata services. We look forward to making your events extra special! No matter where you are, finding a "piñata near me" is just a click away! Read the full article

[noisycowboyglitter]

Get Festive with Mr. Hankey: The Christmas Poo Howdy Ho!

South Park Mr. Hankey Howdy Ho Christmas is a quirky and irreverent holiday theme based on the popular animated TV series South Park. It centers around Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo, a bizarre yet beloved character who embodies the show's infamous crude humor and satirical take on holiday traditions.

Buy now:19.95$

This theme embraces the absurd by featuring Mr. Hankey's catchphrase "Howdy Ho!" and his unexpected role as a Christmas mascot. Decorations might include plush Mr. Hankey toys wearing Santa hats, ornaments shaped like the character, and stockings adorned with his image. A Christmas tree could be decked out with South Park-themed ornaments, featuring other characters from the show alongside Mr. Hankey.

Gift ideas in this vein might include Mr. Hankey ugly Christmas sweaters, coffee mugs with his catchphrase, or even bathroom-themed gag gifts that play on the character's origins. For the truly dedicated fan, there might be limited edition collectibles or artwork featuring Mr. Hankey in various holiday scenes.

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The "Howdy Ho Christmas" concept also lends itself to party games and activities inspired by the show's irreverent humor. However, it's important to note that this theme is definitely not for everyone – it's best suited for adult South Park fans who appreciate the show's often controversial and scatological humor.

This unconventional holiday theme offers a way for South Park enthusiasts to celebrate Christmas with a hefty dose of humor and nostalgia for the iconic animated series.

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Best Teacher Christmas Gifts are thoughtful presents chosen to show appreciation for educators during the holiday season. These gifts acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and impact teachers have on students' lives. Popular options include personalized items like custom-engraved pens or tote bags, practical classroom supplies such as high-quality markers or organizers, and self-care items like scented candles or gourmet tea sets. Gift cards to bookstores or office supply shops are also well-received. For a personal touch,

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students might create handmade crafts or compile a class book of thank-you notes. Tech-savvy teachers might appreciate educational apps or e-book subscriptions. The key is to select gifts that are useful, meaningful, and tailored to the teacher's interests or needs. These presents serve as heartfelt gestures of gratitude for their invaluable contribution to education.