#christmas craft ideas for adults

[streetmaille]

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[gamify07]

[aidaessafi]

coloring book christmas 2025

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[devildomwriter]

Fill Your Hearts With Christmas Cheer | Raphael, Simeon, & Solomon x Reader

1.9k+ words | GN! Reader | Luke included platonically | CW: none

Summary ~ You and the purgatory hall gang are making ornaments but things don’t go to plan thanks to Solomon and a couple kisses.

The room smelled like a mix of cookies and burning skin as you dropped the hot glue gun again, stinging yourself for the ninth time.

“I think we need to revoke your glue gun privileges,” Solomon joked but Simeon nodded completely seriously.

“I agree. Why don’t you take a break and help Luke with the cookies?” Simeon suggested.

Raphael was quick to protest, “You want them near an oven after this?”

Simeon quickly draped a blanket over your shoulders instead, tempting you to stay seated. You sighed and held up your pinky to Simeon who gently kissed it, healing it instantly.

Raphael and Solomon glared and Simeon chuckled and set your hot chocolate next to you.

You think you’d just about had enough of hot things for now.

Apparently making ornaments wasn’t as easy as you thought. Luke got a brand new tree this year and hallmark ornaments were too expensive, so instead you, Solomon, Simeon, and Raphael collectively decided to make some.

Raphael brought out some of his less expensive fabrics and threads, Solomon collected a mixture of odd materials, some of them glowed suspiciously, and Simeon being a responsible adult had gone to the craft store to get beads, stickers, foam cutouts, glitter, and pipe cleaners.

You avoided the things that glowed but Raphael and Solomon were happy to use them and you stuck to stringing beans onto a pile cleaner to make fake candy canes. When you’d made enough you switched to cutting out foam and decorating it into different shapes, this however required your hot glue gun and it seemed to hate you.

Solomon headed you three times with a spell and Simeon and Raphael had kissed the injured area the remaining six times. Solomon was becoming upset he didn’t have an angel’s healing kiss. Luke had no idea this battle of sorts was happening in the next room.

The smell of cookies wafted more strongly in the air now as you heard the oven open.

Raphael got up to assist Luke taking them out even though the young angel was plenty used to this as well as oven “kisses” as he called them.

Simeon smiled at your current cut-out shapes of foam that remained unglued from each other.

“Is this a Santa hat?” He asked and you nodded.

“Are you putting it on a sheep?” Solomon laughed and again agreed with a big smile.

“Yes, I just need to glue it on—“

“Allow me,” Simeon intercepted your reach for the glue gun and did it himself with quick and delicate precision.

Seeing how well it turned out you decided you would give up on the glue gun, especially now that Luke was in the room. You didn’t need him to see his brothers and Solomon fighting over who got to heal your minor burn.

“Enjoy everyone!” He exclaimed and set the plated gingerbread cookies in the middle of the table.

“These look delightful, Luke.” Simeon complimented and you all reached for one.

You dropped the cookie, surprised it was still so hot.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry ___ they’re still kinda hot!”

Raphael, Solomon, and Simeon eyed each other and you quickly retracted your hand.

Luke got up from his seat and rushed over to you. He held your hand and mumbled words of healing over it, the slight heat immediately faded and you grinned.

“You’re the best Luke!” You cheered and kissed his forehead.

He blushed and pulled down his hat, “Y-yeah. It’s no problem!”

Solomon, Raphael, and Simeon appeared to sulk for a minute and inwardly scolded themselves for being jealous of a child. You snickered at their reactions and they quickly diverted their attention to the crafts.

“Oooh, who made this one!?” Luke asked as he held up a carved figure of Mary with a real cloth dress around her.

Raphael smiled and raised his hand slightly, just enough for Luke to notice and praise his hard work.

You looked at your overjoyed foam in contrast and sighed. You tried not to be jealous. After all these angels had thousands of years on you and so did the supposed human, Solomon.

Luke looked over the others and stared at yours with concern. “What smells like burnt flesh?”

You blushed and Solomon coughed to disguise a small laugh as you glared at him. This only made him laugh harder and Luke looked concerned.

“What? What happened?”

Simeon smiled somewhat sadly, “___ has had their glue gun privileges revoked,” he explained and Luke looked alarmed.

“Oh no! Are you okay, ___ you really need to be more careful! The glue gun is really hot!” He exclaimed and you turned red.

Luke may be thousands of years old but he was still a child and here you were a mildly responsible adult being told off by him for improper handling of a glue gun.

Luke quickly joined in the craft activities, excitedly kicking his feet as everyone smiled his way, focused more on him instead of their own projects.

You made more farm animals and handed them to Simeon to glue who would quickly set down what he was doing to handle it for you before you got impatient. Luke thought this was sweet but Raphael found it concerning and Solomon just snickered at you.

“What kind of ornaments are normal in the human world?” Raphael asked you after completing every single person and animal involved in the Christmas story.

“Umm well…red balls and golden balls are pretty normal. Santa is a big one of course but there are really random ones too.”

Raphael tilted his head curiously. “Oh? Like what?”

“Well, one time they were selling ornaments that looked like sticks of butter at a bookstore. There were also candy bars, beer, boots…lots of stuff.” You explained and he looked puzzled.

“And that’s…normal for Christmas in the human world?”

“Ornaments are about self-expression a lot of the time. My ornaments tell a story of my interests through the years. Things I liked as a kid to the modern day. It’s funny, almost none of it stayed the same year to year. One year was Care Bears, then NASCAR, then Starwars, that kind of thing.”

Raphael smiled at the thought. “In that case, I’d love to see your personal Christmas tree sometime, ___.”

“I’d love to show you! I almost don’t have room for some ornaments, maybe I’ll bring a few here,” you suggested and Solomon nodded.

“___’s childhood ornaments…” he mumbled to himself, his cheeks flushed pink.

“Solomon, why are you turning red?” Luke scolded and Solomon laughed it off and continued on his bizarre ornament instead.

Three hours in and you still had no idea what Solomon was trying to make. He hadn’t finished even one thing and was using most of the ominously glowing materials he’d brought.

“Solomon…your ornament is glowing…” Luke pointed out.

“Mhmm,” was all he had to say in response.

Raphael sighed at the sorcerer’s antics and about twenty minutes later you passed out.

When you woke up Raphael was leaning over you looking worried.

“Thank heavens,” he sighed and shoved his hair out of his face.

“What on earth…” you groaned and Simeon entered the room with a bottle of water.

“Well we found out why they were glowing…” he revealed and you arched a brow as you drank the water. Raphael helped prop you up, holding you in his arms. It was such a surprise you nearly choked on the water.

Simeon’s eye twitched slightly as he explained, “Those…things…were radioactive.”

You began laughing in sheer surprise. “What? Do you have any idea how radioactive something needs to be for you to pass out in its vicinity?” You gasped.

“I thought they’d be fine by now,” Solomon sighed entering the room with a large lump on the top of his head.

Luke puffed out his cheeks, upset with Solomon. He rushed to your side and hugged you. “I’m so glad you’re okay, ___!”

You sighed and rolled your eyes at the whole situation. “Honestly…I can’t even make ornaments without something happening to me…”

“That’s not your fault,” Raphael consoled, “it’s his,” he said with a strong bite to his words as he glared at Solomon.

“Whoops…” the sorcerer shrugged.

“You only lasted as long as you did because of our kisses,” Simeon sighed and Luke shot up.

“Wh-What! Your what!?”

“Oh dear,” Simeon mumbled.

“Really, Simeon…” Raphael sighed.

“Well the cats out of the bag now,” Solomon shrugged as Luke tugged on Simeon’s cape aggressively trying to get more information out of him.

You looked at Solomon who looked sincerely apologetic for once and he slowly reached into his pocket and handed you an ornament. The one he’d been working on.

“Why the f—“ You remembered Luke was next to you. “—uuuudge… would you put it near me!!” You asked him and he chuckled.

“Well, I decontaminated it so…it’s all good now.” He explained and your shoulders relaxed.

You took a good look at the ornament for the first time and smiled. Solomon had intricately placed the rocks together with bits of fabric to make the shapes of you and him together holding a sheep with a Santa hat. You chuckled and smiled at him. “Thank you Solomon… this is amazing.”

Solomon immediately brightened up, believing he was completely out of the dog house and Raphael mumbled something about it but you couldn’t make it out despite being in his arms.

Raphael reached for something behind him and handed it to you. He too had made an ornament of you and him together, both with white wings. You hugged his arms around you and thanked him sincerely. He gave you one of his small and adorably cute smiles as Solomon rolled his eyes.

Before you could set the two ornaments aside another one was placed in your hand by Simeon was a mischievous grin, a sight becoming less rare for him.

Raphael and Solomon looked surprised as you looked over his ornament. He was carrying you bridal style in this ornament and he clearly had a groom’s outfit. You snickered at how obvious he was being and thanked him through small laughs.

He tilted his head, worried you thought it was funny instead but Luke interrupted any questions he had.

“Wh-what’s wrong with you people! ___ have this! This one is normal!” Luke insisted and gave you his adorable ornament.

He’d neatly drawn the five of you on a piece of paper cut out in your shapes with foam clothing on top of you all. It was surprisingly intricate.

“Wow. Luke can use a glue gun,” Solomon said playfully and you glared at him. He laughed and Simeon held back a chuckle as you reached for Luke.

Luke ran up to you and you wrapped your arms around him and ruffled his hair.

“Don’t be jealous of a child…” you heard Solomon whisper to himself as he looked away and this time Raphael laughed, something so rare everyone looked at him in amazement.

“Sir Raphael laughed!” Luke gasped.

“It’s a Christmas miracle,” you laughed and Raphael immediately stopped and sighed exasperatedly instead.

You gently set your ornaments aside and stretched your arms out inviting Solomon and Simeon in for a hug too. You made a sincere wish that moment that days like this would always continue, not just at Christmas but throughout the rest of your years.

[burntheedges]

Bits and Baubles 🎄

Dieter Bravo x gn!reader | 2.8k | masterlist | ao3

summary: it was towards the end of the Christmas market season, and at first it seemed to be a market day like any other. That is, until the man in the green robe whirled into your life.

a/n: happy @dieterbravobrainrotclub Secret Santa, @whocaresstillthelouvre! I loved learning about your Christmas decor. I hope you enjoy learning about Dieter's! 😂 thank you @katareyoudrilling for being the best beta and helping me figure out this idea!!

tags/warnings: fluff, flirting, suggestive and/or explicit Christmas ornaments, dildos, meet cute

...

You were working your stall, talking to a customer, when you caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of your eye. Dark hair and a lurid green robe flashed by, but he was gone before you finished packing up the ornament. By the time you looked around, he’d disappeared into the market.

A few minutes later you were putting out more stock when you saw him again. This time he was dashing through an open area between rows on your left. You got a better look, but it only inspired more questions than answers – he was wearing plaid pajama bottoms, an old t-shirt, that lurid green robe, all topped with messy curls and sunglasses. 

Whoever he was, he seemed to be in quite a hurry. He dashed from stall to stall, sometimes chatting briefly, sometimes running off before the vendor could even get a word in. 

You had to look away when another small group approached your stall, and you put the strange man out of your mind.

The market was going well for you. Like most years, it was popular and crowded, filled with people doing some last minute holiday shopping. The stalls had a wide variety of holiday decor, gifts, crafts, and more.

Your ornament stall – Bits and Baubles – usually made people do a double take. You had a wide selection of ornaments, from the typical shiny balls to funny jokes to a special annual one you made each year (and you loved that people had started collecting them). They were all handmade by you over the course of the year, including the non-holiday decor you didn’t usually bring to markets like this one.

The biggest draw, though, and the thing that made people look twice, was the adult selection at one end of your stall. These were also handmade, and usually drew a wide variety of reactions – laughs, raised eyebrows, offended huffs. But they were also your most popular items, especially the wooden vibrators (painted in shiny colors) and “double baubles.” You loved when someone let out a genuine laugh at the sight because they usually bought at least one.

The small group moved away (after a nice assortment of purchases) and you looked up to find the man in the green robe staring at your stall. He was standing about 15 feet away and seemed to be scanning your offerings from one end of the table to the other.

When his gaze reached the adult section, he froze. You wished you could see his eyes, but they were still hidden behind his sunglasses.

His jaw slowly dropped, gaze locked on your small display of vibrator ornaments. He started to move towards you and you realized he was walking straight towards the display.

When he reached you, he looked from the ornaments to you, and then back to the ornaments. He reached out with one gentle hand and brushed his fingers over the golden dildo ornament. A huge grin slowly took over his face.

“These are amazing,” he breathed, looking from the ornament to your face. “Did you make these?”

You grinned back at him. “I did!” You waved your hand around your stall. “I made all of these.”

His mouth made a little ‘o’ shape as he looked in surprise around your stall. “Shit,” he murmured, taking it all in. “That’s fucking amazing.” He turned back to the adult section, and turned the vibrator ornament display. “Do you have more like these?”

You tilted your head, surprised. There were about 30 ornaments on the display, and more of different kinds on the three next to it. “More than these?”

He nodded. “I need two hundred and fifty ornaments. And these are so perfect, I mean, I never expected to find anything like this!” He smiled again.

Your jaw dropped. “Two hundred and fifty?”

“Yep,” he agreed absently. He started poking through the neighboring displays, face full of delight. “So I’ll definitely take all of these and more.”

“Wait,” you said, head spinning. “All of these? What… what for?” You couldn’t believe it. That was… more than you expected to sell at the market, for sure.

He blinked, and seemed to realize he hadn’t explained well. “Oh! I’m having a party. A holiday party! I used to have them every year, but it’s been, um.” He grimaced. “Well anyway, it’s the first one in a while, and I need party favors. The party is famous for the party favors, or at least it was, before. We were decorating and getting set up and then oh, Dieter, where are the favors? And suddenly I realize I don’t have any. I forgot! Can you believe it?” He sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. “We’ve got a completely empty tree that is supposed to be covered in party favors. So I ran over here, hoping to find something. For tonight.” He gestured at the market around you, and you nodded, a bit stunned. “I think I looked at every stall in here. And then I saw you… your booth.” He grinned. “And these,” he pointed at the vibrators, and nudged a hot pink wand with his finger, “are perfect.”

You opened your mouth and closed it again. You still couldn’t believe he wanted to buy basically your entire stock. “Ok. Well, I’ve got about eighty out on the table, and I probably have enough to get to two-fifty. But they’re not here, I didn’t bring my entire stock.”

His brow furrowed. “Oh, is that alright? I really will buy them all.”

You nodded. It was late enough in the holiday season that you knew most of your regulars had already gotten what they wanted, anyway. “Of course. Let me pull up my inventory and I’ll get you a price.”

He waved his hand dismissively, and when he did his green robe fluttered around him. “Whatever number you find, double it. Wait, could you possibly deliver these? Tonight?”

Tonight? You considered. The market would be over in a couple of hours, and then you were planning to head home and get ready for a night out. Not one you were particularly looking forward to, but you’d bought the ticket ages ago to give yourself something to do the Saturday before Christmas. “Deliver where?”

He gave his address, and you realized he must have a massive house, judging by the neighborhood. But it wasn’t too far out of your way, so you nodded. “I can do that. What time is the party?”

His shoulders sagged in relief as he said, “8. So maybe you could come before, then, by 7?”

“Sure.” That should work for you. “Let me get you a price, and we can do half now, half tonight.”

He waved his arm again. “I’ll pay it all now. And go ahead and triple it, for the delivery.”

You hesitated with your hand on your computer. “Triple?”

He nodded, smiling. “And wait, can you box these three separately?” He pointed at the shiny gold dildo, the sparkly rainbow suggestive clam, and the bright purple double baubles. “I think I want these for myself. Oh, um, assuming there are enough, otherwise.”

You had already pulled up your inventory, so you nodded. “Of course. Here’s the price.” you angeled the screen towards him as you started to pack up his ornaments. 

By the time you looked up, he had added another zero to his payment. Your jaw dropped.

“You… you really don’t need to–”  you started, shocked. 

He just smiled at you. “Yes, I do.”

As you fought to keep your gaze from tracing his smile, you smiled back. “Alright, if you’re sure.”

He nodded again. “And please bring as many of your business cards as you can! Or something like it. I can’t wait to share these with everyone.” He grinned at your display. Suddenly he moved, so quickly it startled you as you were starting to box up all of your displays for him. He smacked his hand into his forehead. “I never introduced myself. What was I thinking? I’m Dieter.” He shoved his sunglasses into his hair and held out his hand to shake. You gripped it slowly, meeting his eyes for the first time and trying not to notice how cute he was. He held on with both hands as he shook it. “It’s so great to meet you, you have no idea! I have to go, though, before I get yelled at for taking too long.”

You smiled as you shook his hand and introduced yourself. “You too, Dieter. I’ll see you later.”

He turned to leave quickly after that, as much of a whirlwind on his way out of the market as he’d been while searching for favors.

…

At 7:00 pm sharp you pulled up to a large, gated house, a bit taken aback by its size. It was even bigger than you’d expected.

You were waved easily through the gate, and when you pulled up behind a catering van the front door flew open. Dieter stepped out, grinning, and you were suddenly glad your reaction to him was hidden by your tinted windows. 

Gone was the robe and pajama pants outfit from earlier. He was clearly dressed for the party in a black velvet suit and a deep green lace shirt that drew your eyes like a magnet. His hair was still messy, but it seemed purposeful this time. He’d been attractive, of course, earlier at the market, and now somehow he was cute and devastating. And he was smiling at you like you were the best thing he’d ever seen. 

“You made it!” He said, hopping down his front steps. You smiled at him as you stepped out of your car, nervously adjusting your outfit. You were dressed up, too, for the show later. It was one of your favorite outfits, one that made you feel hot and sexy and mysterious, and you felt your cheeks start to warm as he gave you a once over. When his eyes returned to yours, you were both smiling. “I’m so glad you’re here. But did you have plans? I’m sorry—“

You cut him off. “No, I was going to see a show downtown tonight, but it doesn’t start until later. And I’m not meeting anyone so there’s no rush.” You decidedly did not mention that you’d changed your outfit plan at the last minute. 

Dieter smiled again. “Ok, good. I mean, not that you’re going alone. Or maybe you prefer it that way! Just, I’m glad I’m not interrupting anything. Um,” he trailed off sheepishly.

You smiled again as you gestured towards the trunk of your car. “I’ve got everything ready for you. Should we take it in?”

He nodded, and soon you found yourself standing inside his foyer next to an absolutely massive tree. It was only decorated with lights. 

“This is the tree! I was hoping, that is… would you like to decorate it with me?” He looked at you hopefully. “I’ve been banished from the kitchen and told to take care of this, and I figure you’ll be amazing at it.”

You agreed, deciding not to examine your urge to stick around too closely. Dieter went and got you both a drink before you got started. 

It didn’t take long for you to realize that decorating a tree with Dieter was the most fun you’d had in a while. He giggled as he opened every single ornament, crowing over each one and praising your skill and ideas. By the time you’d gotten through the first box (of mostly dildos) your face felt hot and you could feel the hair on the back of your neck standing up from all the praise and close proximity. 

“Ok I think we spread those out pretty well,” you said, gesturing towards the dildo-covered tree. “Now we can spread out the double baubles, too, and then the others.” He nodded, giggling again, and you smiled back. 

“These are so ingenious,” he said, holding a double bauble and a shiny clam with a pearl in his hands. “Did you come up with the ideas yourself?”

You nodded, ducking your head a bit. “Some and some with friends. I have more ideas, too, that I’ll make someday.”

Dieter seemed to light up at the idea of more ornaments. “Will you tell me when you do? I want to buy them all!” He grinned as he hung a “jingle balls” ornament on the tree, a double bauble with bells attached. “I had no idea people even made ornaments like this.”

“I’m not the only one, for sure, but it’s definitely fun. They’re some of my best sellers.”

At that he seemed to wince, but he didn’t leave you to wonder why. “I didn’t buy them all, did I? Is that bad? Will people be mad?”

You smiled, a bit touched by his concern, and laid a hand on his forearm. The velvet of his coat was soft under your hand. “Well, first of all, you overpaid for them, so I can’t be mad at you. Second, I’ve still got a few more. And third, it’s so close to the holidays, most of my regulars have already gotten what they wanted. My shop isn't that big. There’s nothing to be worried about.” You winked at him and squeezed his arm, and watched with amusement as he flushed. “Besides, you already promised to tell everyone where they came from. What more could I ask?”

He grinned. “Of course! Everyone is going to love these, you’ll see.”

You kept chatting as you decorated the tree, learning that his party planner and best friend Leah had been the one to banish him from the kitchen (“she’s such a tyrant, I don’t know what I’d do without her”) and that it had been about five years since he last hosted his famous party (“my life was pretty different, then, so this is kind of a triumphant return and a new start”). He waved his arm towards the living room as he said that, and you glanced over and did a double take. 

There was an Oscar sitting on his mantle. 

As you put it together, you wanted to kick yourself for how long it had taken you to do so. He was Dieter Bravo — that Dieter Bravo! The famous one! You could only blame your absolute obliviousness on how ludicrous it would have seemed a day ago that Dieter Bravo would buy out your entire adult ornament stock. 

Your mouth kept moving without conscious input from your brain. “Oh, you’re Dieter Bravo,” you blurted, and then winced as he stiffened. “Sorry, I’m an idiot, I just didn’t realize. I promise not to be weird about it.”

He tilted his head, considering you, and then started to smile incredulously. “My name was on the order,” he pointed out with a laugh. 

You winced again. “I know. I think I was too distracted by you to think about it.”

Dieter seemed to think about that for a moment and then stepped a little bit closer to you. “Distracted? By me?”

You nodded, just then realizing what that sounded like. “You, um... pulled your sunglasses up. When you told me your name.”

He grinned. “And I only forgot to tell you my name because I was so distracted by you, the cute ornament seller who grinned so wickedly when you told me about the dildos you make by hand.” He reached down to grab your hand and lightly teased at your fingers with his own. 

You felt your face start to heat again. “Cute? Me?”

He nodded. “And then you showed up here in that,” he gestured at your outfit, “and I almost fell over in the driveway.”

You laced your fingers through his and squeezed. Your heart felt like it was going to beat right out of your chest. “You’re one to talk, Mr. Lace Shirt!”

Dieter laughed, unrepentant. “I was hoping you’d notice.” He squeezed your hand, looking suddenly shy. “I know you said you had plans, but do you want to stay for the party?” He looked at you with big, pleading eyes and you felt yourself start to melt. “I promise it’ll be fun. I’ll show you off, of course, but…” he trailed off and tugged you closer. “I think I’d like to keep getting to know you.”

You grinned. “I’d love to.” 

He lit up like the tree he was standing next to, and you felt warm all over at his obvious excitement. You quickly placed the last few ornaments before he dragged you down the hall to give you a tour. 

The party was, in fact, a great time. And so was the mistletoe you found yourself under with the host at the end of the night.

...

a/n: I hope you enjoyed it, Mallory!! 🧡🎄

[iliveformanyfictionalcharacters]

The One Who Believes Chapter 1

Bernard (The Santa Clause) x Reader

Summary: [Reader] stopped believing in soulmates a long time ago - around the same time she stopped believing in Santa. What happens when she's finally given a reason to believe in both.

Chapter 2 >

Ever since I was a little girl, I believed there was someone out there for me. Someone who would love me for me, for every strange aspect of my personality, every hobby I loved and every experience I’ve had. When I was a little girl this idea was striking, it was a tangible thing that I fully believed would happen. I stayed up late as a toddler as my mother told me stories of how one day I’d find the one for me. As a young girl I played with my dolls and teddy bears and all the time thought of who out there could possibly be the one for me, what were they doing at that very moment? As a teenager I forced myself to focus on my schoolwork, however, somewhere in the back of my mind I still dreamed of my person. My One. My soulmate.

Now as a young adult it's become more apparent than ever that that's just not how it works. There's not a single person out there waiting for me, a person who has been crafted perfectly for me and me for them. Realistically I’d find someone that makes me happy that I can build my life with, someone I can marry and have children with. But the idea of a soulmate had become so utterly ridiculous to me that I almost cringed at my teenage self. But still. Sometimes, in the dark of the night, when everything was quiet and I could finally think to myself, I find myself wishing it were true. Wishing that there was some truth to my childish dreams. Wishing that my mother had meant something more when she told me of the love I'd one day find.

Christmas was coming up. I looked up at the date displayed on my computer - December 18th - one week until Christmas. I always felt bittersweet during the holidays, like something was missing. As of recently I blame this feeling on my mothers passing a few years ago. I still think of the last thing she said to me. “Believe [Reader]…the one is out there…you just have to believe.” Suddenly the sound of the bell atop the store door startled me out of my daydream. I worked in a bookshop. I can’t really put a name to my job though. As the only employee I stocked the shelves, checked out customers, worked the finances, and as of late cleaned the snowy footprints away from the door as people walked in from the frigid outside. I worked for the kindest old man and woman, who weirdly enough sort of reminded me of Santa and Mrs. Claus. The old man - Mr. Lou - was a big man with a long white beard and round glasses. The women - Mrs. Dorothy - was a kind old woman who wore exclusively ankle length dresses and always brought me homemade cookies when she came in. In fact, it was her who had just walked in. “Hello Mrs. Dorothy!” I called to her with a smile. She smiled back and adjusted the tray in her arms to give me a hug. “Hello Dear, how are you today?” I always loved Mrs. Dorothy, I never knew my grandmother but having her in my life made me feel like I had the most loving grandmother in the world. “I’m doing good Mrs. Dorothy, just got the last of the Christmas books stocked and I finally got that light changed,” I say pointing to the seemingly always broken lightbulb. “Oh thank you dear, Lou’s been meaning to do that but his back has just been killing him these days.” “Oh no, is he okay? Did something happen?” “Oh dear you’ll never believe it!” Mrs. Dorothy turned from the shelves she had been looking at and faced me with an amused look in her eyes. “He fell off a roof!” “He what!? Oh my goodness, is he okay?” I frantically ask her. “Oh yes dear, he's fine. It did put him out of his second job but he found a replacement pretty fast.” “Okay... that's good. Please let me know if there is anything I could possibly do to help.” I didn't even know Mr. Lou had a second job. “Oh dear thank you. You are so sweet, but you have already done so much for us the past 7 years. I mean, you've been working here since you were 16!” “Mrs. Dorothy, you know I love working here, and I love you two also. I would be happy to help in any way I possibly could.” She answered me with a smile and a cookie from the tray she was holding. She set the tray down and we held small talk for about an hour as more customers came in and out. Eventually closing time came and I started cleaning up the small messes here and there. Me and Mrs. Dorothy walked toward the door still talking, as we walked outside, harsh gusts of cold wind hit us. I wrapped my scarf tighter around me but Mrs. Dorothy hardly seemed fazed. In the seven years I’d known her the cold had never bothered her. “Well bye Mrs. Dorothy, I’ll see you tomorrow. Please remember my offer.” “Of course dear and for all your kindness let me tell you something, something I think you’ll find very helpful in the near future: His favorite color is burgundy.” “Wha-” but before I could question her extremely strange comment she whips around on her feet and walks in the opposite direction, toward her home. “You’ll understand when you need to, dear!” she calls, and just like that I was alone on the sidewalk in front of the old bookstore.

The walk home from work felt different than usual. The air held a sense of suspense, the feeling you get when you know something is going to happen but you don't know when, how, or why? Once home, I tried to shake off the odd feeling I had. I fixed some mac and cheese for dinner and watched a Christmas movie while eating. I took a long shower and crawled into bed still feeling uneasy. What had Mrs. Dorothy meant? Who's favorite color was burgundy? Why did I need to know it? How did she know I would need it? And most importantly, why was I starting to believe her? I fell asleep with more questions forming in my head than I had answers.

[keewu]

Elizabeth and Merlin headcanons cause WE WHERE ROBBED OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP (´-ω-`)

When Merlin was a kid, she was adorable. And guess who was weak in the knees for that? ELIZABETH she could not say no to this small girl that committed genocide. "Oh you want chocolate? Absolutely, sweet baby honey munchkin🥰"

And guess who absolutely took advantage of that, Merlin, this little devil. She batted her eyelashes like "But Sissy I want to build a nuclear rocket, pweaseee🥺" and guess who got to build a nuclear rocket? Merlin. Guess who had to stop it from blowing up? Meliodas.

Also when Elizabeth and Meliodas first adopted Merlin (cause they did you can fight me on this) Elizabeth and Merlin were practically conjoined. Where Ellie was Merlin was too. Meliodas was like babe? You haven't slept in our bed for 3 months. Where are you? Elizabeth reading Merlin a bed time story and falling asleep there.

I feel like Elizabeth was a bit like omg my baby is all grown up when she first saw Merlin after she got her memories back and didn't really know how to treat her. But I feel like she starts falling into the habit of doting big sister again. Like she'd call her sweetie or baby. And the others are side eyeing her like 👀, what did she just say to Merlin?

Merlin on the other hand is absolutely EMBARRASSED that Elizabeth is falling into this old habit again. She becomes very flustered and I bet Ban teased her to hell about this and she absolutely teleported him away to god knows where and let him stay there until he learned his lesson. (He never did it again)

I had this random idea that Merlin (adult) on Christmas didn't know what to get Elizabeth and crafted something for her. Like a necklace, it was very pretty and looked professionally made. But I feel like Merlin would be super embarrassed to actually give it to her, and be all fidgety and nervous. And Elizabeth would ofc absolutely love it and go hug her. Merlin would be all like "oh um no problem," when Ellie says thank you for the present.

[marriso1]

Part one:

Severus Snape wasn’t the gift giving type, even in his youth the amounts of time he’d spend shopping for such had been very little, dwindling down to searching for only one for the majority of his school years. Thus, Severus was greatly befuddled when beginning to christmas shop for Harry. The child had been taken in by him at the young age of ten, after the discovery of how horribly his relatives had treated him. He hadn’t personally shopped for really anyone in awhile, let alone a child.

The malfoys had revoked his gift giving rights to Draco the moment he’d been born, claiming that he wouldn’t be able to match a gift to their standards. This didn’t bother Severus as they were most definitely right and thus didn’t mind once they forged his name down on a present they picked themselves.

So, there stood Severus in the middle of Hogsmeade without the slightest idea of what to do. Severus needed to make sure the gift he got for Harry made up for the many years he went without. He refused to return home without securing the best for him. Severus decided to think about the things Harry had taken an interest in, DADA, magical history, art, and unfortunately quidditch. He had gotten some books pertaining to the first two. Two focused on the research to be studied surrounding the subjects while another set he had bought were more childlike flip books, including nicely drawn illustrations and glittery pages. Severus decided on buying Harry a sketchbook with graphite and watercolor supplies. He ended up buying several different sketchbooks as they came in different sizes and had particular uses. The art supplies were the best he could find, nothing professional as Harry was very much a child, but nice nonetheless. Severus decided on getting Harry a broom, nothing too complicated, but with add ons to provide Harry with more safety. Harry was ten after all. Severus mainly just hated seeing him in any kind of pain, so he was naturally nervous about him being so infatuated with quidditch.

Severus had felt quite satisfied with what he had gotten Harry, and yet he hadn’t felt as if his duty was complete. He felt as there was something else he needed to get for him. Something that surpassed the gifts according to his likes, he needed to buy something of greater sentimental value. Severus was more practical, relying on ethics and such rather than emotion, especially in his later adult years. Yet, he knew exactly what he should get for Harry.

Severus found himself wandering down a toy isle, and there lie the perfect option. A stuffed bat that smelt of rosemary, by the looks of the stuffed animal it had been handmade, it was beautifully crafted. As the two had grown closer, Harry had begun to tease Severus, remarking that he was like a giant bat. He found himself fondly thinking of Harry’s progress so far. When he had first been introduced, he had been quite quiet, flinching at every raised hand, tiptoeing through the house. Harry had worn a solemn expression. An expression that had quickly faded as he got used to Severus. He had become quite loud, which Severus hadn’t minded and would only not mind if it was Harry. You could hear his footsteps from a mile away. He’d practically climb on Severus now, as Harry saw him as his outlet for comfort. Again, Severus didn’t mind that Harry’s main love language seemed to be physical touch, nor that it had been him to receive it. Of course, it would only be Harry who would be allowed to hug him, or lie next to him as a storm raged on outside. He thought of the bat as the perfect present, as it was symbolic of how far he had come and how much he’s grown into his own person, not the shell he was molded into. He had also taken into an account that Harry was quite clingy, so the stuffed animal also serving as a reminder of Severus would serve as extra comfort. Although Harry had become comfortable with Severus, he had still ways to go with others, particularly adults. Most kids had tormented or avoided him, seeing him as what the adults would whisper about him. Adults however, were far more harmful. It took a lot of self control not to deal with Harry’s relatives himself.

Suddenly, on top of all his previous gifts, Severus had found himself shoveling a treacle tart, a fine selection of winter sweaters and jackets, a variety of wizarding toys, and a gingerbread house kit into his inventory, along with several types of wrapping paper. He found that he wasn’t frustrated with the hole the venture had left in his wallet.

He was however, appalled with himself, especially the night he set the gifts out. He had gone into the trip with getting a singular gift in mind. The christmas tree which he and Harry had picked and decorated had what looked like a mountain of gifts piled under it. He wasn’t regretful of the gift amount of course, as he couldn’t see Harry’s first real christmas going any other way. Or any future ones for that matter. The warm feeling brought upon him couldn’t smother the desolate feeling when thinking about Harry’s past christmas experiences. He had been forced to watch his relatives open their luxurious gifts while he’d been gifted the likes of tissues. No matter what it took, Severus would make sure to always have gifts prepared for Harry. It hurt him to know that Harry would never enjoy the belief of Santa claus. Petunia had him wrap his cousins presents since his was quite young.

It was early christmas morning and Severus heard Harry’s footsteps come downstairs and freeze as he made it to the living room. He turned to see the child’s mouth wide open, his face portraying a state of shock. Severus had waited until the night before christmas to put the gifts under the tree.

“What’s all of this doing here?” Harry questioned.

“It’s for you, Harry. You didn’t think you’d go without some gifts today could you?” Severus answered.

If it was humanly possible, Harry’s jaw dropped even lower. He walked over and stood in front of the tree, taking in the sight before him.

“Some?” Harry teased.

“All of this. All of this is for me?”

“Yes, every single last one.”

He watched fondly as Harry opened every single gift, gasping at the unveil of each present. Severus watched his smile grow even bigger once he mentioned the treacle tart in the kitchen. You couldn’t imagine his surprise when Harry had went upstairs to return with exactly eight different christmas cards. Each with their own unique designs and individual passages of writing. He was wished about several Merry Christmases. Harry explained that he couldn’t choose just one. Severus had his favorite of the cards, of course. It had been the one featuring himself and Harry. It had detailed how much Harry’s life had changed since moving in with Severus, and how happy he was to have him. It remarked adventures the two had gone on, and some of their favorite memories made together. He could feel his expression soften once more, a smile forming on his lips. He gently thanked Harry and went to grab a purposely hidden present under the tree.

Severus watched as Harry had unwrapped it. There was no reason to explain the gift as the moment Harry had seen the stuffed bat it was as if he understood immediately. He watched a little notice escape from Harry’s mouth before his eyes began to fill with tears. Severus reached for Harry, who had welcomed the embrace immediately. Severus tightly held Harry, knowing that if he’s done anything right, it would’ve been this. He had realized nothing had made him Happier than seeing his boys face light up the way it did today. It was as if the sun itself been in the same room as him.

As they both grew older, Severus found the people he needed to christmas shop for increase. He’d been granted gift giving rights by the Malfoy’s again. He’d couldn’t also help getting trinkets for each of Harry’s friends besides Draco. Books for Hermione, chess sets and candies for Ron, trinkets for Luna, herbology equipment for Neville, wizarding robes for both Draco and Blaise. Being a parent sure had made severus soft. No matter whose presents had entered the area under his tree, the majority would always contain things for his son.

[streetmaille]

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[lucythornwalter]

In Greeting and Introduction:

In 1986, Pleasant Company unleashed the American Girls upon the world, and nothing has ever been the same. If you’re between the ages of 25 and 40 (sorry, Gen Z, but this is really a millennial phenomenon) and were at any point in your childhood aligned or identified as a ‘girl’, you probably have memories of decadently arranged extra-wide catalogues coming in the mail, or slim box sets of six books with names like Samantha Learns a Lesson or Changes for Kirsten, or visits to a toy store that was more like a luxury hotel, or – if you were especially lucky – unwrapping a long and heavy box on your birthday or on Christmas to reveal a much-anticipated new best friend. Even if you weren’t subjected to the rigors of late-twentieth-century girlhood, you probably knew something about this brand thanks to the way it took hold in the hearts and minds of an entire generation of – ha! – American girls who went to school with other American children and often brought dolls and books and catalogues and trip reports back with them.

So, what exactly was this brand?

1986 is a fascinating year in pop culture, and one I’ve been personally fixated on for over a decade. It’s the year of the (first) death of Optimus Prime in The Transformers: The Movie, the year of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, the year of Phantom of the Opera’s spectacular West End debut, the year of Labyrinth, the year of Hellraiser. If you outgrew American Girl and trended toward the weird and darkly gothic, this is a year you’re intimately familiar with, whether you know it or not. Fitting, then, that it’s the year the dolls were born.

The story goes that educator Pleasant Rowland, in the process of attempting to buy dolls for her family, found herself frustrated by a perceived gap in the market. While baby dolls served as proxies for burgeoning parental instinct, and fashion dolls served as more mature aspirational figures (or, in many cases, adult stars of complicated child-crafted soap operas), there were no dolls that girls could look upon as peers. I find myself skeptical of this claim, largely because mythical doll origins are often hilariously selective and inaccurate – for one thing, Barbie was not even close to the first adolescent/adult fashion doll for little girls – but it is consistently cited as one of the concerns in developing the line. With that frustration to chew on, and inspired by a visit to Colonial Williamsburg (a living history museum focused on life in America in the immediate years preceding the Revolutionary War), Rowland developed the concept of the American Girls. These would be eighteen-inch cloth and vinyl dolls portraying distinct historical figures living in different eras of American history, each with their own name and family and backstory. She worked with author Valerie Tripp to develop the identities of each girl, and then launched the brand under her new company, Pleasant Company (which is such a clever idea for an instantly recognizable corporation) with three dolls ready to go.

Now, there are American Girl stores in multiple malls, and when I was a little girl there were near-mythical American Girl Places in Chicago and New York and I think somewhere in California, but when Rowland began her business model was entirely by mail with no brick-and-mortar location to visit. Little girls and their families became aware of the existence of these dolls and their stories when catalogues that quickly became iconic arrived in the mail once every few months, and despite the high prices of everything from the dolls themselves to the books telling their stories, they bought up everything Pleasant Company had to sell. Rowland had a bona fide hit on her hands.

She had launched the brand with three characters – Kirsten Larson, a Swedish immigrant and pioneer living in the Minnesota Territory in 1854, Samantha Parkington, an Edwardian girl from a rich family living in New York in 1904, and Molly McIntyre, a Scottish-descended girl from a solidly middle-class family living in Jefferson, Illinois in 1944. Each doll, when ordered, came with a book bearing their name, and there were two additional books available for purchase alongside the collections of themed accessories and furniture. This number quickly expanded to six, all bearing similar names and reflecting similar themes across multiple decades. In 1991, a fourth historical character joined the lineup – this was Felicity Merriman, a gentleman’s daughter from 1774 Williamsburg. After her was Addy Walker, introduced in 1993, a fugitive slave who escaped to Philadelphia with her mother and lived there in 1864. Next in 1997 came Josefina Montoya, a rancher’s daughter living near Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1824 with her father, sisters, and extended family. In 2000, Kit Kittredge of 1933’s Cincinnati, Ohio joined the lineup. And lastly, at least for this analysis of my own history with the brand, in 2002 we have my dearly beloved Kaya’aton’my of the Nez Perce, living with her tribe in pre-contact years in 1764.

There are other American Girls. Mattel bought out Pleasant Company and has slowly been hollowing out the brand’s credibility, but it persists. Other historical dolls have been introduced, and many of them sound just as brilliant as the ones I grew up with. But those eight, those “original” eight, were my American Girls, and it’s their stories I want to examine, and their impacts upon my life that are still felt. Kit’s resourcefulness and adaptability when her father lost her job helped me when I was twelve and my father lost his job, Felicity’s determination to find the right balance between gender nonconformity and gender conformity inspired me to never settle for being forced into a box I didn’t fit, Samantha’s fierce loyalty to her friend Nellie was a balm to my prepubescent closeted lesbianism, and Kaya’s connection to her tribe and their traditions and culture gave me something to cling to in the midst of my rootless, forcibly assimilated indigenous childhood. (Yes, I’m indigenous, no, I’m not really going to be making my writing and blogging about an #ownvoices kind of thing, because we should get to be nerds and have the same access to privacy that white people have, but it’s relevant here and it’s relevant in my original fiction because it’s part of me.)

Of course, growing up and getting an education means looking at your past again with a wiser, more critical eye. Historical education has changed a lot since 2002, and has changed even more since 1986. The stories of the American Girls are both narrative and informative, intended to capture realistic-feeling moments in time that are grounded in real historical events and practices. How do they hold up to the standards of 2024, nearly two decades since I grew into Brontë and McCaffrey and Hugo and Dumas and Homer? How do they feel to me as an actively reconnecting indigenous lesbian whose perspective on America is very different now than when I was a child and my family tried hard to pretend we fit in? Are their books and wider stories even any good?

These are the questions I’m seeking to answer in this series of blogs, which I’ll be calling The American Girls and Me. Each fortnight (that’s every two weeks) I’ll examine a different girl, starting with her main books and going forward from there. The first series of book blogs will be published simultaneously here and on my Patreon page, completely free to read and open to the public. After that, Patreon will get things a week before they’re published here, but I’m not looking to make a serious income, so if you pay me the exorbitant price of $1 you will get to see things whenever they’re posted or you can wait for seven days to catch up. There will be some Patreon-exclusive bonus content once every couple of months, though, plus when I start publishing my original fiction it will be there alongside here, so if that sounds interesting maybe consider giving me a click?

My cutoff year is 2005 – that was the last year I asked for and received an American Girl doll as a present from my grandmother, and that was the symbolic end of the American Girl era of my life. I may take a look at the two American Girl movies that came out in 2006 and 2008 and adapted the stories of Molly and Kit respectively, but I didn’t go to great lengths to watch either of them. I was too busy rewatching The Curse of the Black Pearl and Van Helsing and The Revenge of the Sith to care about people who were now three and four years younger than me, and my own visions of both girls’ lives were too precious to me to risk a bad or disappointing adaptation.

Okay, then, what exactly will I be covering?

Like I said above, I’ll start with the stories. All eight girls, all six books + their “Looking Back/A Peek Into the Past” chapters. I’ll talk about my childhood impressions, my connections with different narratives, how those have changed now that I’m in my thirties, and places where I think the books have aged particularly poorly or particularly well.

After that, we’ll look at their short stories pre-2005, and see what those add to or detract from the canon of core story beats. These were in some cases published over a decade after the books finished up, and the tonal or thematic differences should be interesting to note.

Once the fiction is finished up we’ll look at each doll. I’ll talk about my experiences with the ones I personally own, and examine their accessories and artifacts in-person, and if it’s a doll I don’t own we’ll be looking at the catalogues from 1998-2002, which can safely be considered something of a golden age for the brand. That’s how I experienced several of the dolls, and therefore that’s what I’ll be revisiting

Next, I’ll be taking a look at nonfiction books – each of the original eight girls got a Welcome to [Name]’s World book issued for their era in American history, taking the nonfiction historical context chapters and fleshing them out to give more detail and explain more about how the lives of our girls fit into the story of the country as a whole. These are apparently extremely high-quality for children’s history books, and while I never had them as a child I definitely want them now.

Finally, having finished up books entirely, we move on to crafts and ephemera. Each girl got a paper doll set, and most of them also received a craft book and cook book. There were theater kits for pretend play as well, but I’ll be excluding those for purely practical reasons – they’re often the hardest to find, and I was never interested in that kind of pretend play with these girls.

This will be a long, involved, organized blogging project unlike anything I’ve ever really done before, but I think it will be a rewarding one. These girls are like my sisters, even those with wildly different life experiences than my own. They were a fundamental part of my childhood. They deserve to be remembered and discussed, and this era in my life deserves to be loved.

After all, I, too, was once an American girl.

[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!

[nostalgiclittlespace]

Little Holidays

Here’s a fun idea: RB or comment to share something about holiday themed. It can be your favorite tradition, something unique your family does, tips on how to survive difficult relatives, pics of your favorite decorations, a craft, etc. I think it would be really fun to hear about other people’s traditions and experiences; for whatever holiday you celebrate.

I’ll go first; I celebrate Christmas, and every year I get a stuffie sitting above my stocking on the mantle. It’s been a tradition ever since I can remember, and even though I’m an adult now I still get a new plushie every year. And it’s always a surprise; I never know what new friend is waiting for me until Christmas morning!

-Marty 🎄

[raging-violets]

Red One: Have Yourself a Merry Little Crisis | Chapter One

Also on AO3

Summary: Dolly, head of Santa’s PR team, navigates the chaos of keeping the North Pole’s magic alive while managing the world’s growing disbelief in Santa. As she clashes with Jack, a disillusioned human solely responsible for Santa’s abduction, sparks fly. Can they overcome their pasts and truly allow themselves to accept the Christmas Magic they’ve been keeping at arm’s length all this time? Authored By: Rhuben

Divider by @strangergraphics

And thanks to @ceruleanmusings for the term "frost my cookies." XD

 

Snow Thank You

Last Week of November  

“We know that somewhere inside every lost grown up is the kid they once were.”  

And that was exactly why Dolly Goodwish refused to accept the idea that she had to work with Jack O’Malley. Because deep down, Jack O’Malley, the child,was just as…uggghhh as an adult. And he was one of those kids (and man-child) that made her job harder. And all she had to do was promote the image of Jolly St. Nick™ for every girl and boy across the globe. It should be easy.  

But, no.

Not when Jack O’Malley was involved.

Did everyone else forget how much of a headache he was last Christmas? Did no one understand how much harder it made her job to keep the image of Santa alive in the face of his abduction? In one stroke of his ENTER key, Jack O’Mally – and yes, the Naughty Lister did deserve to always be referred to in a first-name last-name capacity – almost caused their whole operation to go down the snow tubes.   

And not the fun snow tubes, either.  

A Christmas without Santa and presents? Without Christmas Magic?  

It was unheard of.   

And it was not going to happen on her watch. No matter what, kids were going to believe in his image and his message. She worked too hard and too long perfecting The Santa Claus™ image for something like this. Every single detail—down to the last white glove—had been crafted with the utmost care. All the photo shoots, and image deals, and live paintings, and personal appearances, and parades, and quotes to the media - in multiple languages to boot - that didn’t all just happen!  

“It’s not our job to change people. People change themselves,” Nick reminded her, speaking in his low, soft tone in response to her blank expression. The kind of fatherly tone that made anyone and everyone listen to what he had to say.   

Unfortunately, this was one topic she just didn’t want to listen to. Even more unfortunately, with the tingling she currently felt at the tips of her toes, the bottoms of her feet, she knew it wasn’t one she could just walk away from. Nick would make sure they were going to have this conversation, even if it meant using some of his Christmas Magic to keep her in his office.  

“And Jack O’Malley has changed.” Dolly almost snorted out of her red tipped, upturned nose. Her respect for Mr. Claus – Nick to his closest confidants - stopped her in her tracks. Something must’ve shown in her face for his lips twitched upwards into a hint of a smile and he added, “He’s trying. That’s all anyone can ask for. That’s all I can ask for.”  

Nick lifted a finger and gently tapped underneath her chin, forcing her to snap her jaws shut from the dropped position it had been in since he had told her about the employment news. His eyes twinkled in the way it always did, but even more so the closer it got to Christmas Day.   

“I trust you’ll find a way to explain this at the all staff meeting at the end of the week?” he asked, his tone light with amusement.  

Dolly pushed a close-lipped smile to her face. She pulled her clipboard tighter to her chest. Slowly, she sat down into the seat behind her. She was surprised it didn’t fall over with how quickly she popped out of it in outrage when Nick dropped the Hot Chocolate Bomb on her.  

“Nick, with all due respect, I don’t think I know how to positively frame the image of a man who, literally, would steal candy from a baby,” she replied.   

Nick’s eyebrows lifted as he silently settled back into his desk chair. One hand lay across his flat stomach, the other reaching up to start stroking his white (it was starting to look more on the gray-white side nowadays) beard. She made a mental note to take a picture of him before she left; Santa at his desk had always been a winning shot.  

“I wouldn’t ask you to do this if you weren’t the perfect elf for the job,” he reminded her. “There’s no one else I trust for something like this.”  

Dolly grit her teeth, parting her lips into the best smile she could muster. The tips of her ears started to prickle. “Yes, sir,” she said, stretching out her esses. She nodded. “I can start putting the presentation together as soon as I’m back in my office.”  

“Great.” Nick silently gazed at her. “Was there anything else you wanted to say?”  

“Nope!” Her smile frozen on her face, she said it in more of a high-pitched chirpy way than she intended.   

Of course she had something else to say. But she had already told him her reservations. There was no point in continuing to air her negative feelings. It was a well-known dance between them at this point, anyway: the back-and-forth and side steps of her dutifully doing her job amongst her growing frustrations, and his collected and positive rebuttal to every concern. It was equally annoying as it was calming and reassuring.  

“Are you sure?” he pressed. He tilted his head to the side, now clasping both hands over his stomach. “Your ears are starting to point.”  

Dolly took in a deep breath through her nose. She reached a hand up to tuck her hair behind her ears, and did, in fact, feel the top of her ear wasn’t exactly as round as it had been a moment before. Nick merely watched her in silent curiosity. She cleared her throat and bowed her head, scanning over the list in front of her. She just needed to calm down. Lists calmed her down. There wasn’t time to think about anything but the tasks at hand.   

“You know, Nick, we need to get you started on your December itinerary,” she said, changing the subject. She started dragging her finger down the lines of text. “Kittens and puppies have increased in popularity by 200%, so I think we can lean into reporting about our Reindeer-In-Training program. Dasher’s calves look promising, and Vixen’s calves are now weaned. We also need to set up an appointment for you and Mrs. Claus to update your annual photo. Of course, we’ve got you booked to go to Philly for one of the last mall appearances before the big day, but you’ll be pleased to know we’re fielding a lot more appearance requests compared to last year.”

“Dolly.”  

“And of course we’ve got the M&Ms commercial set to start rotation, but there has been more chatter online of people missing Garcia’s Coca-Cola commercial, so we might want to bring it back next year, or film new ones. People really do miss those polar bears.” She touched an ear, finding the skin starting to round out again. “The Air B&B rhyming ad is good, and people seem to be enjoying the new Target ad with Santa that looks a bit more like you. Personally, I think it’s a little too close to home, but people like what they like.”  

“Dolly.”  

“And all your Santa Schools are in their final push for the holiday season. Everyone seems ready to go, and ready to report any oversights we didn’t foresee. This year they emphasized how to interact with children who don’t celebrate anything this time of year. It’s been a struggle with more #SantaIsFake and #SantaTrap videos popping up online, as you know, but—"

“Dolly!”  

Dolly gave up all pretense, slapping her clipboard down in her lap. “He’s a Level Four Naughty Lister!” Disbelief, and admittedly, a little whining was now evident in her tone. The tips of her ears, her nose, burned. “You know what he’s done. You’ve seen his file.”  

“Of course I have,” Nick agreed, speaking in an even tone. A contrast to the sudden jump in volume of hers. “But I know why he’s done everything he’s done and why he’s always been on The Naughty List; even if Jack hasn’t figured it out for himself yet. But I still see the little boy who once believed. I wouldn’t trust you with this if I didn’t think you could use his expertise to your advantage.”  

“I’m sorry, Nick,” Dolly massaged her temples with her fingertips, “I just don’t understand how.”  

Nick twiddled his thumbs for a moment before he said, “The world’s changing, Dolly. Kids stop believing in me earlier and earlier in their lives. They’re seeing the truth online or being told about it at school. They’re growing up faster, and in ways we, nor their parents, can control. But we still need to be there for everyone; for the ones who always believe, and the ones who need to learn to believe again. Maybe they only believe in the positive feeling of the holidays. It’s ok. What’s most important is that they believe in something.”  

“And,” Nick chuckled, a deep laugh, “I seem to remember a time when you were on the Naughty List. And look at you now.”  

Dolly pursed her lips. She blinked. She grasped for something to say. “For Frosty’s sake, that was a long time ago,” she replied. Nick tilted his chin downwards in look of knowing. “Ok, ok, ok. “ With a huff she tried to mask as a sigh, Dolly put her hands up in surrender. “I’ll do it. You can’t say I don’t do my job.”  

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Can I at least get a picture of you before I start working on this presentation?” Dolly asked, getting to her feet.  

“Of course.”  

She set her clipboard down in front of Nick and reached into her bag by her feet. She dug around for a moment, pushing aside notepads, pens, peppermint and spearmint candy canes, some glitter she thought she cleaned out, and a couple different cameras. Selecting an old-fashioned instant camera, she lifted it to her eye and pointed it at Nick.

“Smile and say ‘Snowflakes’.”  

Nick pulled her clipboard closer to him. Reaching across his desk he plucked a shooting star pen out of his cup holder and held the tip over the paper. He smiled at the camera and Dolly snapped the shutter, a flash of light briefly illuminating the space. With a whirr the picture printed out of the camera, and Dolly retrieved it.  

“Ah, your best one yet,” she declared, turning the photo around to face him: Reflected in the printed photo was a jolly looking Santa Claus, white gloved hands clutching a quill poised over curled parchment. His white hair, covered by a red Santa hat, was long and curled at the ends, framing his jaw where his white beard was full and fluffed to perfection. Thin gold framed spectacles sat across his nose. “I’ll see about this being put up on your socials. We can use it as we remind kids to start sending in their letters. Thank you, sir.”  

“You’re welcome.”  

Dolly gathered her belongings and left Nick’s office. Her smile dropped the moment the doors shut behind her. She allowed the rest of her body to sag only when she got into the elevators. The only sound in the elevator was the holiday muzak playing through the speakers. It covered the deep breaths she took in an attempt to calm herself down.  

For the love of Reindeer, he’s got to be kidding, she thought. She buried her fingers into her hair, feeling the now sharp point of her ears brush against her palms as she did so. She had no idea how she was going to swing this. For if there was one thing that really frosted her cookies, it was people like Jack O’Malley.

-

“If you don’t take this job, I’ll never speak to you again.”  

Normally, this would be the sort of teenage-speak Jack could brush off his shoulders. It was usually accompanied by a scoff or an eyeroll. Or, in Dylan’s case, a mumbling of how stupid the job was, anyway.  

Crisis Management? If anything, Jack was the crisis: for those trying to outrun debts, for companies trying to brush internal scandals under the rug, and the targets of anyone with the right price tag.  

Still, he didn’t remember any of those words from his son whenever he got offers to work with the FBI. And those were offers to work a steady job. Good pay. Great health insurance. An office bigger than a closet. Sure, his experience and talent was a big draw, but it wasn’t exactly a good look to have deep gambling debts and DUIs under his belt, either. Even if he hadn’t had an instance of the latter in over a year.  

But a job with M.O.R.A at the North Pole Complex? Talk about a game changer.

“You’re laying it on a bit thick, don’t you think?” Jack asked, stepping around the kitchen table, placing silverware out on the table. He craned his neck to peer around the dining room to check if Olivia and Craig were still preparing the last bits of dinner. “And could you lower your voice, please?”  

“Sorry,” Dylan said. He dropped his voice to a whisper. “I just think you should take the job.”  

“If I take it, it means less time with you, pal.” Jack set down the last bit of cutlery and put his hands on his hips. “Especially around Christmas. Boxing Day, though, apparently, I get that day off.”  

“Not even New Year’s?” Dylan asked, his nose wrinkling as confusion crossed his features.  

“Nah, that was weird to me, too.”  

“Maybe they know how to throw a huge party at the North Pole or something.” Dylan walked behind Jack, re-placing the silverware in the correct spots. “That’d be pretty cool, I guess.” Jack glanced at his son, Dylan’s dark tresses hung over his face (which was growing a bit too long, but Jack knew better than to comment on a teenager’s sense of style), shielding his eyes from his dad.  

Jack sighed inwardly. He had done his best to keep his promise to his son over the past year. He showed up to his son’s events, took him out on one-on-one days, he started testing the waters to see how he and Craig being at events together went, (and Craig was nice, a good role model for Dylan, but Jack got lost in the shuffle at times within their lives so he decided it was easier, at times, not to be around), and he even surprised Dylan with days he’d pull him out of school. Olivia wasn’t exactly happy with it, but the smile on Dylan’s face was always worth it.

He even bought a newer, safer, car and moved to a new apartment. And that went against his usual thought process. People didn’t look twice at you, didn’t wonder what you did for a living if you blended in with everyone else. Not like he had much of a choice; he was lucky his landlord didn’t immediately evict him after the smashed door, broken furniture, and holes punched in the walls…of multiple apartments. If it meant Dylan was more comfortable around him, then it was all worth it. Even if it did sort of go against his personal rules: no one looked twice at you when you could blend in.

Still, it was hard to hear the disappointment underlying his son's words: was this the time Jack would go back to how things were before?

He knew his son would never ask the question out loud, but he was getting pretty good at communicating through his face, short answers, and the silent treatment. Then again, what teenager didn’t have the grouchy attitude mastered by 14? Hell, Jack had surliness down pat for as long as he could remember. Game recognizes game and all that.  

So why did it take a comment from Callum Drift for him to realize just how much his inaction was actively hurting his son? No, he always realized it, it took Callum questioning him to accept it. It was those same words that made him question whether taking the job was worth it.

It was only for a month, and it would take him further off the radar then he could manage himself. Even with all the encryptions and safeguards in his operation, having the extra protective layer of the North Pole would be pretty nice. It wasn’t like he had been away from his son for a month before. Now? It sounded like an eternity.

Was this really the type of job he deserved to even have offered to him? It sounded made for someone else. Someone better.

“I don’t have to take it,” Jack said, “it’s just an offer. An offer isn’t binding.” Dylan lifted his head, his eyebrows coming together. “It’s the verbal contracts that are. But it doesn’t hurt to get anything in writing. Or cash up front. Either or.” Now Dylan lifted an eyebrow, twisting his mouth to the side. “And, yes, I have told you to not get anything incriminating in writing. It’s all important. Right up there with ‘don’t get caught’.” 

Dylan crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. “How’d that work out for you last year?” he asked. “You wouldn’t even have this job offer if you didn’t get caught.” 

And it was in this moment Jack didn’t like how much his son took after him. 

“Don’t be a smartass.” 

“You’d be working at the North Pole.” Dylan looked up at his dad with wide brown eyes. “That’d be so cool.”  

Jack opened and closed his mouth. First Dylan was threatening him, then he was upset, now he was indicating something in his life was actually cool? Boy, he really didn’t understand teenagers at all. Maybe he should’ve looked at those parenting books when Olivia suggested it to him. God knew it had to have a tip in there about holding onto the pride he felt settle in his chest at the idea that his son thought some part of him was awe inducing. 

“Well, I didn’t want to just take it without talking to you first,” Jack said. He reached out a hand to put on Dylan’s shoulder, hesitated for a moment, then followed through and gently squeezed Dylan’s shoulder. “Things have been better between us, right? I didn’t want to just suddenly disappear on you. Ok? Not again.” 

“Yeah, ok.” 

“Plus, I still haven’t exactly figured out how to tell your mom and Craig I’ll be gone for the month,” Jack replied. “If I take the job.” 

“When you take the job.” 

Jack copied his son’s demeanor and crossed his arms over his chest. “Why are you so adamant I take this job?” 

Dylan smiled. “Well, now I can guarantee I’ll get what I want for Christmas,” he replied. His smile widened. “The new iPhone was released recently. And I was starting to look at building my own computer next year. The parts are expensive.” 

Something he knew all too well. He wouldn’t be able to rake in half of his funds without a decent equipment under his belt. Jack placed a hand over Dylan’s face, pushing his son away from him. Dylan laughed, grabbing at his dad’s hand in an attempt to pry it off him. Then, Dylan’s words struck him, and Jack found himself silently staring at his son, a hint of a smile on his face. 

“What?” Dylan asked, cheeks flushed from his dying laughter. 

“Are you into tech?” Jack asked. “Seriously?” Dylan merely shrugged. “That’s pretty cool. I mean, hey, you were a natural figuring out how to hack the attendance record, right? You probably would’ve gotten away with it, if you didn’t slash that kid’s bike tires, though.” He shook his head. “You gotta think about the trail, dude. Know when to get in and get out.” 

“Thanks, I’ll be sure to remember that next time,” Dylan said, flatly. “I’ll also make sure to do a sweep for security cameras.” 

“That’s not a bad idea, either.” 

“Should I also expect a lock picking set for Christmas one of these days?” 

Jack pressed his lips tightly together. He dropped his chin to his chest, sighing, upon seeing the glimmer of amusement in his son’s eyes. Nope. He didn’t like this teenager stuff. And Dylan wasn’t a new teenager either. He was 14. So he was practically 18. A wistful, sad feeling suddenly washed over him: when did he get to be 14? He wondered if those parenting books also covered how quickly time seemed to fly as a parent. 

“Absolutely not!” Olivia stated, carrying a tray of melted butter glistened rolls in her hands. She set it down in the center of the table and pulled her hands out of the oven mitts. “Jack O’Malley, I can’t believe you’d even consider it.” 

“He was just kidding,” Jack commented, lifting his head to lock eyes with Olivia. He smiled. “Besides, if I was going to give him anything like that, it’d be a window hammer.” Olivia’s jaw dropped. “What? You never know when you’ll be trapped in a glass room or something. Like school.” He winked at Dylan who offered a quick smile before muttering something about getting the napkins. 

Neither of them knew exactly how to explain to Olivia or Craig what had occurred over the last holiday season. So, neither of them said a word about it. Not really. They had tried telling the truth, but Santa Claus being abducted and his workshop being real didn’t exactly land. Jack did end up taking her ire on the chin because he did, technically, pull him out of the concert. So, they told her Jack missed his concert because of stage fright and Jack took him on a long drive to calm down. Father-son bonding. And he got the opportunity to see Dylan perform with the jazz band for their New Year’s show to “swing in the new year.”

(And who scheduled recitals, or pageants, or whatever on Christmas Eve, anyway?!)

Craig cleared his throat as he set a platter of mashed potatoes down onto the table. “It just wouldn’t look good with the forging attendance mark on Dylan’s record,” he commented. He drummed his fingers on cloth covered tabletop.

“You know the school permanent record is a myth, right?” Jack asked, lifting his eyebrows. “I mean I’ve got the worst record of them all, and I’ve still got a steady job.” Of course, they both thought he worked in I.T. in tech sales, but that was beside the point.

“And you’ve got a new job offer,” Dylan added, returning with one hand clutching napkins, the other carrying a pitcher of punch.

“Really?” Craig asked. His eyebrows shot upwards in what Jack could deduce was partly surprise and mostly disbelief. “Well, that’s great, Jack. What kind of job are we talking about?”

Jack hesitated. “It’s, uh, a contract position. Only for a month right now,” he lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck. “But, it’s interesting. I don’t even know if I’ll take it.”

“Well, what would you be doing?” Craig asked. He looked at Olivia and they shared a smile. “You ready?”

“Let’s eat,” she replied.

Jack pulled his chair out from under the table and dropped down into it. “It’s Crisis Management,” he replied. “You know, I’d be helping this organization look at their past situations and build a framework for the future, enhancing security protocols, that kind of stuff. I just found out about it recently and I know we’re all busy this time of year. I’d be around as often as I could for Dylan, for you—” He briefly looked at Craig who was busy cutting into his rolls and stuffing them with ham, “you both. Liv, the hospital is so busy this time of year. And Craig, you can be called out of town at a moment’s notice. And this will take up my time.” He waved his hand in the air. “It’s ok. I’ll figure it out.”

“Look, it hard. It’s a new work environment, different responsibilities, different risks,” Craig said. “Anyone would be nervous trying something new. What kind of company will be working for?”

Jack settled back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked over at Dylan, then back at Craig and Olivia, a half-smile coming to his face. “Let’s just say it involves delivery logistics, enhanced security, and damage control.”

[merrock]

WINTRY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION GUIDE

To make the holiday season a little more fun and a lot easier to plot… this is your guide to all things winter and Christmas in Merrock! I've compiled a fun list of places to see and things to do, a master list of events happening in town, and some ideas that you can run with if you're looking for fun ways to plot with one another. This is not the be-all, end-all. If something you see here inspires you to do something else, great! If you want to do something totally unrelated, awesome! This is just to help those who might be looking for a place to start, or a master list of what's going on in town. Hop under the cut for more, and feel free to bookmark this post. (Check back for updates now and then, too.)

MOD NOTE: if you own a business, and would like to offer something special, please let me know and I can adjust this post to let others know.

EVENTS IN TOWN

THANKSGIVING -- join us at the Community Center for a dinner that's both for those who need a place to be, and also for those who just want to join their community. You can come to eat, or come to help! (November 28.)

BLACK FRIDAY -- shopping all around your little town; see our list of shops below! (November 29.)

PLAY OFF FOOTBALL -- the Merrock Rangers come up against their final opponent for the season. take a little trip to support the boys, but bundle up! (November 29.)

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY -- the perfect opportunity to shop in some of your local favorites, making sure to support Merrockites! (November 30.)

GIVING TUESDAY -- a chance to give back to your community, whether it be through making donations to a charity, or helping someone in need. (December 3.)

NATIONAL COOKIE DAY -- stop into Flour Co. at 7PM to take a class on cookie decorating! this is open for kids and adults alike, and the cost of entry will go back to the community. (December 4.)

GINGERBREAD DAY -- the community center is opening their doors for all who want to come decorate gingerbread houses and watch Rankin Bass Christmas movies! (December 12.)

WINTER HOLIDAY MARKET -- the big event in town! the market will run for one week, and all are welcome to come out and enjoy. (December 14-21.) *

UGLY SWEATER DAY -- the chance for you to don an ugly sweater, no matter where you are! post pics to #merrocksocial so we can all see. (December 20.)

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY -- hosted at Evolution, the party is adults only, and the dress code is cocktail attire. fireworks and champagne at midnight! (December 31.) *

POLAR PLUNGE -- a fun chance to shed off the badness of the previous year and head into the new year feeling good. hosted by Mawk Tales! (January 1.) *

MOD NOTE: events marked with a * are designated events in town with OOC durations (December 14-21 for our Market, December 29-January 4 for the NYE Party and Polar Plunge). You are more than welcome to create threads for all other mini events whenever you would like, but we do ask that for those specific three events, you hold off and don't create them until the event is taking place on dash!

HELP OUT AROUND TOWN

help decorate the town! various businesses are always looking for people to paint their windows and hang lights. you can help set up the light displays at Cityview Park, as well!

pick up a child's wishlist at the Town Hall and fulfill their Christmas dreams by buying what they want and dropping it off for them.

stop into the Merrock Hospital Center and help make some crafts and gift baskets for the patients that need a little bright spot during their stay.

drop off your gently used clothes and toys at the Community Center, so that we can give back to those who might need something during this holiday season.

we're digging up the community garden beds! they all must be cleaned out, so stop by and get your hands dirty if you have a bed reserved, or even if you just want to help out!

if you would like to brighten up the cemetery, we will be placing small flower arrangements and wreaths on gravestones. all you have to do is stop by the main building to pick some up and set out to do a row or two whenever you have the time.

the senior citizens at North Shore would love for people to come help them decorate for the season, drop off gifts, or just swing by to brighten their day.

FOOD & DRINK AROUND TOWN

BONNE MERDE (downtown) -- stop in for drinks and a show while you're out shopping or enjoying the holiday.

EVOLUTION (downtown) -- perfect place for a fancy night out with your friends, to eat, or to drink!

MACK'S (downtown) -- try out Mack's signature burger and nacho platters, on sale all season.

OJICHAN NO SUSHI RESHIPI (downtown) -- find your favorite food truck and get some good eats!

ROSSI'S (downtown) -- drop by for lasagna and your favorite Italian desserts (and coffee).

TASTE (downtown) -- need a break from shopping? stop in for wine and cheese and other treats.

TOUCHBACK (downtown) -- the perfect stop to catch a holiday game & grab a beer.

🎄 WHAT'S THE TEA (downtown) -- specialty holiday blends of teas for sale & for drinking!

& CHIPS (coastal area) -- the perfect fish and chip meal for on the go shopping.

🎄 ANCHORS AWAY (coastal area) -- will be serving Grinch-themed drinks, it just fits.

DEIDRE'S DELI (coastal area) -- pop in for a warm bowl of soup, paired with your favorite sandwich.

FRESH (coastal area) -- healthy options for those looking for a snack while shopping.

THE HUT (coastal area) -- perfect quick stop for a burger and fries.

MAWK TALES (coastal area) -- stop in for your favorite mocktail to help make the season bright.

SANDCASTLES (coastal area) -- best bet if you want a date night in town!

🎄 SEA BREEZE (coastal area) -- debuting winter and holiday flavors of gelato after Thanksgiving!

🎄 THE CREAMERY (suburbs) -- peppermint, cinnamon, toffee, oh my! come try the new flavors.

CUL-DE-SAC DINER (suburbs) -- open late with amazing new dinner specials or holiday shoppers.

🎄 FLOUR CO. (suburbs) -- testing out all of the holiday baked goods they've worked hard on.

THE GARDEN (suburbs) -- good deals on good eats and even better beer. stop by to play pool and throw some darts, too!

GOLDEN HOUSE (suburbs) -- the perfect place for takeout orders.

🎄 PACO'S (suburbs) -- did someone say red and green chips for their nachos?!

PIZZA THYME (suburbs) -- when you need a breather, stop by for some pizza!

OVERLOOK (countryside) -- with views of all of Merrock, it's the best place to eat (many holiday specials) during the season.

TUMBLEWEED (countryside) -- the best place to grab a beer in the countryside!

SNACK SHACK (hideaway) -- when you need a break from shopping, grab a snack!

PLACES TO DO YOUR SHOPPING

BOOKENDS (downtown) -- stop by to pick up some holiday favorite novels.

THE HOLIDAY SHOPPE (downtown) -- deep, deep discounts on all holiday decor!

PAGE TURNERS (downtown) -- pick up some graphic novels for your favorite nerds.

THE VINYL HUB (downtown) -- huge sales on all classic Christmas albums!

BELLA'S BOUTIQUE (coastal area) -- drop by to pick up holiday deals on clothing!

CASSIDY'S CANDIES (coastal area) -- every possible favorite Christmas candy and Hanukkah coin you can think of is on sale.

JADE'S JEWELS (coastal area) -- don't think, just do it. buy her jewelry!

SOLES (coastal area) -- big deals on shoes for anyone doing their shopping.

TRINKETS (coastal area) -- buy one, get one free for all souvenirs in the store until Christmas!

BENNY'S (suburbs) -- the best place to do most of your holiday shopping!

JACK IN THE BOX (suburbs) -- pop in to pick out the best toy you can imagine for your little one(s).

LITTLE CORNER MARKET (suburbs) -- get all of your meal must-haves here at the market!

SPROUTS (suburbs) -- do a little shopping for the kids & babies in your life.

THE SUPPLY SHACK (suburbs) -- perfect for buying things for the artsy people in your life or getting what you need to enjoy holiday crafts!

TREASURE CHEST (suburbs) -- pick up discounted secondhand Christmas gifts and decor!

GARDEN MARKET (countryside) -- stock up on what you need to make your meals!

GREAT OUTDOORS (countryside) -- whether you need things for yourself or your friends, shop for your favorite outdoorspeople.

PET HAVEN (countryside) -- get something for your favorite kids this year -- your pets!

POLISHED BRASS MARKET (countryside) -- shop for antiques for yourself, or whoever loves old things!

ROCKY RIDGE HARDWARE (countryside) -- the handyperson in your life wants new tools. buy 'em!

COLLAB (hideaway) -- shop the little market place within our marketplace.

CREEKSIDE (hideaway) -- buy up some handmade holiday decor or order pieces!

UNIVERSAL ROCKS (hideaway) -- the very best place for your metaphysical needs.

THINGS TO DO DURING THE HOLIDAYS

CITYVIEW PARK (downtown) -- walk through the holiday light display! the park has been converted into a winter wonderland with tons of lights in the trees, on the ground, around the fountain and benches, with lots to see on our walk-through course.

MERROCK RAILWAY (downtown) -- hop on the train and take a little ride through their holiday light display! everyone who attends gets a package of cookies and cup of hot cocoa, as well!

THE MIRAGE (downtown) -- on top of the usual merriment, on Friday and Saturday nights, The Mirage will be having Christmas karaoke! everyone's welcome, just make sure that you've brought along your dancing and singing shoes!

STUBS (downtown) -- stop into Stubs to see a variety of fun Christmas movies… or check out their app, where almost any Christmas movie that you can imagine is available for you to watch for one flat fee when downloading.

VIBRATIONS (downtown) -- on Friday nights, Vibrations will be transformed into a winter wonderland, with fake snow flying and Christmas tunes blaring throughout the club. specialty drinks will be served all night, as well!

AQUATIC CONSERVATORY (coastal area) -- bring the kids (or yourself!) down to the Aquatic Conservatory for some educational demonstrations and walk-throughs of the conservatory, where you can learn all about Merrock's wildlife in the winter time, and how they survive!

FROM BRUSH TO CANVAS (coastal area) -- the gallery's current exhibition features paintings themed with Christmas and winter, in all sorts of art styles. come by to make a purchase, or just to wander through and enjoy what you see.

THE MARINA (coastal area) -- take a boat ride with any one of our companies that is offering them -- their boats are decorated for the season, playing music, and perfect for a romantic night out or a little family trip if you want something different!

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM (suburbs) -- arts and crafts all season long for the kids! there will always be afternoon movies and snacks for a small fee for parents who want to do some kids-free shopping.

THE FUN SPOT (suburbs) -- holiday skate nights are every Wednedsay night! On Thursdays, the bowling alleys will be green and red and playing Christmas music. And on Fridays, you play to win… Christmas squishmallows in the arcade! don't miss out!

LUPINE LANE (suburbs) -- a perfect chance to walk through the streets of the mobile park in the suburbs, and see all of the holiday light displays! most homes participate, and there's always something pretty for you to see on your adventure!

MEMORIAL LIBRARY (suburbs) -- take some time to check out your favorite Christmas-themed books, or bring your kids by for all sorts of arts, crafts and of course, hearing some of their favorite Christmas stories read by the librarians or volunteers!

SILVER PINES JR. (suburbs) -- for those who don't mind braving the cold weather… come check out the miniature golf course, which has been modified for the winter season with all sorts of fun decor! they're also giving out free hot chocolate!

BLACK CREEK (countryside) -- take a hike along the creek to see some gorgeous waterfalls and enjoy the sights! please be mindful and careful that the trails can be slippery and dangerous this time of year, though. you're on your own if you're outside f the state park!

BLADES (countryside) -- open for the season, stop by to do some ice skating, get a game of hockey going with your friends, or hit one of the many hills nearby to do some sledding!

FARMER'S MARKET (countryside) -- the farmer's market remains open on Wednesdays and Saturdays! you can stop by and do all of your indoor shopping in their barn, or head outside to find some food and drinks at the food trucks. lots of crafts available, too!

HANDPICK'D (countryside) -- every Sunday afternoon, Handpick'd will be having a sip and shop special, where you can come in, try out some wines, and browse holiday vendors that are selling their goods! open to anyone 21+ only, obviously.

HARMONY RANCH (countryside) -- winter rides, come get your winter rides! these are recommended for intermediate to advanced riders, only, as they may take some wintry trails that could be precarious, but they should be fun, none the less!

LAKE MALORY (countryside) -- once it gets cold enough and the lake freezes over, ice fishing is popular in town. you can get equipment at Great Outdoors, or find someone to help you out at the lake. there are some great catches to be made!

LAVENDER LANE (countryside) -- visit the tree lot! it's open daily and has fresh cut trees, wreaths, swags and more arrangements. you can also take an axe and hit the Christmas tree field to cut down your own if you're feeling adventurous!

PARADISE GARDENS (countryside) -- with the garden displays all lit up and festive, come by and spend a peaceful afternoon just enjoying some decorations and a little bit of nature. a perfect educational experience for the kids, as well!

PINE GROVE GARDENS (countryside) -- take a tour of the oldest home in Merrock, decorated in traditional Christmas garb. you can stop in the tea room for a bit to drink (and eat!), or explore the grounds, which are also decorated for the season.

STATE PARK (countryside) -- smaller, easy to navigate trails are open for hiking. campfire sessions will happen near the lodge, with Christmas stories read by the fire, and s'mores and hot chocolate ready to keep you warm. a number of fun demonstrations and educational lessons will happen to teach you about winter in Merrock's forests, too!

THE WHEEL (countryside) -- stop in and throw some pottery on a wheel! and yes, before you ask, we do have those infamous ceramic Christmas tree molds, and all of your other favorite classics. plus pieces ready to paint, if you don't want to make them yourself!

THE COLOR WINE (hideaway) -- have a great time with Mandy and co. doing some sip and paint! bring your girlfriends and make a whole evening of it. the studio is also open for those who might be looking to practice their painting, as well!

THE PLOT THOUGHT BUBBLE

go sledding with your friends, drink hot chocolate in the park while walking the light display, take a trip out to the countryside to go ice skating, offer to help decorate your loved one's house, treat each other to an ugly sweater just to make you laugh, try to bake something new, take a trip out of town to do some shopping, or visit a relative together, make some festive cocktails together. catch a movie at the theater, or watch one at home curled up on the couch. challenge someone to make the perfect cup of hot cocoa, sit down and decide to paint wooden houses together, go to the arcade to see who can win the biggest prize, make your own Santa hats at home, stuff stockings for each other, try to wrap all of the gifts that you've bought, make your own Christmas-themed blankets. handmake keepsake ornaments for each other, or just hang out and color in a coloring book. when it snows, go make snow angels or build an army of snowmen, get into a snowball fight, plow and shovel out your neighbors together, or build an igloo that you swear you might sleep in. have a sleepover complete with Christmas pajamas, or go shopping for the perfect holiday party outfit, decide to hit up the antique store for the most ugly-cute decorations that you can find.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Merrock School district will be closed December 23 - January 3. The last day of school will be Friday, December 20th, and students will return on January 6th.

The Merrock Community College will be closing on December 17th, and have off from December 18th through January 14th, returning on January 15th.

This winter, we will be expecting a decent amount of snow around Merrock! This can lead to power outages, or school cancelations. We'll let you know when and if this happens!

We will be doing a gift exchange within the group (IC, of course!), and more information about this will be coming in December. It will be by participation only, to keep it fair, and anonymous.

[onyxandemerald]

Having Religious Trauma when your family Wasn't Religious; A Story Time

This was a super weird memory to unpack and honestly I was laughing at it the whole time. You can too, its okay. Its funny.

My family was not religious. My dad was a '60s Catholic school dropout who worked on a farm at 8 just to get by, and I now fully believe my mom's ancestry was full of cunning folk from Poland that fled to USAmerica during WWI. They had assimilated, so we took turns making Polish food on Christmas, but that was the closest thing I had to a tradition my entire childhood. Not even the language had been past down. However, there was an unspoken understanding about things like the horseshoe above the front door ("It brings us good luck") and great-grandma's terror around dolls.

I grew up a Harry Potter kid. My dad was my best friend and loves reading but it gives him a hard time, so we watched the movies together and its still a pillar of our friendship (He Knows). My mom read me real old-timey fairy tales like she grew up on, and was obsessed with The Brother's Grimm. A copy follows me everywhere I live even if I barely read it now as an adult. My mom was another kid who grew up outside with her brothers and sister just playing in the woods and has always has been obsessed with owning a farm and being surrounded with animals and greenery. Growing up she made sure I always had a yard to play in and chickens to hold. It was natural to catch me running around the yard naked as a toddler, but I was chronically bullied by my peers in school and my cousins at family gatherings. My only solace ever was in the trees in the yard and those trees became my best friends and at times my only friends.

The way my childhood went, I grew up way more attuned to nature and spirit, a comfort I never felt in my culture or around people, any people.

So cue middle school, and some of my friends start talking about this youth group. I've never heard these words before, but I would love any opportunity to meet new kids my age who might not instantly hate me. I begged my parents to go. I knew nothing about religion other than it existed, and sometimes they spoke in funny languages and did things with their arms that- holy crap that looks like a spell! Those guys are wizards!! I'm in!!!! My parents had no idea what was going on but they gave in and I went to a church youth group and I was forever scarred.

You guys know what happened. It was a stuffy, mildewy building that was not old enough to be as dusty as it was. The music was Not Good, and the messages kept contradicting itself or dropping in and out of tune. The crafts weren't fun and everybody looked like they hated being there. We did. I was so MAD!

These guys were supposed to teach me how to do spells! I know its real, so why are you wasting my time! I came here to learn MAGICK! I knew that I felt magic, but this church was making a mockery of what the sacred is supposed to be. Religion is supposed to uplift us. Spirituality is meant to heal us and our wounds. Our souls are designed to bring us together in harmony. But in that building, I felt none of that. It felt like an elementary school gymnasium. I knew immediately there was no spirit, no Gd there, and they were lying about being holy men.

As a 13 year old, the conclusion I drew from this was that Gd was dead and we had killed him. I felt cheated, and my instinct was to refute the entire institution.

I had absolutely lost all faith in myself. I don't know what I was hoping for, maybe I was expecting lightning out of my finger tips, but this experience had eroded any idea that magic could be inside of me. It gave me the illusion that religion is just a cheap trick and magic was just a fantasy plot meant to entertain us while we all just accept that we're dying a slow and agonizingly boring death. I began to believe this about all religions, and religion as a concept. Up until this point I had never met a religious person who genuinely enjoyed it. Going to church always was treated like a chore, and so I thought hating religion was going to save people from this same fate.

This left me super confused and frustrated. I already had a full and flesh belief of animism and the power of the universe and then within a couple of hours it was all stripped away. I knew things about spirits and the fae and I think I was already Hellenistic by then, too. I was desperate for materialism to not be all there was to life. I could not accept it. I knew there was something mystical going on behind the scenes and nobody could describe it to me or even admit that they were as confused as I were.

The trauma I got was the underlying perpetuation that I was misled by my own senses and that what I had understood so fully in my heart was a lie. I did not have anyone in my life to reflect my experiences to and no one who could relate, and this institution had been a massive joke. I realized I would have to find out on my own what religion and spirituality meant. As this went on, I got stuck in a loop of;

"Well I'm getting correspondences and I'm reading all the spell recipes and I'm reading about paranormal experiences and I'm obsessed with ghosts and cryptids, but like I'm still not really understanding. Like nobody can just give me an answer! Is magic real or not?! How does burning leaves make me rich?!"

I think that in some sort of effect, I had turned off my emotions and intuition once I had the idea in my head that it was just stupid background chatter and my feelings were annoying and cumbersome and getting in the way of my learning. And then I beat myself up for not understanding spirituality! Not only were my feelings painful, they didn't make sense, but they didn't actually matter in the grand scheme of things. All Gd wanted from me was macaroni art and pony bead bracelets.

The moral of the story is this; even events that don't strike you as traumatizing can still have long term effects on your life. This is why we do shadow work because It wasn't up until I really sat down and picked apart this particular feeling that kept following me, that I was able to really understand how to let these beliefs go. I had accepted religion to be exactly what someone had told me it to be, instead of what I knew I had felt to be true in my blood and bones, and this crushed my confidence and faith in myself. Then I finally realized that I can just follow however I feel, and I can just do that with an infinite success rate for the rest of my life. Maybe I was right and there was no Gd in that building. But I have met Gods in forests, waterfalls, in my best friends' laughter, in my kitten when she falls asleep in my lap, in the jewelry I make, and in my tarot readings. Religion is meant to connect us. Spirituality is meant to uplift and empower us. Our Souls naturally want to draw us together through art and music and love. In this way, each person's spirituality will always be as unique as they are, and that's something to be celebrated. That is Magic.