#we celebrate on the evening of the 24th so! merry Christmas <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[rivsaeya]

I bet Santa hates time

When I was 6, I pretty much knew who Santa Claus was. He's a fat old man with a big and snowy beard. He wears a rather comfy red and white top and matching trousers, and of course, his big black boots and wide buckled belt. He visited my home once a year with his six helpful elves to put several toys for me and my brothers under the big Christmas tree. Sad thing about it is that Santa is too shy and would only place gifts when me and my brothers were behaving correctly, and only when we were asleep.

Whenever it is the night of the 24th of December, my brothers and I would quickly head to bed as early as 7 in the evening to sleep and wake up with gifts under the dark, slightly shone Christmas tree by the small Christmas lights in between our windows. The next thing I know, my eyes were very much awake and my head couldn't be put to rest, so I would run to my mom and ask to be gently rubbed on my back to help me sleep. My mom's technique somehow worked because I'd randomly wake up in my bed on the morning of December 25th, unbeknownst to how I got there when hours earlier, I was just in my mom's embrace. I would quickly disregard of the thought and head straight to the Christmas tree, and with my pupils dilated, my hands shaking, and my heart thumping loud and fast, there it was was in my sight, the gifts Santa Claus had given for me and my brothers. As quickly as how a cheetah might run, I then took my 3 big-bagged gifts, carefully opened it, and there they were, my cool Mclaren hot wheels and big remote-controlled excavators. My cheeks would quickly become rounded and my eyes would temporarily disappear as a smile had been carved across my face and my teeth were highly visible. This sight would be seen by both of my parents and they would smile back at me and I would then run to them, with my arms dangling side to side, and I'd run myself over my mother's lap and I would then demand to be carried by my father. All of the time, they would ask me, "Do you like your gifts, Ping?", and before a thought had even appeared in my mind, I would automatically answer, "Yes, I love these so much, I love you and thank you so much, Mimi and Papa".

Shortly after those events, my relatives and cousins arrived at our doorstep hour after hour, and me, my brothers, and my cousins would gather in a room to play mutiplayer games. While these were happening, we would laugh ourselves out, with the karaoke echoing through the house halls, my father laughing loudly with my grandpas and uncles, my mother checking up on my grandmas and my aunts, and before I forget, there would be a pleasant flavourful aroma that could be sniffed across the whole corners of the house, with the scratching cooking pans and sizzling noises. When dusk falls, my cousins and I would form "bedforts" to sleep together and wake up when it would be the time to eat. It is indeed just as planned, we woke up, there were lots of viands and drinks placed on our food table, and my parents and relatives could be seen in the living room, singing together and laughing together. My cousins and I would ironically call them angrily because we're getting hungry when they were literally the one who just woke us up. The whole family gathers across the food table and we'd pray together, after praying, the phrase "Merry Christmas" could be heard almost everywhere in the house, and a warm sensation could be felt across the house and my cousins and I would eat in a single spot, often times we'd crowd ourselves so much because we didn't want to be separated. After eating, we would head to our bedrooms and play until we would be sleepy, but that would be a long hour to go because we'd want to make the most out of every Christmas together. In the following days, specifically on December 30, we would celebrate my birthday and it would be the best birthday I'd ever have because the family was complete, my parents, my brothers, my cousins, my grandparents, and my aunts and uncles were all there. It would be my best Christmas season and birthday ever, where up until now, I'd get teary trying to recall those memories I longed to experience again. The day after celebrating my birthday, the house would then become spacious and I would heavily cry because all my grandparents, cousins, and relatives would have gone home to their places to celebrate New Year. I'd go as far as to say that it could be one of the worst feelings I've felt because in the following days, I would feel so empty and sad because everything is over. However, the feeling of grief and emptiness is a good indicator that I've spent my Christmas and birthday well and it's a memory worth holding on to. It's the perfect Christmas essence for me.

Several years have passed and everything changed. I don't believe in Santa anymore, my brothers and I doesn't sleep together on the 24th of December to wake up on the morning of December 25th anymore, I could easily sleep on the night of December 24th and I wouldn't feel the need to run to my mom to help me sleep anymore. I mean, my grandparents, cousins, and relatives would come to our home, but we don't celebrate Christmas the way we used to anymore. My cousins would be stuck on their smartphones, and I would find myself struggling to speak to them because I would feel shy and there's something that's constraining me to speak to them. After some time, I'd figure a way to talk to them but it would only be for a short time, and we'd get stuck on our smartphones again and we'd let a day pass by without a meaningful interaction. As usual, they would go back to their places after my birthday and their departure doesn't leave an effect to me the way it used to. I don't feel the grief and emptiness anymore, it's more like a normal day that has casually passed. I would ask myself, was that really Christmas? But I would suddenly remember that all of my past Christmas weren't really the complete essence of Christmas. Christmas is about celebrating the birth of our saviour, Jesus Christ, who saved us from our sins and brought peace to the world we know today. Christmas is about celebrating Christ's birth along with our loved ones, and even when it didn't feel the same way as it used to, what's important is we get to celebrate it with our loved ones still with us, and with us, celebrating and thanking our Lord and Jesus Christ for the goodness they brought for us.

Even with all this, I would still find myself asking myself the same question over and over again. "Why did my Christmas change?", I think that the answer to this is perhaps, it's not really Christmas that changed, it's because time really does fly. When we were still young and innocent, our minds were focused on staying happy and finding excitement in everything we do, but as growing individuals, our viewpoints and priorities would change, which in turn, changes parts of us. I don't believe in Santa anymore because I grew up. My brothers and I do not sleep together anymore because we grew up. I wouldn't run to my mom to sleep anymore because I grew up. I wouldn't find cool McLaren hot wheels and remote-controlled excavators in my gifts anymore because I grew up. My cousins and I do not sleep and play together anymore because we grew up. In this sense, I blame it all on time. Time changed the Christmas I usually experienced. Christmas didn't feel the way it was supposed to feel when I was younger. Time is honestly so confusing for me. One day, nothing seems to change, and suddenly, everything is different. Realizing that I'm powerless to turn back time, it's my worst truth to accept that everything only lasts for a moment, and while they do last for a lifetime, but only in our minds, and that includes the Christmas I've felt when I was a kid. Are we that powerless wherein we are bound to live in nostalgia every single day because of a passed moment that we really wanted to experience twice? I like to think that maybe, time is just a cruel being where it makes us live a beautiful moment, and it tortures us by making us long for it for the rest of our lives.

When I was writing this, memories came in waves, and I was drowning.

[arlertdarling]

Good evening Juno!

FIRST of all your winter theme is the cutest thing ever, SECOND of all wishing you a happy holiday season/merry christmas! (and if you don't officially celebrate I hope you have a lovely week)

Remember to be kind to yourself, you're a lovely person <3 Sending hugs!

thank you april !!! i’m polish so we celebrated on the 24th, just a small casual dinner with my close family, and it was very pleasant.

right back at you, btw !!! hope you had a wonderful time and a lovely new year <3

[notebookmusical]

Hi! I hope you had a very merry Christmas! I think you said you celebrate it. Did you do anything for the holidays or get presents? don't worry..it wasn't late or anything. I just couldn't reply until now. Oh that sucks..I hope you recover in time for the new year.🩷

I think it's already happened with some songs on Fearless cuz she didn't have her accent as much. I agree with Hey Stephen and a few other songs. I realized that I never asked you how you felt about the changes in the Better than Revenge rerecording. Overall I understand the change, and the new lyrics make sense, but still prefer the original lyrics lol. I love her accent too but I never could really tell if it was completely fake or not but her baby voice is cute.

I think if the cuts make sense, I won't really mind but it's not like it's my favorite musical either. The trailer came on yesterday and I told them it was a musical and they said it as a musical will ruin it so I do wonder how regular non theater people will feel about it overall. They always hate or make fun of musicals though and it will make it cheesy or something since my family quotes the original movie all the time. So I feel like the quotes don't translate in the musical as much, and even if Legally Blonde was a little different, the changes made sense of improved it in some way. I listened to the Megan song too and just felt it didn't add much either. I don't know if i will watch it yet, but I've already missed Wonka and Color Purple for this week so I will see if I can watch it this next week. I will probably watch Dicks at some point too, so I'm glad your friend liked it.

I love White Christmas even if it doesn't feel as Christmasy as other Christmas movies. I just finally watched the movie version of Holiday Inn last night, but was familiar with the musical. I also love both! I also count Rent for musicals lol. But mostly I prefer ones where the family is getting ready for or around Christmas like Elf, National Lampoons, and A Christmas Story, and Surviving Christmas. I also have a few new ones I still wanna watch for this year. I was going to send you an ask saying December 24th 9PM Eastern standard time...but then I remembered you've never seen Rent! My sister and I were trying to think of New Year's resolutions in song lyrics and my sister said that from here on in, I shoot without a script..instead of my old shit..would be a good one for me lol. We always try to do a Taylor one too so I'm thinking either Karma or You're on your own kid..make friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it..you've got no reason to be afraid and I'm gonna try to remember that throughout the year and try new things maybe. I remember I used I got harder smarter in the nick of time..I rose up from the dead..I do all the time as one when rep came out. I mostly just think it's fun, so if you wanna try to think of one, you can.

I finally listened to the Fruitcake EP and I agree..it was so good! All of the songs were mostly different, which is kinda fun. I think it would be hard to think of different types of Christmas songs, but she did such a good job. New years yet might be my favorite or at least the one I can remember the most. What do you think your version of a Christmas song would be? I guess I never asked you if you are musical at all or if you play any instruments. I don't actually, but I do like to sing and sometimes make up songs. That question is just for fun though so no pressure, and I don't really have an answer either.

I think I only read 3 or 4 full books this year. One was the stepping off place that I finished back in January, and that was definitely my favorite. I know I've talked about it already, but I really loved it so much. The other was Mistakes were made which was fine. I just found out the same author has another book out soon and I think I would be interested in reading it, cuz I enjoyed her writing. What about you? The last one was The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Do you still plan on reading or watching the movie? I'm still in the middle of a few including Business or Pleasure I hoped to finish by the end of year but I still have like 50 pages. I also skimmed most of Our Year of Maybes. I enjoyed parts of all these but didn't love them. I hope to change my reading habits for next year and definitely finish more..we will see my progress by the end of January. There were a lot of months I didn't read at all, so I'm hoping to change that too. Omg I wish you would have told me you were continuing your Night Circus reread! I could have tried to read a bit more. I just assumed you were taking a break like me lol. I want you to know if you don't finish your Les Mis reread it's also okay..don't stress.

Oh I didn't know you haven't seen them but I actually didn't watch the Office until like 5 years ago. I grew up watching Friends and quote it all the time though! Idk if you mean you just never watched the whole show or that you didn't know it at all. Parks and Recreation is another one of my favs..similar to the Office. I also love Schitt's Creek! But the humor is just different from back then, cuz it's newer. and New Girl is another newer one which is kinda more similar to Friends. Of course How I met your mother is the most similar to Friends...but I prefer Friends the most. I got a Friends calendar for Christmas actually, and also a Taylor one. Cristin Miloti was the mother in that show and was also played the original Girl from Once on Broadway, and I guess I forgot to mention that in my last ask. I knew the Guy actor from another show too, which is Shameless. I think Once was before the shows technically, but I knew them from it by the time I got into Broadway. That version of Falling Slowly just seems different from the movie somehow but I still like it. I would recommend Begin Again cuz I liked some songs.

I loved that dream cuz she gave me some earrings. I only remember three or four titles. But it seemed like the length of a full album cuz a group of four of us were reading off the titles and it was like three each or something. Name someone I love, something to take, watch me, kiss some other person. Possibly fireworks but idk. Some of the titles made me think of a new album but some make me think of rep lol. I wish I remembered more. But it is almost impossible to envision her new album and like I said, I'm sure the titles are way off anyway. I always like knowing song titles and wondering or guessing what a song will be like though. Anyway I hope you feel better! Try to rest as much as you can and hopefully relax the next few days. Sending well wishes for your Wednesday and the rest of your week!

hello friend!! hope you had a lovely holiday + a wonderful new year, if i don't talk to you before then! i do celebrate it! it was a very quiet, lowkey christmas, since i still have the plague but it was very lovely! how was your christmas? do you have any fun new year plans?

my favorite present that i got is a pink scarf that my mom got me — it's super cozy and just so cute!! which, i think by now, is no surprise, since i am A Pink Girl at my core! one of my friends got me a raccoon themed christmas gift, which i also loved — including a raccoon oodie, a raccoon jellycat, and of course, toto got his own raccoon animal too!

with better than revenge, i definitely understand why she changed the lyrics, and i'm glad she was able to create a version of better than revenge she was proud of! i definitely still on instinct sing the old lyrics, but i don't think i particularly prefer one over the other, just that i'm more used to the old ones!

one of my family friends hates musicals and she got tricked into taking her kid (the 15 year old who i affectionately call my younger sister) to wonka and didn't realize wonka was a musical, which was funny! the text i got when she realized did make me chuckle, i'm not going to lie. i haven't watched any of those movies — nor have i watched the eras tour from home! i have it rented, but i just haven't been feeling well enough to sit through a three hour movie unfortunately. but i'm starting to feel a little better so hopefully i'll have time to watch that soon!

i love the holiday inn musical — i think it's so fun! fun fact, the first time i watched the holiday inn movie was at a holiday inn. i went to florida on a work trip in 2019, and my flight home got cancelled and the airlines put me in a holiday inn for the night so i figured it'd be the perfect time to watch holiday inn (even though it was summer) because i liked the musical! i definitely know the rent december 24 9pm reference and usually participate in it on twitter but forgot this year :( it made me feel like a bad theatre kid haha!

i love the idea of doing resolutions in song! i finally wrote out my reading goals for my book blog earlier, but haven't completely finalized my personal resolutions yet. i think the YOYOK one is so good! some other ones i thought of:

innocent — minds change like the weather/ i hope you remember today is never too late to be brand new

starlight — look at you, worrying too much about things you can’t change / you’ll spend your whole life singing the blues if you keep thinking that way

august — to live for the hope of it all

they're not as good as you're on your own kid though, and i'm sure i'm missing something super obvious!

i think fruitcake's EP is so fun and different! like upbeat and a bit sexy and just so fun! it's something i can see myself listening to year-round. i played the piano as a kid (i don't remember a thing now) and took a semester of guitar in high school (was not good at it), but am not musical anymore! sometimes i think about picking something up again, just for fun, but i think i prefer being arts and crafty over being musical. i think if i had to do a christmas song though, it'd probably be something a little more melancholy and slower — kind of how phoebe bridgers' christmas songs sound, i think. what about you?

i still plan on reading tbosas and watching it! but i did not get to reading the hunger games at all this month. but at some point i will do that and then we can discuss 🤍 i did end up finishing the night circus (the original plan was that i'd mail it out this week for book club, but given the plague, i'm pushing it off to next week), and also les mis (although i would not recommend reading the first 50% over the span of 3 months and then reading the last half of it in the span of a week). i think i'm done reading for the rest of the year and am excited for a little bit of a break! and then i think i'll go back to the starless sea in january!

i did watch parks and rec! i've only seen it once, but i watched it in college with one of my friends who said i was very leslie in terms of drive/organization/etc. it's funny you brought once up, because i was listening to once on vinyl today — it's such a good show. i love it so much! there are a lot of shows (friends, HIMYM, gilmore girls) that i think i would've loved if i had watched it when it was first airing, but i've been spoiled on every platform for so many things that i don't think i'd find it fun now! also i am so much worse at watching tv now than i was when i was in school, for some reason!!

that sounds like such a fun dream! i don't usually remember my dreams (but i also have a hard time sleeping so there's that)! do you think ts11 will have a more pop sound? or do you think it'll be something else? i keep seeing clown theories on twitter about new year's day (taylor's version) or a rep announcement on new year's day ... what do you think?

also!! i got your other ask about music! i think i need to do another listen through of the albums before i can pick favorites, so i will save the ask for when i get a chance to do that and then get back to you!!

hope you're doing well, my friend!! 🤍

[headkiss]

I'm the previous anon I'm sorry I forgot most ppl celebrate Christmas on the 25th. We exchange our presents on the 24th in the evening that's why the 23rd is always the day before Christmas for me lmao. <3

don’t be sorry!!! my sister’s boyfriend’s family celebrates on the 24th too :) so merry christmas eve to you lovely!

[catnerdenby]

I don't like Christmas. But I do love how it brings people together. I love seeing the joy of unwrapping a present in my cousin's eyes. It makes. me happy hearing my brothers shriek in joy when they get a new present.

But it all ends so quickly. One second they're beaming with delight, the other screaming with anger.

I don't like Christmas because of people. But I also like Christmas because of people.

My country celebrates Christmas on the 24th, and normally the Santa actually visits kids. We even have an official union of Santas.

In my family, we get together, and depending on the year, we either eat the Christmas dinner (cooked potatoes, ham, blood sausage, cabbage salad, meat pudding (idk what it's called), bacon, apple cake/ cheesecake) first or the Santa comes first and EVERYONE has to read a poem, or sing a song to get a present. Except pets and toddlers. They can do a trick.

After that we unwrap the presents, and get a bit of time to play. Then we take a big family picture.

Sometimes my family stays overnight (as do my uncle's and aunt's. families) or we stop torturing everybody and go home after.

It all sounds jolly and good, but in reality everyone is stressed, someone's piece of a gift goes missing, my brother finds the remote and blasts Minecraft videos full volume, someone is in the phone, when they're supposed to socialise with the family instead, etc.

Sometimes my uncle has a new gf so they bring her children, as well as my eldest cousin. He's pretty fine but they can be assholes with my oldest younger brother towards my middle younger brother. Which creates a lot of noise and my mom gets a lot more stressed.

There's also the entire religious stuff, which none of us actually believe (atheism is largely dominant here), but creates a load of unpleasant contradictions. The initial 'idea' of Christmas is absolutely forgotten at some point and we just wait for an old man to deliver 2-3 bags of presents, which make us happy for 2 days and are then forgotten.

I don't even know what irks me off so much about Christmas. I'm atheist myself but for some reason the religious aspect of Christmas being absolutely forgotten pisses me off.

Here, Santa Claus (Saint Nicolaus if you will. Fuck I hate saying Santa, like it's a name), is actually called Yule-old in translation. Jõuluvana. And I just feel like...some shit got mixed up in cultures??

And can we talk about the line "He watches when you're sleeping" WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH THAT?!?!?! IT RUINED MY FUCKING CHILDHOOD. I literally can't not think of Santa as a pedophile now.

I'm sorry, being wished a "Merry Christmas!" just really makes me lose my shit, because if I had the option to, I personally wouldn't celebrate it, but be home, read a book by the fire, and drink hot chocolate. The spruce and candles can stay.

ALSO- Christmas concerts. Christmas songs. That stuff makes me irrationally angry. I want to enjoy a "Merry Winter!" I want to jump in the snow with my family and friends together. I actually don't even want any presents. I want genuine joy. I want to enjoy the time with my family not with presents and hot air, but a snow war and 3 meter high snow man.

Thank you and goodbye.

[museenkuss]

Merry Christmas! ✨🎠🍊

wine-warm veins, plates overflowing with biscuits and the scent of clementines clinging to sticky fingertips, ornaments shimmering in candle light, curious-sniffling dogs, opulent wrapping paper and the weight of new books, the scent of pines and Stollen with Marzipan. companionable silence.

[revoleotion]

december 24th

this is my gift for @cnr-golden! Merry christmas and thanks to @animes-trash for once again hosting the secret santa!

This was a lot of fun to write and honestly, I could've gone on for ages but I decided to end it there so I can still post it on Christmas. I hope you enjoy! <3

~ rev

.

To Hyde, Servamp of Greed, Christmas is no longer just Christmas anymore. It’s Licht’s birthday. And because it’s Licht’s birthday, it gives Hyde a free pass to make the day about him. 

Licht doesn’t seem to agree with him here - but then again, when does he ever? 

They’ve had arguments about it before. Both very loud verbal ones and the much more scary kind, where they would say nothing to each other for days. It might be an inherent part of their contrasting personalities, the sin and the virtue. Perhaps it is selfless of Licht to not want to celebrate his birthday, perhaps it is selfish of Hyde to insist anyway. 

It’s funny because during one of their fights, Hyde told Licht, “Isn’t it kind of selfish that you refuse a party?”

Licht only raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it kind of selfless for you to care that much?”

Point taken. 

It didn’t feel like this was an argument they were going to solve anytime soon. But it also wasn’t a deal-breaker. It’s just one day in the year after all. Just like the Christmasses before, it will end in a compromise. Licht will accept birthday wishes and gifts, all while celebrating the bigger holiday that stubbornly lingers in the air. 

They’re both stubborn. They’ve always been. Not only that, they also get even more stubborn around each other. It’s how they show their love, Hyde thinks. 

“Why did you put the angel down,” Licht asks him on the afternoon of the 24th of December. He has his legs pulled up to his chest and a blanket draped across his lap. He looks so cute that Hyde wants nothing more than to affectionately bite him, but he can just pull himself together. 

Christmas - Licht’s birthday - ended in a compromise. That’s what they are, right? A compromise in the making. They had some cookies and hot chocolate earlier, and because it’s a tradition in Licht’s family, they will have fondue later. 

“Can’t you guess?” Hyde asks. 

Licht turns to him, making eye contact for a full, frightening five seconds, before turning back to their Christmas tree. It’s a small tree in comparison, which came in handy when Hyde stole the angel placed on top when they decorated it. 

“No,” Licht answers. “I don’t think I want to guess.”

“Well it’s because…”

“Don’t.”

“You’re an angel!”

Licht turns away and lets out a very long exhale. 

“You have to admit that this was funny,” Hyde says. “At least a little bit.”

“Mh.” Licht pulls out one hand from the blanket and reaches for him. Hyde gives his fingers a little squeeze; they’re warm and soft and, according to Licht, it is an honor to even touch them. 

“Do you want me to prove it to you?” Hyde asks. 

Licht blinks at him in confusion. He still looks confused when Hyde gets up and lets go of his hand. The understanding only settles in when Hyde picks him up and starts marching towards the tree. 

“Drecksigel, what are you doing.”

“I think you know what I am doing.”

“You are going to break it.”

“It’s going to be fine.”

Licht makes a little noise that might be a chuckle, and it fills Hyde with enough enthusiasm to follow through with his plan. 

.

For the record, Licht does look very angelic and majestic for the whole one-and-a-half seconds he clings to the treetop. 

And that’s all that counts. 

.

Licht is the first one to start laughing, a sound Hyde doesn’t hear all too often and is immensely thankful for. His Eve sitting inmidst of what used to be their Christmas tree and the presents they put underneath. Hyde’s first thought is not devoted to the damage he caused, though. They do this all the time. It’s part of them, in a way. It’s how they show their love. 

All Hyde thinks is, “I won this time, Engelchen. This is your day.”

.

“Where are we going to get a tree at this hour on Christmas Eve?” Hyde quotes the Christmas movie Licht made him watch because it’s a family tradition. (Hyde did not think about the fact that this somehow means he is family to Licht. He didn’t.)

Sadly (or thankfully), no Christmas tree bursts through their window, so Hyde shrugs and turns to the door. “Wanna look for one?”

Licht frowns. Rolls his eyes. Nods. 

They don’t really look for a Christmas tree. At least Hyde is not actively looking. They celebrated in Vienna last year but this year they are staying closer to Licht’s hometown. Both of Licht’s parents are busy with concerts but Licht, in typical Licht fashion, refused to give one on Christmas Eve. He will have some around New Year’s though, and perhaps it’s selfish of Hyde but he wants to have him for himself for as long as he can. 

There’s no clear goal to their walk, except maybe the walk itself.  Licht offered him his hand about ten minutes in, and Hyde can tell that only spite is stopping him from putting it back into the pocket of his coat. 

They stop at a bench in the town square. Licht sits down, and Hyde takes advantage of his hedgehog-form to curl up in his lap. 

“Sorry for breaking the tree,” he says. “For the record, I still think it’s funny.”

“It wasn’t.” A pause. “But it doesn’t matter. Christmas is more about the spirit anyway.”

“The Christmas spirit?” Hyde asks. 

“Yes.”

“And you think I have that?”

Licht gingerly touches him with his hand. “Of course not, you’re a demon.”

“Your demon.”

Licht’s fingers start scratching his belly the way he likes it. He doesn’t say anything, but sometimes that tells Hyde more than if he forces himself to talk. 

Still, “Hey, Engelchen?”

Licht looks at him. 

Hyde clears his throat, at least as well as that works as a hedgehog. “Thank you for spending Christmas with me.”

===

And now, an artistic rendering of the whole event: (@pinkestlittlebutterfly made me a Licht plushie and I love him and will cuddle him every night and also put him up on the tree to annoy my family)

[sheadre]

The Best Christmas Present (Wang Yibo x Reader) One-shot

Summary: You became an idol after dreaming about it for long but with hectic schedules it is not easy to make some time for your family and friends let alone celebrate a Christian holiday in China. But someone comes to your rescue to bring you a little Christmas surprise!

Word count: 1341

Warnings: none, fluff

A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you for waiting patiently! I decided to write something for those who like Wang Yibo. As he is one of my favorite idols/actors, I like to write for him cause there are only a few works for him and he deserves some love. <3 But this is a thank you fanfic for those who follow me and wait for the stories that are about to come. Thank you for the support and love! I'm working hard on Aurora Borealis as it is almost at the finale! I can't wait for your reactions when I post the first of the last five chapters!

I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah!

China was not a country that celebrated Christmas. There were only a few decorations and those were only put up in the mall or other shopping centers so customers would be attracted. You stared at the window of a shop where a big Christmas tree was put up with lights and shiny decorations on it. It was mesmerizing, leaving a feeling of homesickness in your heart.

It’s been so long since you celebrated Christmas with your family back in your home country. Your life turned 180° when you were chosen as a member of a new Chinese idol pop group. You were shocked to say the least when you were chosen because you already gave up the hope of becoming an idol. After trying for long, you gave up hope because you were sure no one would want a non-Chinese idol representing their company. China was a country that preferred their own kin, it was not a discrimination or racism but the government tried to build the love for their own country and nationality in the citizens. Until the CEO chose you based on your skills and talent.

Soon after debuting, you found yourself auditioning for a role in a drama. That is how you met your closest friend, Wang Yibo on set. The two of you became good friends because you never tried to push his boundaries and because he noticed you eying his skateboard. You itched to try it out as you’ve been skating back in your home country when you were in high school. The two of you were now invited to a variety show which was set up in a shopping mall. You were asked about the new drama you two were starring in and after a long and tiring shooting, you sighed in relief.

“(Name), what are you staring at?” Yibo asked with curiosity showing on his face.

“It’s been long since I visited my parents… we used to celebrate Christmas together.” you shrugged with a sad smile. “Unfortunately, I have no time this year either to go home for the holidays.”

“Ah, I see… if you could, would you like to?” he asked again.

“Yeah, but my schedule is full so I cannot make it. But I can still facetime them.” you grinned at him, trying to ease the melancholy around you. Yibo was working just as hard as you did, he deserved better than you moping around about missing a holiday. You then spotted a café behind him and quickly pointed at it with shining eyes. “Do you want to get some hot chocolate?”

“Yeah, sure.” he nodded along and followed you over to the café.

Later ~

Days passed and it was December 24th. Even though you didn’t celebrate the holiday on your own, you still ended up buying a few Christmas tree decorations. They shined and twinkled in the light of your lamp in the living room, on your coffee table. It was late at night by the time you arrived back to your apartment and you were exhausted.

You laid on your couch when suddenly, the doorbell rang, making you jump in fright. Scrambling to your feet, you went to open the door. Your eyes widened when you were met with Yibo and the biggest Christmas tree you’ve ever seen.

“Yibo?” you asked uncertain of what he wanted with that.

“Do you have some free time tonight? We could celebrate Christmas.” he said with a serious expression.

“But… I haven’t prepared you any gifts…” you replied dumbfounded as you let him inside.

“Ah, there’s no need, having some off time with someone I like is quite enough.” he shrugged nonchalantly. Your eyes widened at that. He never said anything about liking you before, it was a casual co-worker friendship thing you two had without saying it. You knew he was saying it, as in liking you as a friend but it still surprised you that he would say anything like this.

“Where do you think we should put this?” he asked then, looking around for a spot for the tree. Quickly shaking yourself, you pointed to the corner behind the couch. Your living room had two walls completely made out of glass meeting in the corner. That spot was the least dangerous for the tree to fall.

“There maybe?”

“Okay, come help me put it in the holder.” Yibo asked and so the two of you went into assembling-mode, exchanging instructions and a few words as you held the tree while he put it in the holder. Then he looked up at you and pointed at the big shopping bags he brought with him resting on the couch.

“There are decorations I bought. I had no idea which color you’d prefer so I brought a little of everything.” he shrugged and raised to his full height. You now reached to his shoulder when he was standing, taller than when you first met. You joked about it a few times that he must’ve stretched his spine and limbs so he’d be taller.

Picking out the decorations made your heart warm up. They were beautiful, reminding you of your home. You ran your fingers over the bumps and dips of a beautiful star shaped one when you felt Yibo’s breath hit your neck.

“Do you like it?” he asked quietly, his voice deep and calm, rumbling in his chest. Somehow, it made your heart pick up its pace and your blood to rush in your veins. Whenever he was this close to you, he made you feel alive, feel excited and skittish.

“Y-yeah…” you blushed and quickly went to put it on the tree. You put the decorations on the branches quietly until it was about to crumble under the lots of trinkets. Staring up at it with wonder in your eyes, you barely noticed Yibo stepping closer to you, his chest right behind your back until he grabbed your upper arms and rested his chin on your shoulder.

“It’s beautiful.” he said and you could hear the small smile in his voice.

“Why though?” you asked confused, your heart hammering in your chest. He probably could hear it beating so loud but didn’t back away from you.

“Can’t I be nice to people I like?” he asked, still smirking. “I wanted to cheer you up, you looked sad.”

“But why…?” you were still confused. You were close with him but you two never flirted or anything. Yeah, you played and joked with him, even played pranks on each other especially on set but you never entertained the idea of even having a little crush on him. Yibo was someone who liked his own personal space and kept professional aside from personal.

“I like you, (Name).”

It felt like time stopped. Your breath hitched in your throat because you knew he meant it far differently from a friendly like. He like liked you. It was clear in his voice as he said it so seriously, leaving no space for any misunderstanding. The tension was so thick you could’ve cut it. You stilled in his hold as he completely encased you in his arms in an embrace.

“I like you too…” you whispered after a long silence. With that said, both of your bodies relaxed, then he quickly spun you around so you faced him. “Wha-”

His lips captured yours in a soft kiss, filled with longing and happiness. It felt like he was relieved that after keeping it a secret for so long, he could finally have what he really, utterly wanted. He longed after you. And maybe you longed after him too but never realized it before.

Letting go of you, he grinned down at you and grabbed your hand to pull you to the kitchen.

“I brought some hot chocolate powder with me too, let’s make some!” he grabbed the milk from the fridge making you laugh. He looked so happy like never before and you hoped that maybe you could be the one to make him happy from now on.

End ~

[ungalobrando]

Uhh merry crisis everybody :3 Here we celebrate Christmas on the 24th so I will most likely be with my aunt (and Ungalo tbh) all evening x3

[redrisingsun]

Swedish Holidays for all your Young Royals needs

Due to popular demand (by like five people) here’s a brief description of all the major Swedish holidays and how they’re celebrated because I can’t stand here and pretend as if we really celebrate Christmas the 25th. We have more holidays, I've only written about the ones we celebrate in my family. I come from a working class family and live in Southern Sweden, however I do have family in Stockholm. I'm not religious in any way and as far as I know, most families don't celebrate these holidays because they're religious, but because it's tradition.

yall better appreciate this, it took me literal hours

January

1: Dubbed as one of the collective pizza days in my household. It's the day after New Year, and most people either order in or eat leftovers.

Week 2 or 3: Most people return to their jobs, schools and other daily activities.

February/March

Fettisdagen ("Fat Tuesday"): celebrated 47 days before Easter. The actual date varies, all from early February to early March. It's an old Christian tradition where you'd eat fatty foods before the "before Easter"-fast and is supposedly a thing in other Christian countries as well. These days, most people celebrate by eating semlor with their family, and most don't fast before Easter.

The semla is a sweet bun with whipped cream and almond paste.

Våffeldagen (Waffle Day, 25th of March): I think this day stems from a Christian tradition, but these days the day is mostly to get together with family and eat waffles.

April

Påsk (Easter): Again, the date varies, but Easter is usually in April. Easter stems from Christianity and is celebrated to remember Jesus' death and resurrection. Easter spans over a week, but I personally only celebrate one of those days.

Påskafton (direct translation: Easter Eve, English translation: Holy Saturday) is the Saturday of the Easter week. In my family, the children get to look for Easter eggs (often filled with candy).

Some children also dress up as Påskkärringar (Easter crones) and I think this tradition has to do with the Witch Trials in Sweden, but I'm not sure. Chances are you won't need to know anything about this for your Young Royal fics, because mostly girls dress up.

Sometimes, we decorate eggs.

Later, we sit down to eat together and spend time with our families. Common things to eat for Easter is potatoes, eggs, herring and meatballs.

Valborgsmässoafton (Walpurgis Night, 30th): We burn a big bonfire in the evening to celebrate that spring is here. I live in a fairly small town, so mostly everyone gathers at one spot and burns the fire together. When the bonfire is burned, most people go home and that's it. It's also seen as a reason to have a party (mostly for teenagers and young adults, I think) and get drunk as fuck.

May/June

Sveriges Nationaldagen (Sweden's National Day, 6th of June): Most people are home from school and work. We hoist the Swedish flag. Idk. However, the Royal Family celebrates by getting dressed up in Swedish costumes. This year, the King held a speech and the family went to Skansen (which is an amusement park/zoo. You can read more about it here). There's music and the military does their weird little thing. You can watch the National Day Celebration on Skansen from 2014 here.

Midsommarafton (Midsummer): date varies, but is celebrated a Friday in late June. I'm sure there's a Christian explanation for this one, but I don't personally know it.

Midsommar (midsummer) means middle of the summer.

Again, this is a day to eat and spend time with your family (or drink, depending on who you are). We eat pretty much the same things for Midsummer as we do for Easter.

For Midsummer we also dance around a Midsommarstång (direct translation: Midsummer Pole, English translation: Maypole) and make flower crowns.

How Midsummer is celebrated depends a lot on your age (most teenagers and young adults again see this as a reason to party), where you're from and a million other things.

My personal favorite Midsummer tradition is probably more common in the country than in the city, for example. You're supposed to pick seven different flowers without saying a word. Then, you sleep with the flowers under your pillow. Supposedly, you'll dream of your future husband (or wife! But I think it's more common that women and girls do this). This tradition also varies. Some people say you need nine flowers and some people say you have to climb over fencing for it to count.

Some teenagers or young adults spend time with their friends to party, instead!

You can watch part of a Midsummer celebration at Skansen here.

The Royal Family usually celebrate Midsummer privately, but I think there's usually new pictures of the entire family around this time.

Day after Midsummer: Collective Pizza Day 2. Everyone either eats takeout or leftovers because no one can be bothered to make anything and like half of the population has the worst hangover they've had since New Year.

Summer Holiday Note: most people in Sweden have four weeks of paid leave each summer.

July/August

Kräftpremiär (Crayfish party) - date varies, normally early August. Basically people get together to eat crayfish and drink. You can usually get paper plates and plastic cups and whatever with ugly crayfish motives (which is fun), but I've never done this.

October

Halloween (30th): Halloween is nowhere near as big in Sweden as it is in the States. We just buy some lösgodis ("loose candy", where you can throw whatever kind of candy you want in a bag. See pictures). Trick or treat is so unusual in the town I grew up I've only ever had one kid ask for candy and when I celebrated Halloween with my grandparents (in a city not far from Stockholm), it was the same. I usually buy some candy and watch a horror movie, but that's about it.

However, Halloween is (again) a reason for teenagers and young adults to drink and party.

November

Alla Helgons Dag (All Saints' Day): Date varies, usually early November. It's a day to remember the dead and we usually light a candle at the grave yard.

December

Första Advent (First Advent): Date varies. Sunday four weeks from Christmas Eve. We mostly just light a candle, honestly. Then, each Sunday for the next four weeks, we light a candle. Here's actually the Crown Princess wishing Happy First Advent with her family! Unfortunately without English subtitles, but here's the translation: "Today is the First Advent. Advent means arrival and hope, something that feels extra important this year. (her husband lights the candle) We want to wish everyone a happy first advent!"

Andra Advent (Second Advent): date varies. We light the second candle.

Tredje Advent (Third Advent): date varies. We light the third candle.

Fjärde Advent (Fourth Advent): date varies. We light the fourth candle. In my family we usually decorate the tree this Sunday.

Julafton (Christmas Eve): Celebrated the 24th. YES, THE 24TH. Christmas Eve obviously varies from family to family, but there's a few things most people have in common. Usually, we get one gift in our sock (which hangs on our bedroom doors in my home, because we don't have a mantle) when we wake up. As kids me and my brother almost always got a movie or something to keep us busy until it was time to leave for our grandparents house.

For lunch we eat the Christmas dinner. It's the same damned food as our other holidays. Herring, meatballs, potatoes, sausages etc, but now, we also have julskinka (Christmas ham). Some people eat ham even for Easter, but we only really eat it for Christmas in my family. Obviously the food varies a little from season to season, but as a picky eater I always just eat potatoes, meatballs and ham.

At 3, Kalle Anka (Donald Duck) is on. Yeah, we watch the same damned stuff every year. It's tradition, alright? Anyway, Donald Duck lasts for an hour or so, and first you get to see Santa work in his workshop, then Disney characters wish you a Merry Christmas with scenes from their movies (original, I know). There's Lady and the Tramp, Donald Duck (obviously) and a million other things. Then there's also one or two trailers for movies Disney will release the coming year. I really couldn't be bothered to find everything on YouTube for you to watch, sorry!

After Donald Duck, we open the Christmas gifts in my family. Normally we just rip out gifts open lmao.

After opening the gifts, we usually eat a second time. This time it's time for porridge. Tomtegröt (Santa porridge) is sweet and often served with cinnamon. Usually, everyone is so stuffed at this point that you only eat because you "have" to eat porridge for Christmas (again, at least in my family).

The last thing we do in my family, is to get a puzzle out. My grandpa almost always gets a new puzzle for Christmas, so we'll put that on the dining table and work on it together until it's getting too late for us to stay.

The Royal Family usually release new pictures of the family for Christmas and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Day after Christmas: Not a collective pizza day! There's usually too much Christmas food left to be able to order pizza. Usually, we have Christmas food to eat for four-ish days after Christmas, and by then you're getting really tired of it.

Sometimes we watch something on television, but for the most part we just sit around and spend time together. I think the Crown Princess read something from the Bible this year? I'm not actually sure if the Royal Family go to the Christmas Service, but I don't think so.

Nyårsafton (New Year's Eve): last day of the year. We shoot fireworks, eat food and dessert and spend time with family. This day we normally eat something "fancy" or something you we don't usually eat.

At twelve, we go out to light some fireworks (or just watch fireworks). When that dies down, it's time for the cheese platter. My dad wants it, no one else ever eats from it, we still do it every single year because "it's not New Year's without it". When we've had the cheese platter, everyone go to sleep and that's that.

People obviously celebrate this differently, as well. It's not uncommon to go see your friends or have guests over, and some people party rather than have fancy dinner with their parents. I personally prefer spending time with my parents, because that's what New Year's is for me.

Some people give resolutions, but I think it's more common in the States.

Christmas Holiday Note: It's common for people to not work between Christmas and New Year's Eve where I'm from.

Some things you might want to know about the Swedish Royal Family and Sweden overall:

The Royal Family in Young Royals is not the real Royal Family (obviously).

The Royal Family usually spends time on Öland during the summers.

Chances are Wilhelm and his family live at Drottningholm Slott (Drottningholm Palace) and not Stockholm Slott (Stockholm Palace). Drottningholm is used as a home for the current King and Queen and is located west of Stockholm. However, the scenes where Wilhelm is home is shot at a palace called Stora Sundby Slott. I doubt Wilhelm and his family would live here if they were the actual Royal Family since it's used as a place for people to gather when they want to hunt for sport. However, if they truly live at Stora Sundby, it takes almost two hours to drive from Stockholm to the castle.

Bjärstad is AT LEAST two hours away from Stockholm.

Bjärstad to Stora Sundby Castle takes approximately an hour and a half by car, and between nine and twelve hours by bus. Which means these two boys can't just take a twenty minute bus to see each other.

Bjärstad to Drottningholm takes a little over two hours by car and four-ish hours by bus.

Bjärstad to Stockholm Slott takes over two hours by car and three and a half hours by bus.

Hillerska is shot at Kaggeholms Slott (Kaggeholm Palace), and is a hotel.

The age of consent in Sweden is 15, HOWEVER it's illegal to have sex with someone four or more years younger than you if you're not both over the age of 18. Let me illustrate: -Person A is 15 and Person B is 15. It's legal because both are 15. -Person A is 15 and Person B is 20. It's illegal, because there's a five year old gap between them. -Person A is 15 and Person B is 18. It's legal (but probably frowned upon), because they're both 15 or older and there's not a four year gap between them. -Person A is 18 and Person B is 30. It's legal, because both are 18 or older. Idk if this makes sense or if this is what it looks like anymore, but this is what it was like when I still went to school. Obviously people aren't going to run around and call you names if you happen to date someone four years younger than you (I know a girl who met a guy when she was 14 and he was over 20), but please, be mindful of this. Our age of consent doesn't give you a right to be weird and nasty to teenagers (yes, I'm talking about Edvin).

Also, the Royal Family have their own website, which you can find here. As far as I can see, there's more information on the Swedish page, but there's plenty translated to English. You can also read of the Swedish Royal Family and its history on the palaces's website, here.

All pictures have been taken straight from Google. I haven't used any sources, because this is shit I do every single year with my family. Feel free to correct me or add things you do, but keep it respectful, please!

Friendly reminder that I've simplified some parts of this to make sense, specifically the dates of the Advent celebrations.

If there's anything you don't understand or want more information on, you're welcome to contact me! I take pretty long to reply, but I'll definitely try to get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!

[purpleyellow]

Freaky Holidays (3)

Originally Seventeen 14th member

Hayun’s Masterlist

“With only 1 days until December 25th, the Christmas spirit turn things around and make us wonder: What would happen if Hayun was a BTS oc?”

a/n: so I’ve wanted to do a oc/group swap for the longest time and the occasion just sort of fell into place. I tried not to make it too centered around the festivities but it was kind of inevitable so apologies to those who don’t celebrate it, next week things will go back to normal. Please let me know what you thought of it, your feedback is always welcome💙

Putting on the candy cane onesie she had since pre-debut, Hayun connected her phone to the dorm’s Bluetooth system and started playing a trap version of Jingle Bell Rock. Smiling satisfied once she heard a couple of laughs erupting from the kitchen, the girl made her way to breakfast smiling smug.

“Why do you have to do this every year?” Jin managed to say as he took a deep breath, but once she took out a pair of red ray bans and put them on they all resumed laughing.

“Merry Christmas Eve bitches” Hayun T-posed in front of them before taking the sunglasses off, pausing the music, and sitting on the table normally. “Sorry about that”

“And the streak continues” J-hope giggled high fiving her and putting a plate of pancakes in front of her “We ordered breakfast because we knew you’d be too hyped to help us make food”

“But I almost never help?” The girl frowned smiling suspiciously before laughing again “Just admit you didn’t want to cook for once” 

“Okay, we admit that we’re adjusting to your ‘make the 24th’s morning the real holiday for Bangtan’ protest” Namjoon rolled his eyes taking a sip from his glass

“See, my protest is perfect. We’re usually busy on the 25th, so it makes total sense to celebrate one day earlier” She articulated with her fork making Jimin laugh once again. “I’m serious”

“I’m aware” He fanned his face to calm down and shoot her a wink “You’re a genius, unmatched and all of that”

“Compliment accepted” 

“You just forgot one loophole that we’re also busy today” Yoongi chuckled, turning her face into a bored one, and imitated her little dance “Cheer up Hayun-ah. It’s Christmas Eve”

Rolling her eyes and dancing back, Hayun reached out for two pancakes, staking them slightly on top of each other she took out the whipped cream and added it to the entire thing. Finishing by tearing little slices of bread and strategically putting them on top of the white surface.

Picking up the plate, she turned it around to the table and cheerfully said “It’s a snowman”

One by one, the boys looked at her creepy creation and then at each other, most of them with judgmental/questioning stares and Jungkook who was trying hard not to laugh.

“I might have nightmares with this later” Taehyung calmly said, his shocked face going back to normal as he nonchalantly sipped some juice.

“You guys still didn’t get in the spirit” The girl scoffed, placing the plate back down and reaching for a clean one so she could serve herself.

“I was in the spirit, that might have taken it away” Jungkook mumbled under his breath and she slapped him in the arm. “Ow, my bad”

“Talking about spirit” Namjoon cleaned his throat in a way Hayun could tell what he was going to bring up “Let’s all hope this next year you get in the mood to finally finish your mixtape”

“Wow, really Hayun? I put out two and you didn’t even make one yet” Yoongi playfully shook his head and J-Hope added something like “Hayun World isn’t going to make itself”

“It’s really good to know that the whole time I spend in the studio helping you guys with our stuff means nothing,” The girl said in a mocking tearing up tone “I see how it is. I see”

“She’s been helping me a lot” Taehyung raised his hand and she pointed at him to emphasize what he had said.

“Yoongi Oppa never acknowledges me in his studio, but so you all know I am there most days” She crossed her arms counting on her fingers the amount of stuff she had helped them with. 

“Yah, stop talking. We get it” Jin cut her off throwing a slice of bread on her face and laughing.

“No, I don’t think you do. I also” Hayun kept going but got interrupted by Jungkook picking up the bread and shoving it into her mouth until she was chewing on it.

“Wow, I’ve never seen someone talking so much right after they wake up,” He said and paused to yawn, unconsciously adding to his point.

“Hayun-ah” Jimin caught the girl’s attention and she looked over to him and nodded for him to proceed since she was still chewing “I see your efforts. Thank you for helping us” He said, doing an awkward heart with his hands.

“Okay, why are you being so nice to me today?” Her eyebrows were raised after chewing and Jimin waved her closer, both of them standing up and meeting halfway from where they were sitting at the table as he hugged her patting her head.

Whispering to her, Jimin tried his best not to laugh “I lost the ugly sweater you told me to wear today” He ended with a giggle and bolted running to his room.

“You’re not going after him?” Hobi said, impressed and she shrugged, sitting again and holding his and Jungkook’s hands as she smiled peacefully.

“It’s the Christmas spirit in me, toning down the urge to murder someone”  Letting out a breath, she got up and took her phone off the onesie’s pocket. Turning back on the music, she T-posed again and sat down going back to her meal as she and the boys grooved to the Christmas song.

[callmemythicalminx]

❄️24th of December❄️

❄️Christmas Day with the Salieri Family ❄️

Fandom: Mafia Definitive Edition

Warnings: Just flufffffffff.

Summary: It’s Christmas day and your spending it with the ones you love at the bar - what more could you want?

A/N: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! We have sadly reached the end of the calendar, but I will of course continue to write. I’m going to be taking a break from posting during January/early Febuary but I will still be writing during this time (most likely some of the requests I’ve recieved and starting my Sam series). I hope you all understand, but most importantly, I hope you’ve all enjoyed the calendar as I’ve had so much fun making it! <3

Dedicated to:  @kaiiiiiiparkerismyhusband​ @lolita-wolfson @xxsamanthaxx @kneelingforvillains @loutino20 @levitate-gengar @dorothynerding @blackbladevika @my-blog-for-me @rammstein-obsession @octorebel @demonsouthere @mayday1284

---

The snow is falling softly as you walk down the street towards Salieri’s bar. In your hands, you lug a bag of presents, some even tucked under your arms. Finally, it’s Christmas Day and that means it’s time to celebrate with your family. Every year you all gather together at the bar to have dinner together, share presents and forget about all the stress of your lives for a day. 

As Salieri’s only daughter, you especially love this day of the year most of all. Because you’ve never had siblings, you’ve always seen the gangstas you share your life with as your brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts. Sam, Paulie and Tommy especially are like the big brothers you’ve never had, always there to care for you and keep you safe. Being able to thank your family with all the homemade gifts you create is one of your favourite things about the holiday. That and being able to just spend some time with them, laughing and relaxing. 

As you approach the front of the bar, you can already see your father standing at the bar, smoking a cigar as he speaks to Frank and Luigi. Excitedly, you kick open the door, smiling wide when Saleri looks towards you. 

“Y/N, darling! There you are! Here, give me some’a those.” You gratefully release some of the bags into his outstretched hands, releasing a sigh as you finally stretch your arms out. The three men laugh at you as you walk towards them, placing a kiss on each of their cheeks. You greet your father last, who pulls you into a tight hug while he wishes you “Merry Christmas darling.”

“Merry Christmas to you too Papa.” 

“The boys are upstairs getting the place sorted, they probably won’t groan as much if you go and help them.” You laugh. As you start making your way through the bar and up the stairs, the smell of the turkey from the kitchen grows stronger and you take in a deep breath. It makes your taste buds water and you can’t wait to enjoy some of it later. Once you reach the meeting room, you can hear Sam and Paulie arguing as you open the door. 

“Why do you get to sit next to Y/N?!” Paulie shouts, his arms flailing frantically as he gestures to the long dining table. Sam looks at him blankly, his arms crossed over his chest. He raises an eyebrow as he replies “She’s the boss’ daughter. I’m head Capo. It makes sense for me to sit next to her.” Paulie grows more frustrated and opens his mouth wide to argue back, but stops short when he sees you standing in the doorway, smirking at the two of them. Sam squints at him for a second before quickly turning, a wide smile spreading on his face as he spots you. 

“Y/N!” Paulie giddy shouts, running over to pull you into a big hug. You wrap your arms around him and squeeze tightly. Sam comes up behind him, leaning down to kiss you on the cheek and take you into a hug himself once Paulie has let go. 

“Merry Christmas Y/N.” 

“Merry Christmas to the two of you fools too. I see that you’re already arguing.” Sam lets out a ‘pfft’ sound as Paulie launches into a full blown rant, trying to explain why he should sit next to you at dinner. For a while, you let him endlessly talk, taking amusement from both his amusement and Sam’s exasperated expression. But eventually, you start laughing and place your hand on Paulie’s shoulder to quiet him down. 

“Why don’t I just sit in the middle of you two? My papa doesn’t mind me being a few seats down, you should know this already.” The two of them look at each other for a moment, squinting slightly, before they seem to come to a telepathic agreement, nodding their heads. Thankfully, the arrival of little Julia with Tommy and Sarah interrupts the childish argument as they enter the room with warm smiles. 

“Aunty Y/N!” Julia runs, jumping into your arms as you bend down. You give her a tight hug as you raise up again, littering her face with kisses. She giggles as her uncles come up behind her and take turns kissing her too. Tommy and Sarah move to greet you after Julia wriggles out of your arms, running over to the presents waiting to be opened by the tree. 

Once Ralphie, Vinny and the rest of your family have arrived, you all move to your seats at the table, passing around presents from the tree. Sam and Paulie sit quite happily next to you, smiling warmly when they see the gifts you’ve made for them. You have many to open yourself, but you can’t help but just look around at the joy on everyone’s face. It gives you more pleasure than any gift ever could- nothing compares to seeing your family happy and alive. 

Eventually the food is brought in, plates and bowls of steaming food filling the room with a heavenly scent. The boys help bring the large turkey in, placing it in front of Salieri to carve. When the meat is cut, it’s quickly shared out and everyone’s plates quickly become filled. Your father stands up, raising a glass of wine as the rest of your family follow suit. 

“Another year has passed. We’ve lost many but we’ve also gained so much. I’ve never been as proud as I am now in these moments when I stand before you all, my family, and see what we’ve accomplished. Y/N is my only daughter, but I’m sure she agrees too that you will all always be my sons and daughters. So I raise a toast. To a brighter future, a prosperous new year and good health to all of you. You all mean the world to me.”

As you look around at your family, arms raised in cheers as they send loving smiles towards your father and yourself, you can’t help but agree with him- they mean the world to you and nothing will ever change that.

--- 

Thank you all so much for reading, I really hope you have enjoyed! <3 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

[wrctings]

Pre-serum Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes | Let your heart be light

fandom: Marvel Univers characters: Pre-serum Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes summary: Where Steve and his mom spend Christmas Eve’s at the Barnes’s, Bucky takes a nap and Steve draws him. word count: 1.7k 

writing a christmas one shot in february isn’t too late, right? i missed 30s steve and buck so of course i had to write some fluff <3

New York City, Christmas 1935

When the two boys slid their shivering frames through the doorway, shaking off the snowflakes caught in their hair and coats as they took the latter off, the first thing to welcome them was the delicious waft of food which had enveloped the entire apartment, the perky jingling of cutlery that emanated from the kitchen accounting for the fact that an active cooking activity was indeed taking place in there. Their cheeks rosy from the piercing cold and their breath short from having spent the afternoon out in the snow, they untied their shoes, leaving them in the corridor, and proceeded to the living room, where the warmth radiating off the crackling fireplace eased the prickling of their skin at once.

“Mom, we’re back!” Bucky announced, heading for the kitchen, Steve in his wake. “How are you? It smells so good in here!”

“We were wondering when you boys would come back and give us a hand,” Mrs Barnes gave them a smile, shaking her head. “It’s all fine. We should always make joined Christmas dinners, it’s a lot less exhausting than doing it yourself for the whole family,” she added gratefully, glancing at Sarah, who nodded in approval.

“Are you okay darling?” The blond woman caringly asked Steve, who reassured her with a light-hearted nod.

“If there’s anything we can do, we’ll be glad to help,” he then assured voluntarily, earning an affectionate look from the two women.

“Actually, I have a feeling you’ll cause more trouble than anything…” One of Bucky’s sisters retorted humorously.

“That may not be wrong…,” the brunet boy conceded sheepishly, eyeing all the culinary supplies suspiciously.

“Maybe you could dress the table, how about that?” Mrs Barnes proposed an alternative. “It’s a little too early now, but we’ll call you when it’s the right time. For the time being, why don’t you go put some records on?”

“Sure!”

“Steve, stay close to the fireplace!” The other boy’s mom called after her son as Bucky and Steve took off, shaking her head fondly as the blond promised that she didn’t have to worry (although he had barely recovered from a cold). “Kids…” Sarah muttered, sharing a knowing glance with Winnifred, who could only chuckle. “But at least they look after one another.”

“Thank God,” the brunette woman laughed, rolling her eyes. “Sometimes I wonder whether that causes less or more trouble.”

Meanwhile, Steve and Bucky set to complete the task that they had been asked to undertake. Rummaging through the music collection of the Barnes with great care, Steve selected a record which Bucky then placed upon the turntable, sparking up the soft whirring of the record player while he was cautiously manipulating the needle. A few seconds later, the merry tune of a Christmas song erupted from the device, taking over the far-off clattering and voices coming from the kitchen with smooth notes of jazz that swirled through the room.

“There we go,” a satisfied smile played upon Bucky’s lips, the young man letting himself tumble on the nearby couch with a deep sigh. “I feel like I could take a nap just now…,” he breathed out, lazily stretching out his arms while letting his head fall backwards against the backrest.

“Tired already?” Steve raised a daring eyebrow, teasing his friend with his usual playfulness.

���Shut up,” without even looking, Bucky grabbed a pillow and threw it toward the other boy’s voice, but missed the target. “How the hell do you still have energy?”

“I don’t, I just pretend,” the blond actually confessed, shrugging as he laughed. He never had to play pretend with Bucky, who always accepted him the way he was, no matter whether he caught Steve on a painful day of suffering from sickness, had to come to his rescue in a fight or simply met with him to hang out. Plus, his best friend had seen him in dire straits one too many times to unnecessarily play tough. “Alright, you take a nap, I’ll get my sketchbook.”

“Wake me up if I happen to actually drift off,” Bucky mumbled, momentarily straightening up just so he could cuddle up to the cushion set in the corner where the armrest and the backrest formed an angle. Through half-closed eyelids, he noticed Steve taking a seat on the floor and flick through the pages of his sketchbook, the flames happily waltzing in the chimney behind him sending glimmering beams across the young man’s shirt and skin, their reflection playing in the golden strands of hair that brushed his forehead as he craned his neck, concentrated on his sketch.

Lulled by the gay rhythm of the music and the regular, soft sound of his friend’s pen scraping a piece of paper, Bucky feared that he in truth might just doze off, the both peaceful and jolly atmosphere of the room exacerbating his body’s will to rest. However, there was no way he was going to leave Steve alone on Christmas evening, especially since they spent it together this year, so Bucky fought sleepiness back by trying to keep his mind awake. Just a few minutes, he told himself, I’ll rest for a little bit, then I’ll be ready to celebrate.

Since the early December evening had already dawned, the room would’ve been bathed in darkness if not for the chirping chimney and the bright lights that had been turned on, making it easier for Bucky not to let his thoughts succumb to the strain of his body. He wondered whether his family would like the gifts he got them, but especially if Steve would — since Bucky had more money, he always tried to get his friend a present that he would be particularly fond of for Christmas, and he knew that Steve would also do his best to offer him something nice in return, though with more limited means. But most importantly, Bucky was merely glad and excited to spend the 24th of December surrounded by everyone he loved most, especially since Steve and his mother were joining them around the table this year. In the end, gifts mattered little.

“Why the hell didn’t you wake me up?” Running a hand over his face, Bucky groaned while blinking several times, struggling to adjust his clouded sight to the lighting of the living room. It turned out that keeping oneself awake was quite a difficult task, even when one might tell themselves that their lively thoughts would keep their distracted from the lure of slumber. “What time is it?”

“Don’t worry Buck, it’s only been fifteen minutes,” Steve reassured him distractedly, still hunched over his drawing. “It’s nearly seven.”

Pushing himself away from the armrest of the couch, Bucky’s fingers tangled in his hair as he tried to make it sit properly, pushing loose brown strands off his forehead.  Only fifteen minutes, that was acceptable. He yawned into the back of his hand, stretching his back, then swung his legs onto the floor and bent forward, trying to get a glimpse of Steve’s doodles — his gaze landed on the outline of a sofa, on which he recognised his own silhouette.

“You know I’m gonna become famous too if you do, right? I’m your number one drawing reference, at this point.” He joked, but the soft glow of his eyes, from either remnants of sleepiness or fondness, made it seem like he was actually both touched and impressed.

“It’s not my fault if you fall asleep on my watch. What do you want me to do? For once, something stays still while I’m sketching, I gotta make most of it.”

It took Steve another few minutes to come to end of his sketch of a sleepy Bucky, fixing the shadows playing in the folds of his friend’s clothes as his pencil adroitly glided across the paper. Bucky, still towering over the blond, kept on watching him draw above Steve’s shoulder, having always been fasciated by the way his friend could so beautifully make images come to life out of nothingness — no matter how much the other boy would get frustrated over a doodle that he struggled with, Bucky knew that it would still be infinitely better than anything most people could come up with. Seeing the curves and edges of his own body forming such meticulous shapes under Steve’s fingertips, the brunet felt like he had caught his own self plunged in a slumber; as if time had turned back to just minutes ago, and he could witness his reflection laying on the couch.

“Alright.” After one last stroke of a pen, Steve held the sketchbook up, analysing the outcome. Bucky could tell that he wasn’t disappointed with the result as the young man put it back down, not getting another hold of his pencil either. “You’re not still sleepy, are you?” He then turned around to give Bucky a quick smile, emerging out of the state of concentration that had taken over him while he was drawing.

“No, I’m not. It’s time for celebration now!” His friend retorted energetically, alluding to the festive Christmas tree that had been set in a corner of the room, the few colourful decorations tangled up in its branches and the golden star at its top gleaming as light ricocheted off them.

With a brief glance at the window, Bucky noticed that the snowfall had grown even stronger, thick and fluffy snowflakes coating the entire street and delicate flowers of frost already starting to spring upon the panes, adorning them with whimsical motives.

“Boys!”

Before Steve and Bucky had time to do anything else, Mrs Barnes’s voice reached them from the kitchen, rising above the music that had continued playing.

“Boys, come and set the table!”

“On it!” Her son shouted back, not a single trouble weighing his heart down as the only think he could focus on was this special night, full of the joy and warmth of sharing it with all the people dearest to him. “Shall we?” He took a look at Steve, unable to suppress a wholesome smile that he just couldn’t contain. And he didn’t want to.

“We shall,” his friend agreed, smiling back. “First to get to the kitchen wins?” and, before Bucky could answer, the blond was off.

“Steve, you have asthma!” was all that Bucky could yell after him, laughing as he trailed behind, however catching up fast.

“But I’m winning!”

A very merry Christmas indeed.

[mitskiacoustic]

Hi good morning and merry Christmas 🎄🎅

where I live a lot related to Christmas (even the presents 🎁) happens on the 24th December that's why Christmas for me kinda is on the 24th. I loved spending all day with my family it was a wonderful day even though it rained. Also we had a lot of fun and spent a lot of time decorating the Christmas tree. 🎄 Tomorrow my cousin is going to visit and that makes me really happy because I haven't seen her in a year.

I hope that you are going to have a great Christmas even though you don't really celebrate it. Take some days to relax and don't think about studying if you can allow yourself that. Sending all the love 💕

🎄

good morning!! merry christmas <3

ohh that sounds lovely (bad luck abt the rain :/ but glad it didnt ruin the day!!) sooo happy u had a great day :^) <3 ((would love 2 see ur christmas tree after u reveal urself 🙌🏻❗))

omg hope u have fun w ur cousin!!!!!!!!

thank uuu im gonna bake tomorrow after a loong time so cheers to that 🥂 hehe i still have classes so will have to study but thank u <3

right back at u 💞💓💘💗💕💝❣️❤️

[wuxian-vs-wangji]

Merry Christmas Eve! I was wondering: Do you and your family celebrate? If so, what are some traditions you have for Eve and Day? If not, do you do anything traditional like getting chinese takeout or something?

Merry Christmas Eve (in 3 hours where I am) ^_^

We celebrate Christmas, but as a family holiday rather than a religious one. My parents were raised in religious households (Mom = Catholic, Dad= Protestant), but we have always acknowledged that Christmas was the church appropriating a pagan holiday and thus we approach it as a celebration of family and friends.

Like Thanksgiving’s much better, much prettier sequel.

Our traditions changed as the older generations died out, but since my grandfather’s death it’s been--

Christmas Eve (Dress Code: Fancy)--

Go to Uncle and Cousin’s house for soup.

Every branch in my dad’s family does the soup thing, usually it’s Dutch Potato Soup.

The last few years it’s been Lasagna stew and something with chicken. Last year my Uncle discovered the GREATEST chicken and dumpling recipe ever- my father and I almost cried eating it it’s so good- and that was going to become the staple from now on (I make the soup too now).

Either way, it’s always 2x of soup, one red and one white. No real reason, just always happens.

After dinner is warm apple dumplings using an old family recipe (that my grandmother probably got from a cookbook in the 60s).

Once dinner is done we exchange gifts, but there is a tradition there too:

In addition to the serious gifts, my uncle/cousin and my brother/I exchange gag gifts. The dumbest wins.

2 years ago we all got each other the same thing: Toy guns that shoot wads of wet toilet paper.

Last year we won, giving my uncle and cousin RC race cars that can drive horizontally on walls. My uncle took this in to work at one of the biggest medical companies in the US and drove it around his floor for kicks.

Obviously during COVID things had to change. We’ll drive to his house and park at the bottom of his driveway. He’ll put their gifts to us in the middle of the driveway, we’ll take them to our car and put our gifts to him/cousin in the place of the ones we took, then we’ll watch each other open them.

Instead of soup we’re doing turkey on the rotisserie. But still apple dumplings!

Christmas Day (Dress Code (Strictly Enforced): Pajamas)--

First off, no one knows the origins of this:: Whoever (between grandparents, uncle, and my father’s households) says “Christmas gift” to the other first gets a bonus gift the next year (not that anyone ever remembers). It must be done verbally- no texts, and no matter who says it first it doesn’t count because Reasons unless Grandma wins. My Grandfather once joked that she timed her death (Dec 21) and funeral (Dec 24th) so that she wouldn’t have to lose again.

Uncle and cousin come to our house mid-morning (after we’ve done in-home-family gifts).

Uncle always brings a shrimp platter. We don’t know why, but my uncle and father destroy it by 2PM Christmas “dinner”.

We spin a prime rib roast on the rotisserie (bone in).

Each dog gets 1 of the bones to eat the meat from and chew on. Riley & Jessie are normal. Joey (Uncle’s dog) is a teacup chihuahua. We delight in watching this dog smaller than our dogs poops trying to eat a massive bone).

There is some form of cheesy potato.

There is some form on non-cheesy potato because I think cheesy potatoes are an abomination.

Jello-shots aren’t uncommon, it’s just about the only way to get me to drink.

I make candy sleighs for each seat at the table, and fold our fancy green cloth napkins (that we only use at Xmas) into trees.

We hang out with the TV on some christmas movie or game as background noise as my father and I do the cooking.

No traditional dessert, but always some combination of 2 of the following: No-bake cheesecake, s’mores pie, carrot cake, chocolate cake.

We spend the afternoon/evening playing games. The last couple-few years that’s been “Knowledge is Power” and “That’s You”- 2 PS4 games you play using apps on your cellphones.

We also always play at least 10 brutal hands of Uno. It’s a weird family thing- we’re extremely serious about our Uno.

The 3rd time my uncle falls asleep in his chair with his mouth open he and Cousin head home. Last couple years Cousin’s Boyfriend has been part of the tradition too.

COVID Alterations: Pretty much doing the exact same thing (obviously minus uncle and cousin), but we are skyping different family groupings around the country to say ‘hi’.

Bonus: Candy Sleighs I usually make (not doing it this year because we aren’t eating much candy)::

[nightwitchwriter]

Christmas Chapter

To those that have been reading my story, I apologized for being so late with my recent works. I managed to finish the other two on Christmas and this one before New Years. So, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Nick’s POV

I walked into the kitchen to be greeted by a giant basket filled with pears and a box filled with pear based foods, like pie, cobbler, juice, even jelly beans, which Molly was stuffing herself with.

“Where did the pears come from?”

“Faye bought them!” Molly, mouth stuffed of jelly beans

“She did?”

“Both her and her father.” mom, who came from the next room. “Molly, leave some for the rest of us.”

I stared at the packages, uncertain about its products.

“Why pears?”

“Why don’t you ask?” mom asked playfully before walking into the kitchen.

The next day, I went to the Black Cat Cafe, carrying a bag. When I walked in, it was semi-busy, with many of the tables full.

“Hello Nick.” Mrs. McCalmont, from behind the counter.

“Hi, Mrs. McCalmont. Is Wil home?”

“No, she’s helping me with a delivery. Is something wrong?”

“Uh, no, um, here.” I handed her a bag of apples. “Mom says thanks for the pears.”

“Oh your welcome. Thank you.”

As she took the apples, I struggled to ask my question, even though it may sound rude.

“Uh, what are the pears for?”

“For the 12 Days of Christmas!” Faye jumped from behind the counter, surprising me.

“12 days of Christmas? As in the song?” I questioned “So, in the place of Christmas?”

“Oh no we celebrate Christmas. Think of it as a Christmas tradition. It gets everyone in the Christmas spirit.”

“Does everyone on Arcanos do it?” Looking around, making sure no one heard me.

“You can talk about Arcanos. There’s no rule about it not talking about it. Watch. ARCANOS!”

Everyone in the cafe turned to look at us.

“Faye, stop that.” scolded Mrs. McCalmont. “If it makes you feel better, we can go into the kitchen?”

I nodded and followed them into the cafe kitchen, where I saw stuff moving by itself. The food was cooking and wrapping themselves. I saw tiny fairies flying around the kitchen as well as multiple ovens and stoves, six at least. I could smell bread baking, chocolate melting and meat roasting.

“Wow.” I looked at the whole room in amazement. One of the fairies came up to him and landed on his shoulder. She looked at him curiously.

“I hope the fairies aren’t a health code violation.” I joked

“Those aren’t fairies. They’re pixies.” explained Faye “Fairies are much bigger.”

“I see.” I looked back at the kitchen. “It’s like Merlin’s spell from the Sword in the Stone.”

“It's something similar.” Mrs. McCalmont answered, putting the apples in the center table. “It makes work a bit easier.”

“So how does the 12 days of Christmas work?” 

“Well, like the song, it lasts for 12 days, from the 12th to the 24th. For each day of Christmas, we gift that theme of the day. Like, a partridge in a pear tree.” she explained

“So, like you give out pear based presents?”

“Exactly. When I married my husband, we carried the tradition to his family, then decided to use it for the cafe as well.”

“Wow. So, if yesterday was pears, then today would be-”

“Doves!” exclaimed Faye

“Doves? Like turtle doves?”

“Uh-huh. Last year, my aunt gave me actual turtle doves.” she bragged

“Really?”

“No, she didn’t. Don’t tease him like that, or you won’t get any presents from Santa.” Mrs. McCalmont scolded

 I chuckled to myself. Felicity is the same age as Faye, but doesn’t believe in Santa anymore. “You still believe in Santa?”

“Of course I do. Why should I not?”

“Because your getting older.”

“These pixies are real.” she pointed out. “So why shouldn’t Santa?”

She had me there. I glared at the pixie on my shoulder giggling at me.

“So for the second day, what should I give?”

“Why? You want to give my sister a gift?” Faye grinned  “On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…” 

“What? No! I just saw Wil give something to Maddy today and yesterday. So, I was wondering, since its Christmas season.” For some reason, my cheeks were getting warm. Am I blushing? Why am I blushing?! Why does

“So what should I give her? And Maddy?”

“Well, the most common gifts would be turtle candies, dove chocolates, dove products or ornaments.” answered Mrs. McCalmont.

“That’s it?”

“Well, unless you have enough money to get her actual turtle doves…” she smirked “Oh, speaking of which…”

She went to the fridge and took out a paper bag. She gave it to me and I looked inside to see individually wrapped chocolate turtles inside.

“No one in your family is allergic to pecans right?” she gently asked

Christmas may be the time of generosity, but this is surprisingly generous.

Will’s POV

For the past couple of days, I’ve been getting presents. Not that it’s a bad thing. It’s Christmas season of course, but…

“Maybe you have your own Santa Claus?” questioned Maddy

We were walking through the downtown area of the town, in Arcanos. Like in Harry Potter, many of the lights and lighted ornaments were floating in mid-air.

I’ve been getting 12 days of christmas presents, but they aren’t from anyone I know. Why? Because I’ve been finding them, somehow in my locker. The same happened with Maddy, but the gifts were different. 

On the 3rd day, she got 3 hen and chicks succulent plants, while I got French perfume. 4th day. She had a birdhouse, feeder, braille book and birdseed ornaments delivered to her house. I got cell phone accessories, including a diy phone case. 5th day. Five donuts were at Maddy’s desk. I got 5 rings, two hoops and a ring. 6th day. She got a recipe for eggnog, while I got chocolate creme eggs. By the 6th day, enough was enough.

“Like a Secret Santa? No way. Who would want to be secret Santas with me?” I questioned her

“Speaking of which, does Santa really exist in Arcanos?” she asked

“In a manner of speaking, yes. He’s more of a spirit now, than an actual person.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

“And you know those snow globes from the movie Rise of the Guardians? There’s actual snow globes like them?”

“Really? That’s so cool!” Maddy thought for a minute. “So you really don’t know who’s been giving you those gifts?”

“I have an idea.”

“Nick?”

And this is why she is my best friend. 

“Yep.”

“Why?”

“Remember that bet we made on my birthday? He’s trying to romance me, like he does for Heather. I saw him giving her an “early” Christmas present. A plush reindeer.”

“So you aren’t upset that he’s courting you, even though he's dating Heather?”

“Not really. It’s not so bad.” I winked at her. “Plus, we're getting free stuff out of it right?”

“Hm. Good point. But are you going to get him something?”

“Oh, don’t worry. I got some ideas.” I grinned evilly

“Ooh, can I help? He gave me stuff too.” Maddy volunteered. I grinned.

“Hmmm, fair enough, alright. Come on, let’s come up with some ideas.”

On the 7th day, which was for swans, I left something in Nick’s locker, before quickly heading in the direction of mine. I turned the corner and waited until Nick came. Maddy stood next to me. After a few minutes, Nick came in with his group of friends.

“Is he here yet?”

“Yeah. Shh!”

We, well I, watched as Nick opened his locker, and a giant, white inflatable pool swan blew up in his locker. I used big magic to make it bigger. It bursted the door opened, surprising them and everyone else in the hallway. It kept growing and nearly filled the whole hallway. And here’s the best part. It fell right on top of Nick. I could barely contain myself.

“What happened?”

“It fell on top of him.”

Maddy started to chuckle too.

“Come on, let’s go.”

We hurried away to our lockers, then classes before anyone noticed.

Nick’s POV

I. Am going. To kill. Her. I don’t care what type of magic she used, I know she put that stupid swan in my locker. I even got in trouble with it. Twice! It made me late for class, since it took 15 minutes to deflate it.

What the hell?

I was trying to be nice and give her presents, and Maddy too, not because of that stupid bet, because its Christmas! Aren’t you supposed to give presents to each other on Christmas?

Fine. If she wants to be naughty, I’ll show her naughty. Ugh. That did not sound right.

Later that day, I watched Wil as she got closer to her locker.

“Uh, Nick?” I turned around to see Dylan. “What are you doing?”

“Shhh!”

I motioned him over, and we watched as Wil opened her locker and then- boof!

A small explosion of black power and black feathers covered Wil and some parts of Maddy!

“Wh-what the?”

“What happened?” asked Maddy

Me and Dylan quickly went behind the wall before we were spotted. We could barely contain our laughter.

“Holy Shit!” laughed Dylan

“How’s that for a black swan?”

“Are you out of your mind? You just pranked the Wicked Witch of Willow High.”

“I know. Just a little payback.” I turned to look at him. “Want to help me out with the next one?”

“Oh heck yes.”

The next few days continued as followed: on the 8th day, Wil got pelted with milk balloons, while Nick smelled like camebre cheese, after finding them in his pockets every five minutes. The 9th day, Nick’s locker was filled with ballet items, while Wil was scared by red dancing shoes. The 10th day, both found frogs and toads in their personal items. Wil in her book bag, Nick in his pants while in the bathroom. On the 11th day, Wil was scared by a sudden piercing from a recorder while in the bathroom, and the same goes for Nick while answering his phone. On the 12th day, Wil was woken by the sound of drums from metal rock, while Nick was kept up all night because of it. 

Wil’s POV

“That’s it! No more pranks!” scolded Mom. I was keeping the pranks on Nick a secret from her, but she managed to find out. “It’s Christmas Eve! Now make up and give him a present as an apology and a sign of actual good will.”

“But mom,...” I didn’t want to, but… I really don’t want to.

“Do it or no Christmas.” threatened my dad

I groaned. Missing Christmas is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone. I know there are thousands of people who have no choice but to miss Christmas, but its not fair for me either.

“At least call a truce for Christmas.”

I sighed. “All right. No more pranks.”

“And give him a present he’ll like, nothing cheap!”

The night before Christmas, and all through the night. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. And it was freaking cold! I got Nick’s stupid present, but I couldn’t give it to him at school. I wanted to drop it off at his house and that’ll be it, but my parents would not accept it. Dad even threatened to call them on Christmas, just to make sure I gave him the present. So, I’m here on my broom, at his house, at night, in the freezing cold! I clutched the present closer to my chest, debating whether this a good or bad idea. Groaning, I lowered myself towards his room window.

Also, if you all are wondering how I knew where Nick’s home or even his room is, thank Dalia, due to her mischief.

I knocked on the window with the curtains closed.

“Nick!” I quietly yelled, to prevent anyone seeing me.

I didn’t hear any movement, but the lights were on.

“Nick!”

Nothing. I reached into my pocket, and took out a hag stone. A hag stone is a stone that has a natural hole inside them. Depending on how or where the stones were formed, by looking through the holes, you could see various things. The one I have is similar to the one in Coraline. So think of the had stone as x-ray vision goggles.

I looked through it and could see past the house walls. I saw Nick in his bed, sleeping.

I knocked on the window again.

“Nick!”

Seeing that he wasn’t waking up, I tapped the window lock twice. 

“Tick tock. Break the lock.”

The window unlocked and opened itself, and I climbed in.

His room is surprisingly clean, for a high school boy. I saw him in his bed and walked over to wake him. His snoring is as loud as a high school boy. I shook him as hard as I could.

“Nick! Nick! Niiiccckkkk!”

After some groans, Nick managed to slowly open his eyes. His eyes widened quickly when he saw that I was in his room.

“Holy freaking crap!” he yelled as he scrambled away from me. I just smiled.

“Merry Christmas!” I smirked

“What are you doing in my house?! How’d you get into my house?!”

“Magic. Duh.”

“How’d you even know where I live?”

“Dalia. Duh. Anymore questions?”

He was silent for a moment, before asking, “What are you doing here?”

“Come outside.”

“It is freezing outside. And it’s Christmas Eve. If this is another prank, can it wait until morning?”

“It’s not a prank. My mom wants us to call a truce for Christmas, so truce?” I ask while holding out my hand.

Nick looked at my hand, suspicious and hesitating for a bit, before taking my hand.

“Fine, truce.”

“Good. Now come outside. I have a present for you.”

A few minutes later, we were both outside in the cold. After explaining that I got him a gift, it turns out he got me one too. Then we both stood there awkwardly for the next few minutes.

“So, want to open them now?” Nick asked

“Ehhh, it kind of goes against my tradition of opening presents before Christmas. You?”

“Not my tradition.”

He quickly went to open his present.

“Woah, a toy motorcycle. Cool.”

“Press the button.”

He looked confused.

I took the toy, pushed the button, then put it on the street and stepped back. Moments later, it quickly grew in size to a rideable size. The look on Nick’s face shows that I gave him the right gift. 

“I heard from Felicity that you got your motorcycle license, so I got you this.”

Remember the boat from Ponyo? There’s a toy company in Arcanos that makes toys inspired by the film. Cost a lot, but not as much as a regular motorcycle.

“What do you think?”

The next thing I knew, he was hugging me. An actual, no hesitation hug. 

“Thanks.” he whispered

Turns out, he was saving money for a motorcycle, but wasn’t close yet. With this, he doesn’t have to save anymore. But for some reason, he now didn’t want to give me my present. He tried to take it back, but after some tugging, I won. I decided to leave before he tries to take it again, but before I did, I showed him how to make it small again. Before I flew away, I watched Nick go back inside and shut the window I opened. 

The next day, on Christmas, I opened Nick’s present first. It was a ugly Christmas sweater, with a witch in a Santa dress and hat, on a broom, with a bag of presents behind her, flying through the night sky. A ugly Christmas sweater that's witch themed. After opening the rest of my presents, it was the only thing I didn’t have anything to say about. But, I wore it on the first day back at school.