Eggnog
Finneas Schmoe ; 2111


Anyone who knows him would say that he's a happy man. Oh, that Finneas? He's always on about something or another. Eager to share his love of nonsense with any unlucky schmuck who happens to cross his path. Finneas Schmoe? Why, he's such a chipper chap, bumbling about with two left feet and not a care in the world, he is!

And he liked that. He liked it so very much.

He liked that he could laugh and that others would laugh along. It didn't matter if it was with him or at his expense, so long as he could give others a reason to forget their sorrows, even if only for a moment. He liked that he could dissipate other's discomfort, though he quite often felt out of place and uncomfortable himself. The twitch of a stranger's lips, the exhale before boisterous laughter, the quiet sigh of relief - these were the moments he lived for.

And by all accounts Finneas Schmoe is a happy man. But when he is home for Christmas, he is only pouring eggnog for one. And that can be a very lonely thing indeed.

Scrooge
Alexander Stylinson ; 2104


You know what Valentine's Day, Birthdays, and Christmas all have in common? They are all consumer holidays created with the sole function to finance the Owl Post Office and, somehow, everyone just bought into it without even batting an eye. Not a single protest! The corporations are winning! Big Owl monopoly lives to see another day! Call Alexander a cynic or a scrooge or whatever else you want, but this is the society we live in and it is utterly disappointing.

Bah humbug.

For the record, he still bought presents and expected them in return. (a) Because if he were buying presents then it is only fair that he receive them from others as a form of gracious thanks. And (b) because he knew some people (namely his brother, Benji) would throw some sort of fit if he weren't to receive a Christmas present.

Let the record show that Alex Stylinson isn't another cog in the machine - he simply does not care to hear his brother whine.

Candy Canes
Laini Gracae-Ryans ; 2108


Something they don't tell you about candy canes - they make great weapons. All it takes is a few easy steps:

Step 1: Acquire your candy cane. The mini ones are no good and the extra jumbo ones won't work either. You want one you can hold in your fist. That'll be important later.
Step 2: Suck on it like you would with any other lolly. Just because this is serious business doesn't mean you can't enjoy the process. This should probably take five minutes. Remember: Don't bite!!
Step 3: Feel for a point on the cane with your tongue. Once you've achieved that, you're ready.
Step 4: Attack.

Next time the stupid, annoying boy in your class makes fun of you, you'll be prepared.

That's exactly what Laini did, and it worked for her! Even with the trouble she found herself in afterwards, she regret nothing. Her teachers didn't take justice very seriously. No one at school did, really.

No one except Laini Sage.

That's why she'd make a great judge-prime-minister-dancer-model one day. Big dreams are possible through ambition.

Snowman
Zander Adair; 2110


"Snowmen are overdone. We should make a snow FAMILY! A snow-mum, dad, duck, Alfie and ME!!" Mia liked to be in charge, it's where his daughter did her best work.

And Zander loved indulging in his daughters creative demands. "Aye, aye, Captain Mia!" She was a very difficult girl to say no to, though her mum managed it quite well. (Zander would argue that Mia never went to Sophie when she knew her request would be easily denied - he was always the chosen victim for her most difficult demands) (smart kid).

And Alfie? Their youngest was just happy to be along for the ride. Quietly, he carried out his job. Rounding out a big ball of snow for their snow-dad. His fingers would go numb by the end of the day, he had a feeling that Mia wouldn't be able to stop with their family of five. Where there were snow-parents, there would be several snow-grandparents and uncles and aunts. Not all of them snow-blood related.

Mistletoe
Mateo Jonesy; 2112


"Dad-deeeeeeeeee," Kai stomped impatiently from behind the bathroom door. "Give me a sec, Kai." Mateo Jonesy had developed the patience of a saint. Someone take a pen and jot that one down for the history books. It only took one seven year old and two toddlers to get here, ladies and germs.

"Dad-deeeeeeeeee!!!" Kai was whining once again, this time even louder than the first. "Daddy's washing his hands, baby." Merlin, please, help him.

After washing up, Teo stepped out to scoop his daughter up, into his arms. "Sup, baby girl?" Kai, now appeased, pointed up at the doorway. "What's that?" His perfect, curious girl. She just wanted to ask questions, that's all. Can't be mad that she's out here flexing her big brain like her mum taught her to.

"That's mistletoe, Kai-Kai. When you step under it you have to--" he only just stopped himself short of explaining a mistletoe makeout to his impressionable, young daughter. Uh. "You ... you have to ... ki....kick someone?"

"You don't sound very sure, daddy."

Tinsel
Jackson Bole-Stemp; 2111


Jackson wanted to do a nice thing. His intentions were so good. Set up the tree, pull out the box of decorations, and bake fresh Christmas biscuits. The biscuits were easy, he loved to bake. The tree was heavy, but it was the one he and Jorgie picked out together the night before and he'd be leaving it bare so that they could dress it together.

Surprisingly, the box of decorations was where he went wrong. It was at some point between biscuit baking and tree positioning, that Archie Barkchie and Elle Woofs had found the tinsel. Turns out, he seriously underestimated the potential of tinsel for tug-of-war.

Totally unideal for Jackson Bole-Stemp, who spent the latter half of his afternoon falling victim to the pups and their holiday hijinks. He was properly a mess of tinsel wrapping when his wife came home to find him.

"Happy Christmas, Jorgie," he managed through his laughter as she helped to untangle him and in turn, Jorgie rolled her eyes at her stupid, Ravenclaw boy. "Merry kissmas," she replied, pulling him forward for a kiss.

Sleigh
Yasmin Golshiri; 2110


Yasmin watched as her nieces played together in the snow. Aria and Anya were quite a sight to behold in their matching neon puffers and bright colored hats, their laughter a force that the wind carried every which way. When the two of them trudged back up to the top of the driveway, very little could stop them from sleighing back down to the bottom of the hill for what must have been the seventh time. Yet, despite the repetition, they found more to laugh about.

Yassi envied the simplicity that came with their lives. But more than that, she envied Rod for the little family he created with his wife. It was difficult, watching her younger brother live the life she had always wanted, but could never have. And maybe it was too soon to write off the possibility, but Yasmin had given up hope a long time ago.

Ice Skating
Jonah Upstead; 2109


It had been Matilda’s idea to skate across the great lake. Jonah’s idea of fun was sitting in a dark room for hours on end, but his red headed counterpart was far more adventurous and, somehow, more persuasive than she knew. Something that only ever worked to Jonah Riley Upstead’s disfavor. It was funny then that when they stepped onto the ice, it immediately became apparent that Jonah was a far better skater than she was. Where Matilda wobbled, Jonah wove around her in effortless figure eights.

“How’d you get so good at this?” She laughed hard trying to keep her balance.

In reply, Jonah offered an easy shrug and skated towards her, angling his skates ~just so to cover her foot in the shaved up ice. Something that prompted both of them to laugh. “Do you trust me?” He asked in earnest.

“Of course, I do!” What kind of question was that, Jonah?

“Give me your hand,” he insisted, reaching out to intertwine their fingers. Ice skating wasn’t too bad after all.

Presents
Kinsay James; 2110


“Happy Kizmas!” A tiny Kinsay James proudly jumped out of a perfectly Kins-sized gift box that she had acquired with the help of her best friend in the whole wide world, Emmerson Cambridge. She had, obviously, decorated it with lots ‘n lots of bows and glitter and the same festive wrapping paper she had wrapped around her tiniest self.

“You’re my favorite present, tiniest bug,” Phoebe affectionately tapped one of the bows Kizzy had secured in her hair before the smaller James pulled her sister in for a hug.

“I painted you something too,” she whispered, still clinging to Fi without any intention of letting go (ever) especially not when Teddy joined in on the sibling hug only moments later.

Ugly Sweater
Nina Castillo; 2098


Some people made the holidays their whole personality. Nina wasn’t like that. She liked the season well enough - her parents were usually happier during Christmas, there was more to share with each other, conversations felt easier. It was only natural then, that she found herself in slightly better spirits as well.

The week before they would be allowed home for the Christmas holiday, Nina wore her favorite holiday jumper, eager in anticipation of seeing her parents in just a few short days. She even took the time to write out Christmas cards for her (very small) circle of friends. There were some things in life that even her dormmates couldn’t ruin.

Or perhaps she had spoken too soon. In her descent of the Slytherin staircase, she ran into the very last person she wanted to see today.

“….. Eloise.” Nina managed a curt smile.

“Nice ugly sweater, Neeeeners!”

“It’s not— I like this jumper!” She frowned. Why did she even try?

Upset, she marched right back up the stairs to her dormitory where she would be switching out her Christmas jumper for something else.

Consider her mood officially soured.

Chimney
Laini Gracae-Ryans ; 2109


Laini Sage Grace-Ryans was great at so many things. At the very top of the list was antagonizing her classmates.

BuuuUUUT!!! In her defense, this time she didn’t even bite anyone (something which had become a problem lately)! It’s not her fault that Sean couldn’t handle the truth. He couldn’t go his whoooole life thinking Santa’s real. She was only helping. If anything, her teachers should be ~thanking her for doing their job.

The school justice system was so messed up.

Besides, all she had said was that she knew “Santa isn’t a real because if he was and if he was REALLY a wizard, he wouldn’t go down chimney’s. He’d just apparate!” And “don’t be a stupid idiot, Sean.” ….. And “Your parents are lying to you.” And also maybe, “this is why you’re going to flunk out of school.”

It wasn’t even THAT bad if you compared it to what she actually wanted to say, which was much, much worse.

Gingerbread
Kinsay James; 2109


A gingerbread scented candle spreading its sweetness throughout the flat, hot cocoa with itsy bitsy mini-marshmallows in self-heated mugs, and a classic Christmas movie playing on TV — these were a few of her favorite things.

Kins wrapped herself around Flynn like a cat. “I think this one’s my favorite so far,” she whispered as the March sisters walked across the meadow hand-in-hand. The book had always been her favorite, but she hadn’t expected the movie to live up to it.

The Whitlock-James London residence had taken to watching Christmas movies all month long. It had been Flynn’s idea - they’d write down their favorites and pull from a bowl whenever they were itching for a cozy night in. And with her draining university schedule, these nights in with Flynn were some of Kinsay’s most coveted.

Little Woman was exactly what she needed tonight. And while Kins silently wished she could be a Jo, she knew quite well that she was an Amy. Meanwhile, Flynn’s attention shamelessly belonged to Laurie in full.

Snuggling against her, Flynn smiled. “I knew you’d love it.”

Plum Pudding
Tomasz Łaska ; 2090


Tomasz sat awake in bed, overcome with emotion that he could not verbalize. He was so grateful, overwhelmingly so. His new mums, they went out of their way to make the day special and his new siblings, they did the same. From saving him the seat at the middle of the table to the decadent array of Christmas treats. There wasn't one thing about this day that he wouldn't cherish for a lifetime to come.

The plum pudding was his favorite. They never had anything like it at the homes. There was this one time, someone had donated a Christmas feast, but by the time they laid it out, it had gone cold. The ham tasted of plastic and the cranberry sauce had become a hardened gelatin. Still, it had been one of the best days of his life.

But each day he spent with the Beryl-Nishigawa's was life altering. Nothing else could hope to compare. And today put every other day to shame.

It took all his efforts to fall asleep. As if closing his eyes meant leaving the most wonderful Christmas behind.

Chestnuts
Jasper Botros ; 2111


Jasper fixed his hair while he sat for another interview. Contrary to what page six liked to imply, he really was in it for the sport itself. He just didn't mind the show that came along with it, it was part of the territory. In fact, growing up in the spotlight had prepared him for this lifestyle so early on. He was practically media trained before he was even potty trained.

So when he was affectionately dubbed as "Quidditch's Golden Boy," he took it in stride. Quietly, he wished they would focus on his skill instead. Even still, he laughed a good natured laugh when the interviewer commented on his body.

"Whew! ... That's just fantastic. I'm sure there's a constant flood of fangirls. Speaking of, what would you say is the weirdest fan mail you've received?"

Jasper grinned boyishly, leaning in when he replied, "Far too intimate to describe." Say what you want, but he knew how to turn up the charm. "Did get some roasted chestnuts the other day. Miserable luck that they'd gone stale before I could try them."

Carols
Finneas Schmoe ; 2111


Finneas was a man who enjoyed partaking in varying hobbies. His favorite past-times included Dungeons and Dragons and other, adjacent LARPing activities, but he was also a fan of chess (of both magical and mundane variations) and the making of small figurines. And though he didn't particularly have a voice that distinguished him from the rest, he really had enjoyed his childhood days of taking part in the Hogwarts' Frog Choir. Maybe it was this nostalgia that led him to join a troupe of carolers.

Or maybe it was the company.

Finneas valued his alone-time, but he had become such a solitary creature. Even the few hours a week that he was able to leave the house and practice singing the same ancient holiday songs on repeat was more than he could have ever asked for. He didn't mind it, really. The earworm was worth it.

Fruitcake
Alexander Stylinson ; 2102


Just as the fruitcake was placed on the table, the whole thing exploded into a million incredible pieces. We're talking fruitcake confetti everywhere. It was amazing. Phenomenal. A work of art. He couldn't have planned it any better. It made what came next fully worth it.

"ALEXANDER STYLINSON!"

"Grounded?" He guessed, with a slight twitch of his lips. What? It was funny. No one had a sense of humor anymore.

Alex had done everyone a favor by spicing things up with a fun boom and all he got out of it was a lousy grounding? No fun.

And furthermore, he had blown up the fruitcake, not the turkey. If it had been anything else, sure, be angry. But fruitcake??? Come on. No one eats the fruitcake. It might as well be made of plastic. Always dry, never fruity enough - something which Alex knew plenty about, mind you.

Reindeer
Alfie Adair ; 2110


Alfie wasn't a performer, he left that to Mia. His sister belonged on all sorts of stages. But sheepish, little Alfie? No, no. He belonged amongst the crowd, safely nestled within the audience where he could watch and clap and oooh and aaah and giggle appropriately at all the jokes he was quick enough to catch. That's where he thrived. Listening and watching.

But performing? In front of an audience? Might as well throw him into a cupboard with his boggart.

So when his class was told that they would be putting on a play involving costumes and music and a real audience (full of their parents), Alfie was the only kid in the room who didn't jump up and cheer. Maybe if he asked politely he could have opted out, but he didn't really know how to do that. Asking not to be part of the play sounded even worse than having to take part in it.

And this is how Alfie found himself dressed as a reindeer, waiting to receive a red painted nose. The great horror of his young life.

Jolly
Bronwen Grimaldi ; 2111


Jolly as could be. Santa's little helper, Ronnie Beeeeee, bopped around in the kitchen making Christmas cupcakes for the whole family to enjoy. She wasn't much of a baker, actually, she had never baked anything in her life. Maebs and Gen usually made birthday cakes and Melodia always had a supply of endless sweets and there was that one time over the summer that Celi and Lexi tried food vlogging. But Bronwen? She knew her strengths and they hadn't anything to do with the kitchen.

But here she was, early Christmas morning. Following a recipe!

And though she had nearly forgotten to wear mittens when reaching into the oven for the tray, nothing had gone terribly wrong yet. She had even remembered to let the cupcakes cool before topping them with a forrest green ~tree-like frosting.

Every baker needed a taste-tester, Celi just happened to be hers. "So?" Ronnie leaned over eagerly, watching her cousin's expression for a sign of approval.

"Bon, this is disgusting," she laughed through her smile.

Frowning, Bee took a piece off the cake to try it for herself.

.......... Oh no. Um. Why was it salty?

Candlelight
Tala Asadi ; 2098


Tala curled up on the sofa, nothing but candlelight illuminating her quaint flat. She preferred it this way, lighting candles. The overhead lights were too harsh and she would much rather traverse a dark flat than one polluted with fluorescence. She didn't require much light to begin with. She wasn't much of a reader, nor was she an avid crafter. Her drawings were reserved for daylight, when she could go out and sketch buildings as she saw them.

Evenings were meant for lazing about horizontally, lengthy phone calls with loved ones, playdates with her nephew, and flipping through photo albums gifted by someone special.

With her free hand, her fingers traced the spine of the photo-book, in her other hand she carefully held a candle overhead. It helped as she absorbed every detail within the frames.

Of course, she already had them memorized.

Advent
Nina Castillo; 2104


Nina was absolutely meticulous in everything she did. There was no other way. When you were as type-A as she was, high standards were the default. Everything she did, she did well and she did thoroughly. This, of course, extended to presents. And not that it was a competition (almost everything was), but her fiancé always had the most considerate presents of all.

Year after year, Nina aspired to be the better gifter and year after year, her presents paled in comparison. Naturally, Calyx never complained. He was always delighted by whatever Nina gave to him and he took ultimate joy in spoiling her in return.

But Nina could NOT be out-gifted this year. She couldn't. She was determined to win gift well.

Which is what led her to the last three months of sourcing various seed packets from all around the world for the best present she could possibly come up with: The Ultimate Plant Advent Calendar.

This year, Christmas was HERS for the taking.

Coal
James Draper; 2071


"And I hope you get coal for Christmas!" Marie shouted as she slammed the door of James' dormitory.

Despite her anger and the sincerity with which she spat her words, James practically howled with laughter, falling back onto his four poster bed. "My family's not big on gifts," he called in return, his words left for the empty room, speaking to no one but himself.

He'd make rounds of cleaning the dormitory later after he closed his eyes for a quick power nap. Marie had unleashed quite the tornado, throwing shoes and kicking books. It was quite the show. So dramatic. It amused James greatly.

Shame though. Marie was fun before she went totally rabid. Now he had to find someone else to occupy his time with.

Nutcracker
Yasmin Golshiri; 2111


Yassi gifted one hand to Aria and the other to Anya as they walked. Her two favorite girls on this planet. Entire galaxies existed within their souls. Yasmin would promise them the whole world if she could find a way to give it to them. Instead, she settled for tickets to the nutcracker and a proper fancy meal after it.

"Auntie Yassi?" Aria tugged gently at their joined hands.

"Yes, dear one?" Their conversation was so much sweeter in their mother tongue. English cuts words into jagged things, but Farsi coats them with honey.

"Do you think they have snacks at the nutcracker?"

"Are you hungry, little one?" Yas asked knowingly, the question quickly turning Aria defensive.

"No! But maybe Anya is. She's always hungry," Aria explained, thinking nothing of using her older sister as a scapegoat.

"HEY! AM NOT!"

"ARE TOO!"

Wreath
Picadilly Pegasus; 2111


You know what's better than a regular wreath? A home-made wreath! They weren't all that hard to make, even though they didn't really look it. Picadilly wasn't necessarily a crafty person either. Not in crafts nor in a general, cunning sort of way. But what she was good at? Dreaming.

And this endeavor was nothing more than a girl, her hot glue gun, and a dream.

So here she was, sat in the mess that was her room (cardboard Suri staring down at her all the while), carefully assembling her home-made wreath. She may have overstocked on supplies, which looked to be a problem when she first got started, but had later evolved into an opportunity!

Once she became an expert at making exactly one (1) wreath, she'd just make a whole bunch more for her friends (of which, she did not have very many). How'd she even get here again?

Bells
Kinsay James; 2112


Kinsay James didn't ask for much. Only the whole world.

She wanted everything all the time and the more she was given, the more she wanted, and the more she would take.

And no one ever stopped her. But she was prim and proper. She would never ask because she was reasonable. Instead, she implied and expected others to know. It was simple, really. And she almost always got her way.

There were very few people who could stand in the way of her tyrannic reign and the ones who could, didn't often care to because they loved watching her take. Her boyfriend was one of these people. And when he said no, she knew how to play his game.

Yet weeks had gone by since Kins had started wearing the engagement ring he kept for her, but still he said nothing. Not when the paparazzi hounded him with questions. Not when their flat was filled with congratulatory bouquets. Not when Kins leaned over, modeling it so prettily.

It wasn't even the ring she wanted. She didn't need the bells and whistles. She just wanted to be swept off her feet.

Kinsay James didn't ask for much.