All Things Christmas

[breaktheice]

Christmas Time Is Here

1] Christmas Wrapping - Presents need to be under the tree ASAP but they've yet to be wrapped! Or do you like to put things in bags and throw tissues on and be done? Either way, here's your supplies!

2] Christmas Cookies - Baking of any sort, really. It's time to make some desserts that folks are going to either rant and rave about at gatherings all of next year or you're going to be banished to the "NEVER BAKE AGAIN" corner. Fudge, pies, cookies, cakes, jello salads, puddings, fudge, and brownies. What have we got?

3] Christmas Carols - It's time to go a caroling! Bundle up in your winter best and warmest and warm up your voice as you head to a house to spread Christmas joy! Maybe it's afterward and you're warming up with hot chocolate and soothing your throat.

4] Christmas Decor - Outside? Inside? The tree perhaps or decking the halls? Maybe you're setting up a Christmas village under the tree. Making decorations for your tree in the traditional sense?? Popcorn on a string anyone?

5] Christmas Party - The Christmas music is thumping, the lights are a twinkling, the presents are under the tree and food is on the table. Your party is all set, the punch is maybe spiked, so let's party hard!

6] Christmas Shopping - Shopping for your loved ones is sometimes impossible. What if you're shopping with them in tow? Is it any easier getting their opinions while looking at their possible gift? Are they trying to purchase your gift as well?

7] Other Winter Holidays - Not to clump them together, but I don't want to stereotype the traditions I'm not familiar with! So whether your character celebrates the Solstice/Yule, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other winter holiday I'm missing, find a way to enjoy it!

8] HAVE YOUR MISTLETOE - You've wrangled the one you've been eyeing all night long under this parasitic plant. Time to plant one on them while under it. Do they consent to the kissing? If they don't, maybe settle on a handshake! And try not to hit the eggnog too hard if you get rejected...

9] BAH-HUMBUG - Maybe you don't enjoy the festive time of year! Maybe you don't celebrate? You might not have a specific reason why, but it doesn't mean you can't enjoy the snow, the shopping deals and meals.

10] SNOW SNOW SNOW - We're out in the snow, making a snowman. Or snow forts! Or igloos! Maybe you're making an ice sculpture for some kind of contest! Or is it a snowball fight??? Ice skating out on a natural lake or an artificial rink?

11] U G L Y S W E A T E R - Are you going for a theme? The ugliest? The noisiest? The brightest? The most off-Christmas ugly Christmas sweater? Maybe it's a homemade sweater handed down for generations? Let's see your sweater!

12] Wildcard - Decorating gingerbread houses? Hunting down your perfect Christmas tree? Settling down in front of the TV for your favorite Hallmark (or other seasonally appropriate) movie? Are you being someone's Santa and delivering presents?? In costume??? Things that aren't covered above go here, or any other holiday things! Maybe even your character doesn't know what Christmas is! In that case, enjoy the learning experience!!

Comments

11, and a bunch of others thrown in

[nev]

[ The garland was driving him crazy, but for Luna, Neville was willing to knuckle down and deal with it. He had found what had to be the ugliest sweater in the known universe, and Merlin's beard was it itchy. More than the fact that he wanted to make her happy, Neville really wanted to have something closer to a regular, fun, sort of Christmas.

It wasn't that he didn't love his family, but it had been hard, year after year to spend Christmas with his Grandmother and a host of other, older relatives, who hadn't thought much of him until he had left no room for doubt that despite the forgetfulness and the inherent clumsiness, he could hold his own. He had seen his parents earlier that day, something that never failed to leave him feeling haunted and weary, but the prospect of seeing Luna, and not having to lose game after game of Exploding Snap to his Great Uncle had gotten him through it.

He never thought that paradise would involve an itchy sweater with tinsel stuck to it, but here, arranging presents beneath the Christmas tree he and Luna had put up while he listened to her moving around in the next room, Neville was fairly sure he could work with it, sweater and all.

Eager to be back in her company Neville headed into the next room, his eyebrows raised curiously at Luna. ] Now, you're quite sure you're still going to want to eat it if I accidentally make the gingerbread house collapse?

[ Neville had been rather intimidated by the prospect, and rather than going it alone he had left the components to the house on the kitchen counter, hopeful that with Luna's assistance, it would not turn out to be an utter disaster. ]

[luny]

( Neville doesn't have to feel too alone wearing one of the ugliest sweaters in the universe, and somehow Luna managed to turn it up a notch with her own unholy monstrosity she called her Christmas sweater. Given the normal outlandishness of Luna's normal attire, this creation shouldn't be too much of a surprise. Seeing Neville willing to entertain her request for ugly Christmas sweaters brought Luna an immense amount of joy. For the first time since her mother tragically passed away, she was looking forward to the season.

Even with her father around, Christmas was always a lonely holiday — desperately missing the warmth and traditions her mother had, and without her, it left a void in their lives.

Christmas in the Lovegood household was rather simple. She got older, Xenophilius decorated less and less until it was their stockings on the fireplace and a simple ornamental tree her mother made. They exchanged gifts and had a simple dinner together before going on with their normal routines. During her time at Hogwarts, Luna often stayed on grounds for the holiday — likely due to her gather being on assignment for The Quibbler or simply for the fact that she didn't feel quite so lonely with some of her classmates around.

Spending Christmas with Neville was exciting, something she was greatly looking forward to, and perhaps a bit nervous. She could only imagine how he felt during this time of year, and with her own experiences with the holiday, she wanted to make it one he would never forget. Even pulling out some of her mother's old decorations from storage will hopefully add to the tradition forming between them.

She turns around, glances from him to the disassembled house with a slightly calculated look on her face. )

I am certain it tastes just as delicious, whether it's disassembled, whole, or destroyed. Though, I do have to admit I have never built a gingerbread house before.

[nev]

[ They've both got room to have better holidays in their lives, and Neville can't think of a better reason to try than for Luna's sake (though he was fairly certain she would say the same if asked). He always leaped at the chance to make her smile, but around this time of year, it seemed all the more important. He didn't want Luna to have to suffer through another Christmas unhappy ever again. She deserved the world, in his opinion and Neville had long since made up his mind about trying to give it to her, however he could.

Breathing out a laugh as he looks over the gingerbread house to be, he nodded. ] I haven't either. They had ones that came together on their own, but I thought it might be fun.

[ Neville turned to look at her, giving her a shrug. ] Of course, I'm certain I'm likely to eat most of the sweets meant to go on the sides of it before we can get the roof on but I'll do my best. [ Reaching out Neville delicately nudged one of the bells on Luna's horrible jumper, grinning as it jingled. ]

[luny]

The sweater is quite atrocious, isn't it? ( She glanced down to watch the bell swing as it jingled, causing the ones around to echo as well. )

Ginny begged me not to wear it, almost willing to pay me so she could force it on Ron though I doubt he would get as much enjoyment out of it as I do. ( With a boop to the reindeer's snoot, it began to glow red; similar to the reindeer from the muggles Christmas stories.

While Luna's everyday attire was almost always on the unusual side, she went out of her way this year; she didn't mind being the butt of jokes if that meant Neville was able to have one of the best holidays he has had in a long time. It seems they both doing their best to make the other happy during this holiday season. Reaching out she grabbed one of the gumdrops from the pile of candy for the gingerbread house and popped it into her mouth, her eyes squinting slightly as she took in the new flavor and texture. )

That is rather ... interesting. Somehow it manages to be gummy and rocklike at the same time, perhaps a bit oversweet.

[nev]

It's so bad it's wonderful all over again. [ Neville agreed with a nod, looking up at Luna, his grin still plastered across his face, though he shook his head when Luna mentioned Ginny's offer.

He watched as she crossed towards the candy and chuckled while he watched her eat a gumdrop. Some of the candy the gingerbread house had come with had certainly seemed odd when he'd unpacked it. ] Those gumdrops look like my Gran would love them, so I admit I'm a bit skeptical.

[ Neville looked thoughtful for a moment before he walked over to where she stood, lifting a peppermint candy from the assortment to hold it up, squinting at it before setting it down. ]

Honestly, these all look a bit like I ought to have sent this kit to my Gran, though she might snack on it as she built it.

[ He paused, looking back to her, his eyebrows raising. ]I'm glad you told her no, about the jumper by the way, but it does make for something of an obstacle, doesn't it?

[ As if to demonstrate his meaning Neville stepped closer and wrapped an arm around Luna's middle, drawing her closer to him as he caused all the things attached to her sweater to jingle and otherwise make a general ruckus. Despite the noise, he pulled her in close enough to plant a kiss on her cheek, the ornaments that hung from his sweater poking him in the chest as he did. ]

[luny]

We can always gift it to your Gran once we finish building it, ( she mused with a bit of a sigh as she glanced to the house. Luna felt a little bad building it and not eating it since it seemed like a waste of food, but with a bit of magical ingenuity, they might save it with a spell or two.

Luna leaned into Neville as he pulled her close, her arms wrapping around his neck. Even with the ornaments and other bobbles getting in the way, she still tried her best to hug him properly. )

It does come off, and I have a backup sweater in case it became bothersome. ( She didn't mind their ornaments getting entangled or inconveniently poking her, Luna enjoyed the closeness and comfort Neville provided. ) Though I do believe I'm going to find glitter and tinsel everywhere for the next year.

[nev]

[ While he could easily imagine his Gran having something to say about the oddity of receiving a gingerbread house that he had no doubt would not come out looking like the one on the box all the parts came in Neville grinned, liking the idea anyway. ]

We ought to, you're right. [ One of his hands moved to lightly rub her arm as he hugged her, secretly hoping that if they got stuck together they could stay that way for a time. ]

Glitter, tinsel, and a few pine needles. [ He offered with a slight grin, tilting his head in the direction of the tree. ]

I reckon there's no magic in the world to stop it shedding.