Annual Yuletide Post!
Dearest Yulegoat!
It is an exciting time of year when I pour over the yuletide tag set and start to get excited about giving and receiving! I want to send a big thank you in advance for indulging me, all the reassurances in the world that I will love what you put together, a shared chuckle at the absurdity of the challenge, and all the yuletide inspiration you need! Take a deep breath! Write what makes you happy and don't sweat these optional details.
I have put my preferred ships, but do not have my heart set on anything in that department so don't feel like you have to make it work if it's not your favorite. For the younger characters I would prefer it to be pretty chaste, unless you flash forward a bit.
What I love: Angst, Strong Female Leads, Complicated Characters with Backstories, Characters Who Do Not Know How to Appropriately Express Emotion, Characters Who Are Extremely Sarcastic, Bromance, Tough Love, Mentoring, Heated Dialogue, Big Emotions, Happy Endings, Unhappy Endings, Companionable Drinking, Symbolism, Holiday-theme, Intrigue, Budding Romance, Banter, Kissing, Grand Gestures, Funny Bits, Flashbacks, Superheroes, Lawmen, Family Time, Eerie Settings... so, lots of things!
What I don't love: Explicit Sex or Sexual Violence. Discussions of suicide. Blatant machismo. Extreme Alternate Universe.
Chronicles of the Chrestomanci (Gen., Cat/Marianne)
I read The Pinhoe Egg over the summer and it rekindled my love for Cat Chant and the whole company at Chrestomanci Castle. Cat has made a lot of progress since the disasters of Charmed Life, but he still struggles to come to terms with his power and his past. Christopher/Chrestomanci complicates things by being chronically distracted, sometimes treating Cat like a partner and sometimes like a child. I would love to see more of Cat's training and all the emotions that come with knowing he will have to take up the Chrestomanci mantle sooner or later. I would adore an exploration of how his past with Gwendolen continues to affect his relationship with Janet (so many psychological scars!). Marianne seems like an excellent compliment and companion, but think it would probably take a long time to get them together (especially since I fully imagine Julia makes things difficult with teasing). There are many plot threads to follow in this one, but anything that focuses Cat at any point in his life would make my yuletide bright!
Altogether Optional Ideas:
+ Cat makes an unfortunate error and then tries to cover it up (like he does)
+ Marianne gets drawn back into some local intrigue and Cat helps her
+ Chrestomanci dies and another 9 lives magician shows up with a competing claim to the title
+ Cat has to rescue Chrestomanci (again)
+ Chrestomanci teaches Cat how to walk between worlds
+ Chrestomanci takes Cat on official business
+ Cat gets enchanted without realizing it at first
+ Klartch hits puberty
+ Cat is an angsty teenager with all the issues and maybe there are dragons
+ Christmas or Winter Festivities at Chrestomanci Castle
+ Cat's past comes back to haunt him
The Dark is Rising (Gen., Will/Jane)
I love the midwinter feel of The Dark is Rising and Will's first coming-to-terms with the Dark. He is a lovely contradiction as the "youngest Old One," being both a being of immense power and a boy who is concerned about siblings, birthdays, and Christmas. Of the Drews, Jane is my favorite by far. In Greenwitch, she learns to trust herself and I love her flashes of insight both about the Greenwitch and about Will. The memory charm at the end of Silver on the Tree opens up many possibilities for Will and Jane to reconnect later under different circumstances, either by coincidence or design.
Entirely Optional Ideas:
+ Jane shows up dating one of Will's siblings (maybe around Christmas time)
+ Will lifts the memory charm to enlist Jane's help against the dark
+ Jane hears a new prophesy
+ Merriman appears to be working for the Dark
+ Stephen has disappeared and Will looks for him across time and space
+ Jane become a librarian or expert in medieval texts and Will consults her regularly
Forever (Gen., Henry/Abigail, Henry/Jo)
While the science behind Henry's condition is quite suspect, I still thoroughly enjoyed the show. My favorite was how they took advantage of Henry and Abraham's inverted father/son relationship. Flashbacks to other eras for the two of them would be welcome. I am particularly interested in the moments when the two of the appeared to be the same age (which would make Abe supremely uncomfortable) and when they made up a backstory and opened the antique shop. I would also love to see Jo's reaction to the secret being revealed and to see her brought into the very quirky family.
Excedingly Optional Ideas:
+Jo sees Henry die for the first time and freaks out
+Flashback to when Abe and Henry were the same age and Abe needs to stop calling him "dad" in public
+Flashback to when Henry and Abe open the antique shop
+Christmas or Chanukah with the Morgans
+Abe has a health issue, causing Henry to change the focus of his research and feel lost
+Henry considers adopting another kid
+A murder where Henry can explicitly tell Jo his memories instead of hiding them
Foyle's War- (Gen., Andrew/Sam)
There is something so perfect about Christopher Foyle. He fills all my needs for a fatherly, upright, sardonic, English gentlemen. And if there was anyone who deserved his mentorship and friendship, it is Sam Stewart. I love that Foyle never lets anyone off the hook, and yet has the best advice and cares for the home guard like a father. Andrew, in particular, deserves all he gets of the sharp end of Foyle's tongue. You can see Foyle's disappointment clearly when things did not work out between Andrew and Sam. I would be delighted for some wish fulfillment there, if Andrew could get his act together. Andrew is a much better person when Foyle is there to look after him, in my opinion! I also loved the village intrigues that Folye and Sam work on together. We can clearly see that Foyle is looking out for Sam and vice versa. They make excellent partners!
Absolutely Optional Ideas:
+Murder! Someone has been poisoned
+Blackmarket! Sam finds evidence of black market dealings and gets herself much too involved
+Official Secrets! People of Hastings start informing on each other for leaking information to the enemy
+Sam and Andrew rekindle their romance. Foyle makes sure Andrew is being a gentleman
+Foyle is shot and must recover in the hospital.
+Wartime Christmas
Gotham (Gen., Bruce/Selena)
I am a fan of all things Batman. Alfred's gruff demeanor in this show is by far my favorite and I love how he can't help little outbursts of parenting. Bruce doesn't know what to do with them most of the time and does not make life easy for either Alfred or Jim. I also love Bruce's budding fascination with Selena and would be happy to see Bruce develop a little more guile and win a round. The show emphasizes Jim Gordon's importance in the saga of Gotham city and I love how Alfred enlists the detective's help to get Bruce on the right track.
Totally Optional Ideas:
+Bruce takes out a petty crook
+Bruce puts on a mask during a Halloween party and gets his first taste of what it's like to not be Bruce Wayne
+Bruce tricks Selena into giving back something she stole
+Bruce gets treated by Doctor Lee for the first time
+Alfred puts his foot down about something and they get in a huge battle of wills
Slings and Arrows -(Gen., Geoffrey/Ellen)
I am so drawn to the voyeuristic, behind-the-scenes look we get into the making of the plays and Geoffrey's mental breakdowns. It is exciting to see the genesis of certain themes and arguments that later get played out before an audience. The show is full of power struggles and I love that you see clearly each character's motivation for being there and also that each of them has to play their part in the festival. They have to make allowances for all these eccentricities and it makes for better art.
Wholly Optional Ideas:
+ Holiday fic! I loved Geoffrey saving xmas! Geoffrey directs the Christmas Carol?
+ Flashback! I would love a fic about Geoffrey's community theater days
+ Geoffrey writes a play
+ After retirement, Geoffrey gets a new hobby and obsesses about it
+ Geoffrey gets a new ghost
+ Geoffrey trains a protege
It is an exciting time of year when I pour over the yuletide tag set and start to get excited about giving and receiving! I want to send a big thank you in advance for indulging me, all the reassurances in the world that I will love what you put together, a shared chuckle at the absurdity of the challenge, and all the yuletide inspiration you need! Take a deep breath! Write what makes you happy and don't sweat these optional details.
I have put my preferred ships, but do not have my heart set on anything in that department so don't feel like you have to make it work if it's not your favorite. For the younger characters I would prefer it to be pretty chaste, unless you flash forward a bit.
What I love: Angst, Strong Female Leads, Complicated Characters with Backstories, Characters Who Do Not Know How to Appropriately Express Emotion, Characters Who Are Extremely Sarcastic, Bromance, Tough Love, Mentoring, Heated Dialogue, Big Emotions, Happy Endings, Unhappy Endings, Companionable Drinking, Symbolism, Holiday-theme, Intrigue, Budding Romance, Banter, Kissing, Grand Gestures, Funny Bits, Flashbacks, Superheroes, Lawmen, Family Time, Eerie Settings... so, lots of things!
What I don't love: Explicit Sex or Sexual Violence. Discussions of suicide. Blatant machismo. Extreme Alternate Universe.
Chronicles of the Chrestomanci (Gen., Cat/Marianne)
I read The Pinhoe Egg over the summer and it rekindled my love for Cat Chant and the whole company at Chrestomanci Castle. Cat has made a lot of progress since the disasters of Charmed Life, but he still struggles to come to terms with his power and his past. Christopher/Chrestomanci complicates things by being chronically distracted, sometimes treating Cat like a partner and sometimes like a child. I would love to see more of Cat's training and all the emotions that come with knowing he will have to take up the Chrestomanci mantle sooner or later. I would adore an exploration of how his past with Gwendolen continues to affect his relationship with Janet (so many psychological scars!). Marianne seems like an excellent compliment and companion, but think it would probably take a long time to get them together (especially since I fully imagine Julia makes things difficult with teasing). There are many plot threads to follow in this one, but anything that focuses Cat at any point in his life would make my yuletide bright!
Altogether Optional Ideas:
+ Cat makes an unfortunate error and then tries to cover it up (like he does)
+ Marianne gets drawn back into some local intrigue and Cat helps her
+ Chrestomanci dies and another 9 lives magician shows up with a competing claim to the title
+ Cat has to rescue Chrestomanci (again)
+ Chrestomanci teaches Cat how to walk between worlds
+ Chrestomanci takes Cat on official business
+ Cat gets enchanted without realizing it at first
+ Klartch hits puberty
+ Cat is an angsty teenager with all the issues and maybe there are dragons
+ Christmas or Winter Festivities at Chrestomanci Castle
+ Cat's past comes back to haunt him
The Dark is Rising (Gen., Will/Jane)
I love the midwinter feel of The Dark is Rising and Will's first coming-to-terms with the Dark. He is a lovely contradiction as the "youngest Old One," being both a being of immense power and a boy who is concerned about siblings, birthdays, and Christmas. Of the Drews, Jane is my favorite by far. In Greenwitch, she learns to trust herself and I love her flashes of insight both about the Greenwitch and about Will. The memory charm at the end of Silver on the Tree opens up many possibilities for Will and Jane to reconnect later under different circumstances, either by coincidence or design.
Entirely Optional Ideas:
+ Jane shows up dating one of Will's siblings (maybe around Christmas time)
+ Will lifts the memory charm to enlist Jane's help against the dark
+ Jane hears a new prophesy
+ Merriman appears to be working for the Dark
+ Stephen has disappeared and Will looks for him across time and space
+ Jane become a librarian or expert in medieval texts and Will consults her regularly
Forever (Gen., Henry/Abigail, Henry/Jo)
While the science behind Henry's condition is quite suspect, I still thoroughly enjoyed the show. My favorite was how they took advantage of Henry and Abraham's inverted father/son relationship. Flashbacks to other eras for the two of them would be welcome. I am particularly interested in the moments when the two of the appeared to be the same age (which would make Abe supremely uncomfortable) and when they made up a backstory and opened the antique shop. I would also love to see Jo's reaction to the secret being revealed and to see her brought into the very quirky family.
Excedingly Optional Ideas:
+Jo sees Henry die for the first time and freaks out
+Flashback to when Abe and Henry were the same age and Abe needs to stop calling him "dad" in public
+Flashback to when Henry and Abe open the antique shop
+Christmas or Chanukah with the Morgans
+Abe has a health issue, causing Henry to change the focus of his research and feel lost
+Henry considers adopting another kid
+A murder where Henry can explicitly tell Jo his memories instead of hiding them
Foyle's War- (Gen., Andrew/Sam)
There is something so perfect about Christopher Foyle. He fills all my needs for a fatherly, upright, sardonic, English gentlemen. And if there was anyone who deserved his mentorship and friendship, it is Sam Stewart. I love that Foyle never lets anyone off the hook, and yet has the best advice and cares for the home guard like a father. Andrew, in particular, deserves all he gets of the sharp end of Foyle's tongue. You can see Foyle's disappointment clearly when things did not work out between Andrew and Sam. I would be delighted for some wish fulfillment there, if Andrew could get his act together. Andrew is a much better person when Foyle is there to look after him, in my opinion! I also loved the village intrigues that Folye and Sam work on together. We can clearly see that Foyle is looking out for Sam and vice versa. They make excellent partners!
Absolutely Optional Ideas:
+Murder! Someone has been poisoned
+Blackmarket! Sam finds evidence of black market dealings and gets herself much too involved
+Official Secrets! People of Hastings start informing on each other for leaking information to the enemy
+Sam and Andrew rekindle their romance. Foyle makes sure Andrew is being a gentleman
+Foyle is shot and must recover in the hospital.
+Wartime Christmas
Gotham (Gen., Bruce/Selena)
I am a fan of all things Batman. Alfred's gruff demeanor in this show is by far my favorite and I love how he can't help little outbursts of parenting. Bruce doesn't know what to do with them most of the time and does not make life easy for either Alfred or Jim. I also love Bruce's budding fascination with Selena and would be happy to see Bruce develop a little more guile and win a round. The show emphasizes Jim Gordon's importance in the saga of Gotham city and I love how Alfred enlists the detective's help to get Bruce on the right track.
Totally Optional Ideas:
+Bruce takes out a petty crook
+Bruce puts on a mask during a Halloween party and gets his first taste of what it's like to not be Bruce Wayne
+Bruce tricks Selena into giving back something she stole
+Bruce gets treated by Doctor Lee for the first time
+Alfred puts his foot down about something and they get in a huge battle of wills
Slings and Arrows -(Gen., Geoffrey/Ellen)
I am so drawn to the voyeuristic, behind-the-scenes look we get into the making of the plays and Geoffrey's mental breakdowns. It is exciting to see the genesis of certain themes and arguments that later get played out before an audience. The show is full of power struggles and I love that you see clearly each character's motivation for being there and also that each of them has to play their part in the festival. They have to make allowances for all these eccentricities and it makes for better art.
Wholly Optional Ideas:
+ Holiday fic! I loved Geoffrey saving xmas! Geoffrey directs the Christmas Carol?
+ Flashback! I would love a fic about Geoffrey's community theater days
+ Geoffrey writes a play
+ After retirement, Geoffrey gets a new hobby and obsesses about it
+ Geoffrey gets a new ghost
+ Geoffrey trains a protege