[Voice]

[supercilious]

...What's Christmas?

Comments

[voice | TL;DR INCOMING i'm so sorry]

[doctorate]

'S a largely western holiday, generally celebrated some time around the winter solstice by humans -- although somewhere in the 60th century, it becomes moderately popular in a few other systems as humanity branched out and colonized new planets. I think the eggnog really helped, there.

Anyway! It's a Christian holiday meant to commemorate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, though it's not exclusively Christian. By the 20th century on Earth, it becomes a primarily commercial affair, with one Father Christmas (or Saint Nicholas, or Kris Kringle, or Santa Claus, however one might know him) shimmying down your chimney and leaving behind that top-of-the-line bicycle you've been wanting all year. It persists in the same way for much of the rest of its existence.

Still! It's a nice way to celebrate peace and togetherness and being civil with distant relatives you don't particularly like. Until, of course, Uncle Matthew has one too many drinks and ruins the moment by announcing his previously-secret affair with Auntie Nancy. Then it just all becomes a tad awkward.

[voice]

[supercilious]

Good lord, you're a walking library, it's worse than Geoffrey of Mormouth when he gets going. So basically what I can draw for this is that I shouldn't bother about it, as none of this applies to me at all.

[voice]

[doctorate]

Yep, that's me: a walking, talking, devastatingly handsome encyclopedia.

But still, the message of peace on Earth and being kind and decent to your fellow man -- that's at least something to take away from this, yeah? Granted, that should be something that one ought to take into consideration on a daily basis, but it tends to be particularly stressed around Christmastime.

[voice]

[supercilious]

Well, definitely talking.

Indeed, I don't particular see why a desire for peace should be limited to one time of year. And as I'm always kind and decent to my fellow man, one might even say in perpetuity, I'm still not feeling as though it's relevant.

[voice]

[doctorate]

I'm a fair walker as well, I'll have you know.

To each their own, though! I don't tend to celebrate Christmas in the most conventional manner -- assuming I actually get the chance to celebrate it, mind you, -- but at least the sentiment is something worth appreciating.

[voice]

[supercilious]

I'll take your word for it.

I think merely celebrating it here will be unconventional whatever the case.

[voice]

[doctorate]

Oh, I don't know! I've had some strange Christmases -- recently, especially. Still, I'm not entirely sure if anyone will really try and strike up the festivities around here. Cultural differences, for one. Bigger problems to worry about, for another.

[voice]

[supercilious]

Bigger, hm. Isn't mid-winter celebration all about staving off the longest night? And I'm beginning to think it may end up being a rather long night indeed.

[voice]

[doctorate]

I'm assuming this is in reference to the less than pleasant messages showing up on the board, yeah?

[voice]

[supercilious]

Yeah. Yes. I don't believe anybody's yet deciphered their meaning.

[voice]

[doctorate]

[a thoughtful "Hmm."] Seems to me like they're talking about some sort of nocturnal creatures -- which isn't the most enlightened reading, granted, but there's little else to go on.

Something about the "coming of the night." An eclipse, maybe?

[voice]

[supercilious]

The longest night of the year's coming up, so if it is a creature, we should be prepared. I'll ask some of the other patrol members.

[voice]

[doctorate]

Could be multiple creatures, even. How many members are in this patrol unit, anyway? It might be necessary for whoever's in charge to recruit more, spread them out evenly throughout the city.

[voice]

[supercilious]

There's about a score of us, though we work in pairs. As for who's in charge, that would be Priscilla. Perhaps we should focus on patrolling the Door - it wouldn't be the first time something horrible came through it.

[voice]

[doctorate]

You might have an idea, there. Still! It seems like the message was left by someone already in the city -- maybe some unpleasant beastie who came through some time ago that no one's had the pleasure of meeting just yet? Might be better to get some temporary help to patrol the outer edges of the town.

[voice]

[supercilious]

I imagine everyone who can volunteer has already, but I'll see what I can do to drum up some secondary support. If needs be I can always start training people.