ho ho ho!

[pere_noel]

Christmas morning wasn't usually like this. In fact, Christmas morning Nick was usually fast asleep after a long (very long, incomprehensibly long) night's work. But the island was a very different place, and called for a very different approach. So Nick woke up with the dawn, dressed in a pair of dark trousers and a warm red sweater he'd found in

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[1000_cranes]

Charlie hadn't done much for Christmas since her momma had died. Every year, she'd bought her daddy a present and wrapped it carefully, cooked dinner for the two of them, and then fallen asleep in front of the T.V set.

The tree was real pretty, though.

"Hello there, honey," she said to the old boy on the couch as she walked into the rec room. "I just came to look at this real pretty tree."

[pere_noel]

"Hello there," said Nick cheerfully. "It's a wonderful tree, isn't it? I even found the time to add a few little trinkets to it myself." From where he was sitting he could see a couple of the wooden icicles, and a locomotive engine dangling from a lower branch.

[1000_cranes]

"At home, we used to have a tiny little thing," she said, sitting down on the couch, still giving the tree rapt attention. "Not anythin' near as beautiful as that one."

She sighed contendedly.

[pere_noel]

"Well, this one has to service a lot of people," said Nick pragmatically, "so I suppose it needed to be quite large. It's quite charming, all in all. We'll have to be sure to save all of the decorations for next year."

[bennet_beauty]

She was in the compound and had been busy making cookies in her spare time. She had some moments to spend between batches (some were to be given as gifts and some were to be kept) and when she saw the man who looked like Papa, she hesitantly stepped inside and smiled softly, a cloth tied about her waist like an apron.

"Hello," she said, summoning her courage. "Again, I suppose."

[pere_noel]

"Hello, Jane," he said, gesturing that she might take the seat next to him, at least for a moment. "I know I can't give you what you truly want for Christmas, but is there anything else that you might like?"

[bennet_beauty]

Jane brushed her hands off on her apron, glancing over her shoulder. The cookies would have some time yet and so she joined him and sat on the floor beside him, her dress cushioning her legs as she sat straight and tall.

It was true that she could not have her parents or sisters and she hung her head. "I do not think it would be right for me to ask," she admitted softly. "I should simply be grateful for what I already have." She rose her gaze. "Thank you," she offered, with great sincerity. "For your gift at the wedding."

[pere_noel]

"Oh, it was my pleasure, dear," he assured her. "I certainly couldn't let the occasion go by unmarked. Just as I cannot possibly let the occasion of Christmas go by unmarked as well. You're not asking for a gift, Jane, I'm offering one."

[crazyspacegirl]

River was a bit tired out, having stayed up late for the Christmas church service and gotten up early to give people presents herself. She was curled up in a corner of the sofa with her puppy in her lap, both of them nearly dozing in front of the fire.

"Hello," she said to Nick. "Merry Christmas."

[pere_noel]

"Merry Christmas!" he said, with a great deal of enthusiasm. "I see you have a wee new friend this morning."

[crazyspacegirl]

"Yes. This is Simon," she said, scratching the puppy's ears. "I named him after my brother. Are you having a nice Christmas?"

[pere_noel]

"It's been a wonderful day so far," he said, "and I feel it's only just begun. Tell me, is there anything you might like for Christmas? If not for yourself, then perhaps for little Simon here?" He did have a few lovely pull-toys that could be enjoyed by both girl and puppy together, or perhaps she had something entirely different in mind.

[one_eyed_rags]

Ragetti had been dozing and lazying about for the majority of the morning, so an onlooker would find hims curled up on a sofa in a warm forest green sweater. Looking up at Nick he yawned widely and bore a smile.

" 'ullo, Merry Christmas."

[pere_noel]

"Merry Christmas, son," said Nick. He wouldn't ask this one whether he'd been a good boy or not this year; at least he knew that he was trying. "Are you having a good one so far?"

[one_eyed_rags]

He nodded contentedly from his position. "Aye, I did'na know whot ta expec', bu' i' be nice. Firs' rewal Christmas, ans I dun 'ave ta swab no decks." He grinned with good humor and eyeballed the plate of biscuits with veiled interest.

[pere_noel]

"Would you like one?" asked Nick, noting his interest in spite of any effort to conceal it and offering him the plate. A number of people had been excited about doing some Christmas baking, and Nick couldn't imagine there would be any sort of shortfall if he had to go and nick a few more from the kitchen.

[jim_halpert]

Jim sort of missed the hot chocolate. He had poured himself tea instead - Pam was having an influence on him - and headed into the rec room. He was told to wait for Pam to finish showering so they could start putting together the meal they were hosting, and it seemed stupid to just stand around in the kitchen.

He found the first available spot and sat himself down, stifling a yawn. He noticed the other person in the room, and he offered the man a smile.

"Merry Christmas," he said simply before taking a sip of his tea.

[pere_noel]

"Merry Christmas!" said Nick, filled to the brim with Christmas spirit. He had his own tea in hand right at that moment, and offered the other man a silent toast in honour of the holiday.

[jim_halpert]

He lifted his own cup a little himself, grinning faintly.

"Have you had a good holiday so far? I feel like mine's just beginning," he admitted, shaking his head. He was a little nervous about dinner, despite the fact they had pulled off a pretty good Thanksgiving for a much larger group.

[pere_noel]

"It's my favourite day of the year," said Nick contentedly. "I get to spend the day surrounded by lovely decoration, excellent food, and good people."