Good-will Toward Men

[cityship]

There is a whole world out there to spread holiday joy to. A world of flying cars, and massive towering skyscrapers, of quiet, cold deserts, of snow-covered cities. Everyone in it is either holed up in their homes, hooked into the Links, the network run by Macrohard, abstaining from human contact, or they're poor and destitute, in the streets, and

Comments

General Gift Giving - The Caribbean

[lil_hellion]

Sun, surf, and women in bikinis. This was more like it. Now that he could shed the layers of clothing, he was in a much better mood for gift giving. And a day of island hopping to spread holiday cheer sounded good to him.

Re: General Gift Giving - The Caribbean

[lil_hellion]

Julian snerked. Besides, he had on a modified Santa outfit, so the red and white wasn't bad. He leaned against the car.

"Now, all you girls, we need you to form two lines. If you've been nice, you go see Kon-Elf. And if you've been naughty, you definitely need to come sit on my lap for a bit.

"Guys.... y'all just chill out for a bit, go for a swim or something and we'll get to you."

Re: General Gift Giving - The Caribbean

[not_to_be_eaten]

General Gift Giving - Colorado

[sgmitchell]

Strange as the mission outline sounded, it did match the other AI's mistletoe schemes, and made him question just how long he'd been asleep in the pods. There was no room to question the reality of this place, not on a mission. He hadn't signed up for anything, true, but military training was deeply ingrained within him. The possibility that what they'd been told was true meant that, when necessary, he followed orders.

The orders weren't so bad, really. Go to an alternate Earth and act out a Christmas movie plot. The work that would entail was more than made up for with the chance to fly. Granted, it was a flying car, not an F-302, and on Stacy he was already traveling to other planets...but the familiarity of the situation was nice, and after awhile, one got to miss flying under their own power.

Now, the idea of costumes? That, he was dubious about, but as a team leader he was expected to make an example. So, he'd do with a good old classic santa hat

Re: General Gift Giving - Colorado

[redfield]

Claire hadn't particularly cared what the mission was, she was going. She needed to set foot somewhere familiar, as bizarre as the whole situation was. And maybe that had been what had led her to jump on the car for Colorado. It had been where she'd grown up, after all.

Everything in this world was a little off, but snow everywhere wasn't completely a horrible thing. And Claire was never particularly shy, so this wasn't a difficult thing for her, seeking out people who could use a little cheering up.

"We should sing, or something. Christmas carols? Might get their attention."

Re: General Gift Giving - Colorado

[runnerwithagun]

"..What's 'Christmas carols'?" Ronon asked in his gruff, mocking manner.

He was thankful to be in a somewhat familiar area but didn't expect to come across Cheyenne Mountain and a stargate on this version of Earth. Nor did he want to do this giving gift thing. He didn't understand Christmas and why a bunch of marines and scientists on Atlantis were so into it.

Sheppard tried showing him once, but Ronon just gathered it was another reason to drink some booze and be nice to people you didn't want to be nice to. So Ronon was standing around begrudgingly and if he had read 'A Christmas Carol', he would have said 'Bah humbug!' instead of ask his question. What fun was some Earth holiday where fighting wasn't involved?

Kwanzaa - Redid to fix sommat

[cityship]

In this world, Kwanzaa starts on the 25th rather than the 26th as it does in some of their own worlds.

The holiday was created as a way for African-Americans to celebrate their heritage and ancestry, to allow them to focus on family, community, and history.

Today, of the Nguzo Saba, the principle being celebrated is Unity--in the family, in the community, in their nation, and in their race.

Harlem, NYC

[meatbabies]

The Harlem YMCA still stands there, the place where such notable figures as Malcolm X once stayed, the center of the Harlem community. It's been vastly renovated, time and time again over the centuries, but now it's started to fall into disrepair. Who has need for culture anymore, when they have the Links? Who has need for community?

Some people still do. Most of the volunteers here at this dinner are from Harlem, and some of them come from families that lived in the area since the days that Duke Ellington played at the Cotton Club--and since the days that only whites were allowed to hear him play there.

At the head table is a kinara, the first candle of which will be lit at midnight. Next to it is the kikombe cha umoja, the communal unity cup, made out of wood, and at each table where everyone sits is a mkeka, a straw basket, and mazao, fruit and vegetables for the centerpiece

[daaayum]

That group of strangers has provided a veritable bounty of food, clothes, coats, toiletries, and countless useful things for the Hearts of Harlem volunteers to hand out to the people in need. There are toys for the children, both craft things for them to make things for each other, and just toys in general to bring them a little joy in otherwise dark and miserable young lives

[static_shock68]

"Honestly, we never really celebrated it like we should've. There was no time during the holidays for union in our family; there were double shifts for my folks, villains for me, and...whatever the heck my sister always did. We were so spread apart trying to survive and do the right thing, taking time to acknowledge it was nearly impossible. But, we tried, and somehow, we did it. Or at least close enough. The spirit was what mattered, really."

There was a grin on Virgil's face as he served; helping people was what he did, what he liked to do, and what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. But being right here, seeing their gratitude, that was new. Really seeing the effect he had on people... it was something he could get used to.

GGG City slums

[midgar_flowers]

The Planet had nothing comparable to Christmas, but spreading love and joy was not a new goal to Aeris. Very little of what Stacy laid out for them this time was new to Aeris, save for the planet itself. She'd heard a little about Earth in her time on the ship, though, and to be able to visit it so soon was a lovely surprise.

She could not yet hear the pulse of this planet, but she could feel it in the distance. Just enough to know that it was still alive, for all of the miniature (and not-so-miniature) ShinRas fighting to quench it out.

She hadn't dressed up in anything special, except for extra pink ribbons in her hair, because she knew nothing about what sort of costumes were expected, but it wasn't about what she was wearing. It was about helping everyone else, and that was something she was very good at.

She found a place which reminded her of the slums in which she grew up, and chose there to spread cheer, giving out flowers and blankets to those she found.

Re: GGG City slums

[indigoblueberry]

Indigo had been skimming about, looking to see if anyone had needed assistance. The night was shaping up to be an extremely long one, but she was determined to tackle some of the worst areas. Case in point, a slum like this one.

One of the other crewmembers was already there, she'd been noted on the trip down but Indigo hadn't talked to her. She parks and steps out of her car, done up in traditional Santa garb (sans beard) and eyes what Aeris is up to. After a moment, she walks up. "Do you wish for company?" Assistance probably wasn't the right word for this kind of activity, no.

Re: GGG City slums

[midgar_flowers]

Assistance was certainly a better word for those receiving gifts, than giving them. But of course, Aeris was used to the constant chatter and presence of millions of minds and voices at once. She adored company.

She didn't know the woman, but that did not dim her smile at the question. Why would it? Aeris had never been familiar with anything that would have told her to avoid strangers. "I'd love to have company."

Re: GGG City slums

[indigoblueberry]

She nods, smiling a bit. It's hard not to, in the face of something like Aeris' enthusiasm. Even an android like her can get caught up in something like this.

She takes a spot near Aeris and starts handing out the blankets she's pulled from her sack. "Thank you." She doesn't know why she said that, but it somehow feels appropriate. After a few moments, smiling, handing things out, laughing at the stunned faces of people who didn't expect the random kindness, she turns to look at Aeris. "By the way. I'm Indigo."

NYC

[cityship]

There is no Christmas Tree at Rockefeller center this year. Only holographic advertisements to BUY BUY BUY. But then most people just order everything online anymore anyway, so who would be there to even look at a tree? Who would bother to put one up?

The crew is, and with them damaging the VR networks where they go and enticing people outside, a crowd is gathering as some of them put up a massive tree, while others put up a gigantic menorah. The tree itself was hauled down from Canada by some of the crew and it's huge, and the decorations are coming from their bags like, well, magic. The menorah was in Jaime Reyes' bag and he's still not quiet sure how he got the damn thing out, but he's working on getting it to light up, and he could use a little help.

[daaayum]

She's been all over the world tonight, but ended up here in the city, in a little community center in Harlem.

She had to come see the tree though--hell, and the menorah, too. The lights are beautiful--and a snow is starting to drift down. It's certainly cold enough.

On street level, where cars once raced everywhere, there are only people walking, all of them gathering there. Spotting someone in the crowd of decorators, she laughs slightly to herself, as she sees he's got his cape on over his clothes, still, even now. Head tilted, for a moment, she looks and sees a nearby store and suddenly has an idea, and disappears into it.

This is something she wants to spend money on rather than magic up, to make sure it won't disappear or something. It doesn't take long for something to catch her eye, and before long, she's outside again, with a gift wrapped in biodegradable foil. Cupping her hands around her mouth, and yelling over the sound of the cars flying overhead, she calls:

"HEY! Boy Wonder! Get your birdy butt over here a

[mrsarcastic003]

Tim blinks in surprise when he hears his "name" bellowed at top volume over the sound of the traffic and the crowds. He turns away from the holiday decorations and the crowd of merry-makers to see Leela standing just a little apart with a gift in her hands.

He eyes the crowd between the two of them. There are a lot of people, and he really doesn't want to have to fight through them. Instead, he uses his staff to launch himself into the air, his cape flaring out behind him.

Sometimes, being Robin is really, really cool.

He lands not far from Leela and starts walking toward her. "I heard your dulcet tones from inside the crowd," he says, barely keeping a straight face. "And I was irresistibly drawn toward the music of your voice."

[daaayum]

It's all she can do to keep a straight face herself