[Video]

[peaceful_shadows]

 You know, I hate sounding like a broken record but...

[Nikola sighs as he pulls his phone further away to show off an apartment decorated for a holiday he knows nothing about. All around his kitchen table are books that range from children's Christmas books to books discussing Christmas to even the King Jame's bible which he found somewhere.  He's been trying to do a little research and really, he's just gotten himself more confused.]

What I don't understand is why is there a holiday celebrating some baby's birth in the desert that somehow translates to the fact that for one night some jolly fat man in a red suit is allowed to break into people's homes through their fireplace and leave questionable presents for those that live in the home. 

Or why people try to appease this man with milk and cookies and what makes it okay for him to determine what child is nice or naughty.  Isn't something like that supposed to be the parent's job? Or why this holiday requires lights and a dead tree covered in trinkets. 

[...There is a LOT Nikola doesn't understand about this. ]

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but, I really could use a civilized explanation..

[He pauses for a moment.]

And Rose, unless you're being serious, please don't try and tell me one of your ridiculous holiday tales about candy and monsters and one of my coworkers. 

Comments

[phoenixstrut]

[A low whistle.] Looks like my work is cut out for me... Are you in Genessia? I can meet you at the same coffee shop where I saw you last.

[peaceful_shadows]

I am so I can be there in a few minutes.

[phoenixstrut]

[A smile, a wink, and the video feed dies as she disappears to get ready to go out.

She'll be waiting for him outside the shop, bundled up in a... mostly backless sweater, but smiling just the same as she offers him one of the festive paper coffee cups she's holding as greeting.

It smells pleasantly of chocolate and peppermint.] Tis the season, [Is all the explanation he gets.]

[peaceful_shadows]

[Nikola arrives not long after dressed in a simple pair and dress slacks and dress shirt beneath a light jacket. Unlike others that seemed to be bothered by the cold, he really wasn't.

but, he did accept the offered cup and found the scent of chocolate and peppermint soothing in its own way.]

Thank you. Though, what does chocolate and peppermint have to do with the season?

[phoenixstrut]

[Ah, that one actually catches her.]

I actually don't know, [she shrugs, warming her hands against her own drink and holding it up to her face. It smells so good.] Candy canes, I think, but I'm not sure there's a real meaning behind them. They're just sort of a seasonal thing.

[She glances back at the shop window, and sure enough, there are candy canes hanging on the tree. She nods her head toward it.] There are a lot of sweets specific to this time of year. Nothing as extravagant as Valentine's Day, of course, but... one holiday at a time, right?

[peaceful_shadows]

Valentine's Day...?

[Yet another holiday he's never heard of apparently...]

Right, I suppose you can explain that one to me later and why sweets are so important. I'm still trying to understand this particular holiday and so far, it's slowly coming together.

However, I'm still confused by some of the decorations. For instance, why is there a pine tree covered in sweets or lights?

[phoenixstrut]

[She shakes her head, admiring the tree a moment longer before turning to him again. One human holiday at a time.] February.

The tree itself... [she muses, tilting her head back in forth as she weighs her options.] Honesly, there are a million different origin stories, but these days, at least in my world, it's just a tradition. Pretty sure the original reasons all stemmed from 'everlasting life' or hope for a 'living spring'. Ironically enough, there are a lot of religious ties when it comes to Christmas traditions and I... don't know half of them.

[A terrible angel, really, if he knows to put two and two together.]

As for the decorations...I think they're just... pretty. Some people do candles. I've seen a lot of variations.

[She looks up to the tip of the tree and grins.] I should probably be offended that they chose a star, but... [A shrug.]

[peaceful_shadows]

[Thankfully, he doesn't know to put two and two together at the very least. ]

I see, then.. it's a symbol of the season with various ties. I guess I can accept that for now. I will admit, seeing pine trees like this isn't quite common on my father's lands. However, they are scattered through my mothers.

Her land is.. further north in the mountains on the other side of the desert.

[phoenixstrut]

[She nods encouragingly.] Really? [It's not too terribly surprising she doesn't know much about his history, given the few times they've spent together in comfortable acquaintanceship , but it does make her curious.] I'm sure it's beautiful... I've always loved the mountains. Our more... 'earth aligned' angels tend to growing the Christmas trees when the time comes, but they're not exactly common where I'm from either.

[She glances back to the window.] Honestly, I'm surprised so many shops around here are using real ones. A lot of humans in my world, at least, use fake ones.