A Song for Winter: Holiday Decorations

“Chris- what know,” William asked his daughter, Jaina, as he carved a wooden effigy of the Allfather out of a log. Jaina had gotten them all to celebrate Halloween in the fall and now she had some new winter holiday for them. William began to think she was just inventing new Christmas holidays for candy and presents. 

 

“Christmas,” Jaina shouted with more emphasis. “Some kids from other worlds told me it was created to celebrate the birth of a demigod but over time it fuse with our yuletide celebrations.” 

 

“And how exactly does it differ from yule,” William inquired as he set his carving aside. He knew he was going to get dragged into celebrating this new holiday, he just wanted as much information as he could get.

 

“The Allfather flies across the sky on a sleigh pulled by magical reindeer to deliver wrapped presents to all the kids who have been good this year,” Jaina explained with excitement. “Families cut down a pine tree to bring inside to decorate as a place for presents to be placed under. Large stockings hung above the fireplace for small gifts to be put inside.” Jaina went on and on as she explained about caroling, proper decorations, and seasonal treats. In the end, William agreed to all of it for his daughter and to make the refugee children feel at home during the holidays.

 

Finding a pine tree the right size for the house was easy enough for William. Pine forests littered the landscape even that far north. After he harvested a tree for his home, William along with several volunteers brought back a massive tree for the town center. That tree was decorated with thousands of decorations from the multitudes of different cultures that had taken up refuge in the village. Magitech lights of a rainbow of colors were strung through the branches that gave off a pleasant glow. Atop the tree was placed a massive carving of a valkyrie made of wood, colorful glass, and fabric.

 

Throughout town decorations that looked like reindeer and snowmen sat alongside carvings of the gods. Houses glowed with the pleasant light of magitech lights. Carolers went from house to house, and sang songs from the different versions of the holidays until the occupants inside gave them hot chocolate and cookies. Water and sky casters teamed up to create blankets of snow for kids to build snowmen or engage in snowball fights. Spirits were high as William walked arm in arm with his wife, Violet, while she carried their infant son, Liam, through the village. Jaina ran around with other kids as they made snowballs and candy canes and gingerbread cookies. When it came time for the little ones to go to bed the starship Harlock, cloaked in orbit around the planet, projected an image of the Allfather in a magical sleigh pulled by reindeer across the sky. Hearts full of wonder and bellies full of sweets every kid went to bed that night excited to open the presents that would be left for them in the morning.