Ho Ho Ho! Happy HP Holidays!

[mudblood_andproud]

There is something different about the Nexus this Christmas season. There is a light snow falling over the entire Nexus plaza. The snow is gentle, with no real coldness to the falling snow flakes. As one approaches the main gathering area, they will notice that there are many Christmas decorations, including garland hanging from the air, and there are twelve towering decorated Christmas trees, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles. There are also thousands of floating tiny candles in the Nexus plaza, that gently move at their own discretion.

In one corner, there is an orchestra, directed by a Dwarf. All of the musicians are playing music on instruments made from ice. In the center of the Nexus plaza, is a huge banquet table, loaded with holiday foods and treats that showcases a variety of food from different cultures, and some of the different worlds that gather into the Nexus itself. The main delight of the banquet table is that magic can make the food replenish itself, meaning Christmas dinner never has to end. Most will be able to find something they would enjoy. With the added perk that the food is LOL-free.

There are some added little Christmas adventures, for those who get caught up in the holidays. Here are some of the extra options for the Holiday season.

Secret Santa!
There is an added bonus to the Secret Santa gifts this year. The presents will deliver themselves! There are tons of wrapped gifts floating through the air, destined to only drop when they reach the person to which they are intended. Please note that not all gifts will be given in the spirit of the season. There are a few prank gifts floating around too. Be sure to watch out for them!

Christmas Crackers!
There are Christmas crackers scattered among the tables, and in amongst the branches of the trees. They are decorated with festive paper that is twisted at either end like a sweet wrapper. Inside of the tube are prizes, and some contain Muggle prizes such as a paper hat, a plastic toy, and a slip of paper with a joke printed on it. But the rare person will receive a unique, peculiar magical prize, and will envelop everyone nearby in a cloud of blue smoke.

Weasley Sweaters!
Time to try your luck at the Christmas Sweater bin. There is a large rotating clothing rack that seems to have an endless supply of them. Each one more Festive than the last! Pick one and show your Christmas spirit for the rest of the day.

Enchanted Mistletoe!
Be warned Nexus traveler, the Nargles** have hung enchanted Mistletoe all around the plaza. If an unlucky person steps underneath the Mistletoe, they will find that they are magically stuck to the spot, until they can find someone to kiss them. Of course, the kiss can be platonic, familial, or even romantic. For a few unfortunate people, the kiss may be the last thing they would want to do... but it is that or be stuck in the same spot for the rest of the season.

**Nargle Wiki
[Click Here for information on the HP Holiday Event!]
[Your character is free to give other Christmas gifts to people they care about -- HOWEVER, please do not deliver your Secret Santa gift. That will be handled by the Secret Santa moderator. Please post details on your Secret Santa gift in this post please.]

Comments

[westfallcorndog]

The last holiday party Harrowheart attended was a literal nightmare, so here's hoping this one turns out for the better. He's elected not to put on a costume, because this time if he gets trapped in some sort of Hell dimension he'd like to do so with a shirt on, but in the spirit of the season he's at least not wearing shorts and a tank top. A fur-lined hat with ear flaps, a red sweater with a googly-eyed reindeer, and a pair of beige trousers with his usual work boots seems festive enough for now. His runeblade is right where it should be, strapped to his back and not stolen by a Tamrielic mage.

Harrowheart's spending his time at this party being as unassuming as possible. He's by the Christmas crackers, popping them open one after another and laughing at what he finds. What strange little things! The jokes and novelties inside are silly, but he's pocketing them to keep them for later. Unlife is dull without dumb jokes, after all.

((I'm swamped with holidays and still finishing up Halloween stuff, so please don't tag this post except for the Secret Santa mod. When my schedule clears up I'll hopefully be able to go around and tag others' posts!))

Secret Santa Delivery: Harrowheart

[mudblood_andproud]

As Harrowheart keeps amused by opening Christmas cracker after Christmas cracker, he might not notice the gift slowly dropping down from the sky. Until it lands in front of him.

Harrowheart’s present is wrapped in tasteful silver foil with blue accents, a box from the Nexus’s equivalent of Sharper Image. Inside is a globe of the Earth that floats on a magnetic stand, up to date to most 21st century Earths as of its purchase.

The note attached reads in a neat, tight script: Heard you were a big fan.
Happy holidays.

[And Secret Santa gift delivered. We now return you to your regular scheduled posts]

[westfallcorndog]

Oh man, Harrowheart completely forgot about this. He remembers giving a gift, but it totally slipped his mind that he would also get one. He unwraps the foil carefully, preserving it for future enjoyment, and is mindful to be delicate with it as he folds it up once more and slips it into his back pocket.

And the gift inside is so charming! A little Earth that floats. It's magical! He turns it upside down and laughs as it continues to levitate. Noticing the note he sets down the globe and reads, then looks around as if he expects to catch the eye of the person who sent this. Except... No one's looking at him.

Well, shit, now he's got to go investigate. He stuffs a few more Christmas crackers into his other pocket, hefts his globe, and goes out into the wild world to find his mystery donor. A friend, perhaps? A friend of a friend? He'll find out soon! ... He hopes.

[westfallcorndog]

((ACTUALLY I'M DUMB, IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT TO ASK IF HE GAVE YOUR GIFT GO RIGHT AHEAD!))

SPEAKING OF PRESENTS

[juststeverogers]

It may not be a secret Santa, but Steve's definitely keeping an eye out for Harrowheart to show up. Though the other is so engrossed in his crackers that Steve wonders if he'll be able to get away with a surprise of his own.

He carefully pulls Harrowheart's gift out of the bag he'd been carrying and makes sure the ribbon tied around it is sitting just so before tapping his friend on the shoulder.

There's a small coniferous bonsai seedling in the pot Steve's holding with a big shimmery ice blue ribbon tied around the pot.

"Merry Christmas, Harrow. Do I have you to thank for the music box I've received?" Look he's not judging based on the wrapping job except that he totally is.

[westfallcorndog]

Aha! STEVE! Harrowheart wags a finger at his friend and grins knowingly as he sees him approaching. "Steeeeve! Man! How stupid is it that I'm still gettin' used to the new you? I gotta do a double-take every time I see you up here at eye level."

He sets his globe down on the nearest table and takes the bonsai with a bright smile. "I love it!" he says, twisting and turning it to get a look at it from every angle. "Shoot, this is just like they do in Pandaria..." He sets it down beside his globe and plants his hands on his hips to give it a final, fond look. Eventually he nods in approval. "Shoot, man... I really like this plant..."

With some small reluctance he returns his attention to Steve, but when he sees his friend again he can't help smiling once more. "I feel like I oughta say that I got you the music box, 'cause I ain't got anything else for you! I didn't have time to get no one nothin'. Best I can do is re-gift you your Virgin Mary sometime. She's been at Ixis Naugus' tower with my folks since you went missin'. We were all prayin' to her and givin' her gifts hopin' she'd watch over you and all."

[juststeverogers]

"Me too." Steve says simply. He misses his old body something fierce sometimes. The dysphoria of being in this one never really fades away completely. Especially when he's with Harrow and Viatorus.

"Well, last year I catered to your baser hobbies, but this year I thought I'd appeal to a different one. It's coniferous so it shouldn't be bothered as much by the cold and I know you've got a green thumb. I thought maybe you'd enjoy caring after it." He gives a warm smile the death knight's way, one that turns a bit emotional when he mentions his family praying for Steve.

To a god they don't even know or worship.

"You...you did? Thank you, Harrow. That was really kind of you and your family. They...they don't even know me." Gosh he's so taken aback.

[westfallcorndog]

Steve's surprise and humility catch Harrowheart off guard. Steve's shocked by what he and his family did? "Aw, man..." he says, a sad sort of smile slowly growing on him. He brings Steve in with one arm for a hug and a pat on the back. When it ends he wraps his arm around Steve's shoulder and looks at him eye to eye. Still so strange...

"You're my friend. Which means you're their friend. Even if most of them haven't met you. Doesn't matter, man."

He pats his friend's back again and his attention falls on that little bonsai. What a good little plant... "Come by Naug's tower sometime. Meet everyone. Let 'em get to know you. And then, y'know... Whenever you wanna stop by for dinner? Consider it an open invitation. Family's always welcome."

[juststeverogers]

Ma's asking about you again, Stevie. She wants to know when you'll be over for dinner. Heard your Mother was ill, Steve. We're here for you. I know you can get by on your own Steve. Thing of it is, you don't have to.

A cool hand wrapped round his shoulders masking the warmth Steve feels from his actions and the intentions of his family. Steve's smile is more genuine than many he's given of late. He's returning the one armed hug easily and his own laughter peals like the bells ringing in the holiday cheer.

"I'd be delighted to."