1183/Union Secret Santa

Union Secret Santa
Date of Scene:	20 December 2014
Location:	Njorun Station - Recreation Branch
Synopsis:	The Union Secret Santa begins! People come together, gifts are exchanged, merriment is made!
Cast of Characters:	20, 43, 73, 136, 238, Rebecca Chambers, 319, 373, 385, 425, Riva Banari, Eryl Fairfax, 578, 628, 631, 633, 647

---

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
     'Twas six nights before Christmas, and here in Njorun, a room has been booked. The sign-up board has had it down for the 'Union Secret Santa' since the start of December. The door to Room 172 has been decked out with tinsel around the frame and a holly wreath on the door to help would-be merry-makers find the place.

    The inside is equally appropriate to the season. Pine trees stand in each corner, fully decked out with baubles, tinsel and a star upon the tops. More tinsel goes across the roof, dipping and rising. On the back wall is a blackboard, with everyone involved listed twice, under the headings 'Santa' and 'Recipient.' Lines connect the Santa to their recipient.

A long table groans under the weight of Christmas nibbles. Sandwiches, both turkey and ham, slices of fruit cake, the works. Eryl is already here, clad in a red suit with white fur, a Santa cap and a fake white beard, waiting for everyone.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Man, seeing people really are up for decorating, are they? It's not like it does much for Toph, but she has to admit... some of the scents that come with Christmas is nice. Cinnamon, apples, pine trees, candies and sweets, they are all pleasant. The blind earthbender finds her way after asking somebody, and she steps inside with a moderately sized box under her left arm. And well... it's rather shoddily and hurriedly wrapped with the paper barely holding on with a red ribbon wrapped several times around it. Likewise, Toph is wearing her usual clothes, not having bothered dressing up for the occasion.

    There's a curious look on her face though, and she sniffs the air as she walks in. "Huh, you fixed food too?" she asks with a grin, then steps in, walking towards the table. And on her way she reaches out to punch Eryl in the arm. "Nice, I'm hungry..."

Rarity (136) has posed:
Add one more conifur to the lot. Except this one is artifical. And being worn as a hat.

Seriously.

No, really. The hat Rarity is wearing when she walks in is designed to look like a minature hearthswarming/christmas tree. On her head. Yes, it's rather rediculous. But much like Lady Gaga the fashionista unicorn wears the absurdity with all the same passion as one would a full party regalea. "Happy Holidays, dahlings~!"

"And a merrr-rr-rry neeeew yeeeear! o/~" Sweetie Belle singsongs as she follows her older sister. Fortunately she just has a fashionable winter style scarf looped around her neck instead of Rarity's.. ah.. elaborate attire.

Natasha (425) has posed:
Natasha's eager for the Secret Santa herself, and it looks like she could burst into flame at just about any moment. She manages to keep from doing so, which is fortunate because doing so might ruin things rather fast. She's carrying what looks to be a basket with something in it, from the handle sticking out. Her gift isn't wrapped much better than Toph's and anyone with an enchanced sense of smell could tell it's rather meaty. Good thing she hadn't got one of the ponies or her it wouldn't have worked.

"Hi Toph, Rarity and Sweetie Belle." She looks around not seeing who's she supposed to give the gift yet. Oh well, she's one of the first ones here, she'll likely just to wait a bit.

Lloyd Irving (373) has posed:
    Lloyd arrives in his white tuxedo from his travelling days, hair pushed back in a vain attempt to tame his spiky mane. He carries a long, heavy box, carefully wrapped in gunmetal colored paper. He notices that Toph has already arrives, and offers a quick call of "Hey there, Toph!" to her. He sets his gift on the table, then gives a quick glance to the food table. "Thanks for putting this all on!" he offers to Eryl, before picking up a sandwich. He takes a bite, then offers a wave to Rarity as she enters, stifling a chuckle at her hat.

Beli Klum (238) has posed:
    Beli has chosen to forego her usual outfit in exchange for something slightly more festive. Without the immediate need to fly, she can leave her wings retracted and her halos absent and wear something more confined: a red sweater, specifically, knitted with simple green patterns for decoration and a red ribbon around each wrist supporting jingling golden bells. A holly sprig is tucked into her hair behind her left ear, and otherwise, she's dressed in simple, slightly baggy jeans and short dark boots.

    As she steps in through the door, she's carrying something else, too: a box about the size one would need to hold a desk lamp or something similar, wrapped in light blue paper decorated with white angels and all bound together with a white ribbon tied into a bow on top. The rephaite cradles it in her hands as she looks around the room, her surprised and curious expression shifting to a warm smile when she sees Eryl and Toph.

    "Ah, hello you two," she greets in her usual soft voice, echoing with small bells and a dull rumble. "Good to see I am still on time. These are very wonderful decorations, too-"

    Rarity's arrival with Sweety Belle makes her abruptly forget whatever she was about to say as she turns and...stares. That's certainly an outfit. Even more boggling that it's being worn by a rather fabulous pony. Whatever confusion lingers on Beli's face is replaced with an awkward smile, though. "...what a wonderful outfit, Rarity," she says with only the smallest hint of uncertainty. She's not sure that's entirely true.

Freya (578) has posed:
"They really did do alot of decorating..", Freya says walking into the room, human sized of course, she woudn't be able to fit into the room otherwise. She just dressed in her normal every day clothing, She She carring a modersize under her shoulder, wrapped very deliaclty with red shiny paper and a green bow wrapped around it to match. She smiles give a slight wave to Eryl. "You did a great job with the decorating!", she says. She does a double take spotting Rarity's amazing hat. She ahs making her way into the room seeing that people are stating to come in.

Frederica (73) has posed:
    Frederica is, of course, no stranger to dressing up. She's even foregone her normal perky-eared hood for something a little more seasonal. The blonde girl is wearing what might be called a 'Santa's little helper' outfit, a red coat with white fur trim that nonetheless doesn't exactly look like it'd do much good in keeping warm. It's a costume meant for the indoors, apparently, given how much skin it manages to not bundle. Not that it's indecent or anything, it just leaves plenty of neck and leg and arm bare.

    Frederica's gift was... well, by the looks of it, it was fairly heavy. She'd carried it in a bag however, and tucked it in with the other gifts only after peering around in the hopes of making sure no one saw which present was hers. Not that she's particularly good at such deceit, but she at least tried to make her gift anonymous. The package itself, whether anonymous or not, appears with the others and has been assembled with the care and effort typical of someone who makes certain handicrafts as a hobby.

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva's arrived herself. She's dressed as Ms. Santa, though she's jingling to the bells as she pokes her head in. "HIIIIIIIIIII!" She calls. "MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!" Has she been in the egg nog again or something? It's not slowing her down any, as she holds a wrapped present in her hands. It's not all that large, but the plain white paper is splashed with all kinds of watercolor.

"Hey, Diplomacy Santa!" She greets Eryl with a grin. "Nice place you've got set up here! This is going to be an awesome party~..."

Rarity and her hat draws immediate attention. "Oh my /gawd/, that's wonderful!" She says, immediately drawing over to the unicorn and leaning over. "You're /really/ rocking the Christmas spirit, that is an awesome hat!" She waves, grinning. "Hi! I'm Riva, nice to meet you in person!"

She continues jingling around the room, stopping by Beli Klum and waving to her as well. "Hello Beli! Merry Christmas!" She flips her Santa hat jauntily and grins to the rephaite. "Glad to see you could make it! You're really pulling it off!"

Lloyd is next on the list as Riva slides in behind him, reaching out reflexively towards the hair... But decides to not mess with it. She tosses her present onto the table and grins, "Hey Lloyd! Merry Christmas! Glad to see you're out and about! Man, paperwork is just the pits, isn't it? Did you finally get some vacation time?"

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
     Eryl greets everyone that arrives with a surprisingly deep and booming "HO HO HO! Merry Christmas!" He accepts all the compliments with a bow of the head. Once a reasonable amount of people have arrived, he stands at the back of the room and begins to speak.

    "Thank you for coming so promptly everyone. First of all, happy holidays to you all. Now, to the nitty-gritty, the reason you are here. Presents! Here on the board, you can see the 'Santas' on the left, and their recipients on the right."

    Indeed, the whiteboard shows the following:

    "Please, find your Santa, and those you will play Santa too, if they manage to show. It is a sad fact that some may not be able to make it, either due to prior obligation or unexpected circumstance. Some have sent their gifts ahead to me." He indicates a classic white sack by the board.

    "So please! Help yourselves to the spread. Eat, drink and be merry! HO HO HO!"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Hearing the swordsman greet her, the blind earthbender blinks and waves at Lloyd. "Oh, heah tha Woyd," she manages to say between mouthfuls of food. Yup, she's decided to check out the food table already. Likewise she waves to Rarity and Sweetie Belle. It's probably a good thing she can't see the hat in question... Though when Beli comments on it she blinks curiously. "What? What kind of outfit?" she asks, speaking a bit clearer now. "Were we supposed to dress up? Nobody told me that!"

    So don't dare to blame her. Because she won't care.

    Oh great. A board. "Well, I remember who I was giving my gift to... but it seems she isn't here today." Toph puts the gift down on the table, then continues eating. "Whoever is my secret Santa, if they are here, can just come on over then. Will you hand her gift to her, Eryl? Or do I need to send it myself?" she asks.

Rainbow Dash (43) has posed:
Whether luckily or unluckily, Rainbow Dash doesn't have to do a whole lot to look festive this year. The usually rainbow maned pegasus speeds in just after Rarity, careful to avoid the high reaching hat that the unicorn is wearing. But instead of her usual prismatic mane and tail, Dash is sporting a bit more christmasy/Hearths Warmingy.

Red and green stripes alternate along Dash's bangs and mane down her back, mirrored by her tail. There might even be a few flecks of snow here and there falling from her wings, a side effect from getting too close to what was practically a lightning rod for festive cheer. Luckily the effects are already fading; some of the natural color is starting to return to the roots of Dash's mane and tail. Despite the festiveness, she's still wearing a santa hat and white and red scarf.

As she passes Rarity, Dash taps the tip of the christmas tree hat with a hoof, "I'd say you need a warning light on this thing, but it's already distracting enough with all the tinsel and stuff." She smirks when Riva praises the hat. "Awesome isn't really the word I'd use for it, but sure."

"Hey gang!" Dash raises a forehoof to wave at those already starting to gather. The other is holding on to a box the size and shape of a shoebox, wrapped up in lightning bolt wrapping paper. "Yo, Toph! Happy Hearths Warming! Uh, or Christmas."

Rarity (136) has posed:
"And don't hog the cookies," Rarity pre-emptively scolds after Sweetie Belle when the younger unicorn makes a beeline for the snacks. And then has to devert to find herself a stool because she's still just a small foal and standing at the table is impolite at parties. Or something like that. You can bet she wasn't entirely listening when Rarity was lecturing her on social graces on the trip over.

"Certainly quite a set-up you have put together, Eryl. Wonderful, cozy, not trying to overcompensate with the decorating. Some people just don't get that when it comes to a comfortable atmosphere, less is more. Just make sure the colors compliment each other."

Lloyd's hair does get a bit of a look, but one must resist! There are strange people who -like- their mane mussed up. Just look at -- speak of the devil, there's Rainbow Dash now. Loud and abrupt as always.

Rarity just turns her attention to the others, adjusting her christmas tree hat a bit with one hoof to straighten it out (thanks a lot Dash!). "Thank you dahlings. Admittably it is a little awkward, but style must coincide with the occasiona, after all."

Natasha (425) has posed:
Natasha looks at the whiteboard eagerly at least until she actually reads it. Her good mood is suddenly killed as she reads it and looks it around. It seems like neither Fate or Kongou are here. She looks like she's about to cry, she put so much work into her gift and she's not gong to be able to give it in person. She was also looking forward to seeing what she had got. She does her best to try and keep her emotions in check.

Her attention turns towards Freya with that as she tries not to think about it too much. She can't help but to wonder a bit what Rarity got her.

Frederica (73) has posed:
Peering up at the board, Frederica quickly sorts out her own name. And of course who's giving presents to her... and who's giving presents to her friends, and who her friends are giving presents to. It takes her a bit to go through all the combinations, but she finally shuffles off back to where she'd left her present and picks it up.

    Well-wrapped parcel in hand, she heads off in search of Rarity. She's looking kind of shy by the time she actually finds the glamour pony. It's one thing to approach a friend, or to give a gift through the post. It's quite another to approach a friend with an actual present and have them potentially open it RIGHT THERE in front of her! If there's disappointment, it just might crush poor Freddie's ego. And of course for all the girl's apparent self-confidence at times, she isn't always sure what other people appreciate. Let alone, of course, what a pony might.

    She sets the present down though. Smallish, but weighty for its size. Solid. Any shaking of the parcel will reveal little in the way of movement. The contents are primarily paper however, so that might in itself be easy enough to determine. "Hello... Rarity." she says, beaming, though her smile's a bit obviously nervous. "I love the hat!" she exclaims. And she's probably sincere here. She's no stranger to wearing bizarre things on her head after all.

Beli Klum (238) has posed:
    Riva's exuberance is another brief surprise to Beli. The rephaite blinks, then offers another awkward grin to Riva as she tucks her own gift under her arm. "Oh, Riva. Hello, and merry Christmas to you, too. Good to see you sharing all your energy with us" Another blink, this time of confusion. "...what...am I pulling off, exactly?"

    Ah, and things are proceeding quickly. Beli's attention turns back to Eryl again, nodding and smiling her understanding of the given instructions. The rephaite takes a moment to look around the room for Soan, but, unfortunately, it seems he hasn't made it in yet. Not the biggest issue; there's no reason she can't wait around, after all.

    So, for the moment, Beli is content to slip over to the table of food, pluck up a cookie, and get to nibbling as she watches the proceedings.

    It's all so /cheerful/. She can't help but smile at it all.

Freya (578) has posed:
Freya hmm as she looks over the white board. Her gift giver and the person she giving her gift are both here! Oh boy! Excting! She hopes TOph likes her gift and she wonder what she got as well. She does her best to try and keeps her nerves in check. She grabs a few cookies and start muching on one while walking over to Natasha and pats on the head. "I'm sure your Secret Sanata will show up later okay?", she offers her a cookie to.

Riva Banari has posed:
"Hi Dash!" Riva waves with her usual exuberance to the speediest pony alive and grins as they make their opinion on tree hats known. "It's spreading cheer everywhere she goes, just look at how she just /owns/ the tree. Just /owns the tree/. She's not afraid to be daring and new, take things /whole new directions/. Yeah!" Riva is all smiles here. She swipes some cookies herself with a practiced hand, helping Sweetie Belle when she pops over. Because hell yeah, holidays are for delicious snacks!

Beli gets another grin. "The outfit, of course! It's great! And don't worry, I've got plenty to go around. It's a party, right! Let's make the most of it! Hope everything works out well for you in the Secret Santa~" Riva says with a mild mysteeeeeeerious tone...

And then she stops in by Fredrica, nodding. "I know, right? It's like a portable Christmas Cheer dispenser! Look at the way the tinsel is just so! Mmm! I love it! And you're looking great as well, Fredrica. Man, everyone's all dressing up, and then there's all the food and fun! I love the holidays."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Hey, Rainbow! Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Heart warming whatever..." Toph greets the pegasus with a wide grin. No, she's not really caring what people call it. It's about the presents and the food, after all! "So... who were you a secret Santa for? And who's my secret Santa for that matter? You have the working eyes here..." It doesn't seem like anybody else is going to walk over to her with her present. Are they not here, maybe, just like Kongou?

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
     Whoops. It's not like Eryl to be so thoughtless as to not take Toph into account. Must be more tired than he thought, setting all this up. Going over to the earthbender, he smiles and takes her gift, putting it into his sack. "I'll see to it that your intended recipient receives it," he says cheerfully, before leaning in close to whisper into her ear. "Your Santa is Miss Freya. Sorry about that."

     Standing back up, he smiles and gives Rainbow Dash the greeting everyone got. This being his first time encountering ponies, he is a bit surprised, but he doesn't let it show. The beard helps in that regard. "Thank you Miss Rarity. I did not want to go too garish, just for the sake of myself when it comes time to take it all down."

Rarity (136) has posed:
So many people, so much cheer. Rarity's typical desire to be a social butterfly is only partially tempered by the fact that she's here for a purpose other than her own enjoyment of the festivities.

"You should of pushed it down over her eyes," Sweetie Belle comments playfully to Rainbow Dash.
"I heard that!"
"If I didn't want you to hear it I wouldn't say it out loud," Sweetie Belle retorts, with a brief pbbbt before resuming nomming cutely on a christmas cookie.

Rarity just rolls her eyes a bit. Ah, sisterly love. "Thank you dears. Just give me a moment, hmm?" She hasn't looked at the board yet so she doesn't realize Freddy's her Santa, just knowing whom she's suppose to give hers too. She trots over to Freya and gives her leg a polite nudge. "Pardon moi, dahling..."

And then the hat proves to actually serve a purpose as Rarity sits down to take it off with one hoof, and reach inside to pull a bundle wrapped in white and purple paper out of it, holding it up towards Freya. "But I do believe this is yours." And the hat goes back on her head afterwards.

Natasha (425) has posed:
Natasha nods and takes the cookie, "Yeah, maybe she's just late." She can't help but to overhear Toph's comment, "Maybe you should go give your gift, I don't think she likes to be kept waiting." She can't do much but watch and eat at this point anyway. She looks at the bundle that Rarity gives Freya wonder what's inside.

Freya (578) has posed:
Freya blinks as Rairty bows and hands hand a bundle wrapped in white and purple paper. "Thank you Miss Rarity! I'll open it in one mintue. I think if I let Toph wait and longer she will bring the room down on us!" She make her way over to the earthbender "Merry Christmas Toph! I'm your Secret Santa I hope you like your gift.",she holds out the moderely size box wrapped in red paper.

Rarity (136) has posed:
"Her and Rainbow Dash both," Rarity murmurs under her breath. She can practically feel the pegasus vibrating with anticipation from here.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Eryl better believe he earns another punch for that one! But at least Toph is smirking and clearly meaning it in a friendly manner. "Thanks. And huh, Freya?" She hasn't spoken much with her, but Toph turns in the direction of the other girl, clearly curious. And she seems patient enough to wait for Rarity to hand over her gift to Freya first.

    "Hey, if I were to bring the room down on us then I would mess up all the food," Toph snorts. "I am not THAT heartless, you know." Though she seems far less joking when she takes the gift, and heck... since Tony isn't here, she begins unwrapping it immediately to see what she's given. And she also keeps her senses open to check if there's any earth or metal in the gift...

Freya (578) has posed:
Inside of Toph's gift is knitted wool scarf green in colour to match her normal attaire and a small bottle with a cork on one end. What inside is metal, sort of . "Be careful with that it liquid metal. I figured you being an earthbender and all you find it pretty neat."

Rainbow Dash (43) has posed:
Rainbow Dash looks at Riva doubtfully. "If by spreading cheer you mean pine needles..." But despite her teasing, the perky pegasus is all grins for the holidays, whatever they happen to be called. "Cool getup by the way. Totally looks like the big guy." Dash flicks a hoof at her bangs, "I'm stuck looking all holiday-like till this thing wears off." But she doesn't look that annoyed about it. It IS the season, after all.

"What he said," Dash points out, grinning at Toph and Eryl. "And thanks dude, happy whatever-you-call-it too!"

With the 'secrets' revealed, Dash glances around quickly. Nope, no one coming her way. Though she can't say she's familiar with who her santa is supposed to be. Darn. But she does spot her own target. "Mine's Beli, so catch you guys in a sec!" Then with a flick of her wings, Dash is off. At least she gave Toph some warning this time.

And very abruptly, Dash is in front of Beli Klum. The pegasus hovers there barely a foot off of the ground, the festive-lightning bolt wrapped package held out inbetween her forehooves. "Hey!" Dash says brightly, "Happy holidays and all that stuff!"

Beli Klum (238) has posed:
    Beli ends up looking back at Riva with her cookie still held between her teeth. The clarification raises her brows, but also inspires some slight embarassment; the rephaite has to awkwardly take a moment to bite, chew, and swallow before she gives her sheepish smile. "Ah...well, thank you, Riva. I...just took something I had on hand, really. Not nearly as dressed up as the rest of you. But if it works, well..."

    Suddenly, Dash is right by her. Beli gives a soft sound of surprise as she jumps briefly where she stands, but she (fortunately) doesn't drop anything. Her bright smile returns when she realizes the burst of blue in front of her is Dash, and a moment is taken to carefully set down her own gift before accepting the pony's offering. "My, what a surprise. Thank you very much, Dash. And happy holidays to you, too, of course!"

    The rephaite turns the package over curiously once or twice, wondering exactly what might be in there before she actually starts opening it. Part of the fun is anticipation, after all, but it's not long before she starts carefully prying the package open, trying not to rip the wrapping paper. "I wonder what it could be..."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    At first Toph seems a bit confused as she feels the scarf. Indeed, she is a girl who is not too fond of soft packages... And she was certain she felt metal? Wait... "... /liquid/ metal?!" Toph exclaims, her eyes widening. "SWEET!" The scarf is tossed around her neck, and then she opens the bottle... and bends out the metal with one hand, a giddy look on her face like a kid who just got a new toy. "Oh man, this is soooo weird and cool at the same time!" she says, paying rapt attention as the flying blob slowly changes shapes... a snowman, a star, a cube... Indeed, she's having fun with it.

Rarity (136) has posed:
Rarity actually pauses to watch this for a moment. Not that she hasn't seen Toph use her abilities before. This metal that stays liquified when not heated, this is something unusual. It's almost like something DISCORD would come up with just to mess with people. Metal that's not solid and all that. "Well, I do believe it is safe to say that is going to keep her occupied for a long time."

Freya seems occupied watching Toph with her present, so Rarity turns her attention back to Fredrica. "You were saying, dahling?"

Frederica (73) has posed:
    Frederica's gift to Rarity, when she has a chance, is a series of photos and print-outs. A few magazines too, but very few. Mostly it's a collection of fashion rather than of commercialism. A large variety of fashion is shown however, and a good amount of it is entirely non-human. The outfits depicted are glamorous, stunning, sparkling and what have you, with the only restriction being that it's clothing and it's suitable for photography.

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva does snicker at Rainbow's joke. "Well, good thing /we're/ not the ones who have to clean it up then, eh?" She repies, giggling a little bit sprightly as she Beli answers her. "Bah, don't be all worried about it, Beli! Chin up! You look nice and we're all here to enjoy the party, right?"

Riva then looks over in fascination as Toph begins bending the liquid metal. "Wooooooooooow. Toph, that's /awesome/!" Riva claps. "Now you can just... make anything you want, right? I can't wait to see what you come up with!"

Rainbow Dash (43) has posed:
The most noticable thing about the box that Rainbow Dash hands to Beli Klum is that it's actually somewhat heavy. The wrapping paper gives way to a plain looking box, but who cares about the box. Inside is a series of what look to be six clasped bars, about a half foot long each, with a number of different weighted rings. The clasps are adjustable, and the weighted rings can be taken off or added on to.

"I kinda had trouble figuring out what to get you," Rainbow Dash admits, rubbing at the back of her head with a forehoof, "But then I remembered that you've usually got wings." She grins eagerly at Beli. "They're wing weights! You know, for flight training. I used to use a set like these and they totally helped my endurance!"

Kamon Lionward (628) has posed:
Kamon shows up kind of late. He's still got class, after all.

Being that he's never experienced anything like Christmas before, the moment he steps in the oddly-decorated door, he's a bit stunned by the bright and shiny decorations and the... trees? Indoor plants are usually way smaller than that; must be another holiday thing. He thinks he read a little bit about that, but it's all been kind of a blur.

"Extraverse religious holidays are weird," Kamon mutters. He wanders in the direction of the snack table with his backpack, fishing out what appears to be cookies to add to the mounds of delicious things. (Those familiar with COURAGE COOKIES will note that these are not them.)

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Hey, this is the closest thing I will get to know what waterbending is like... and man, I'm glad I'm not a waterbender!" Toph grins, then makes the metal blob take a round around Rarity's head before she brings it back and uses both her hands to split it into two. "This is so neat...!" Oh yes, she's having fun. "Yeah, I can make it into any shape I can imagine. Now I just want to get the feel of this!"

Soan Sagittarius (633) has posed:
Soan similarly shows up rather late. Classes are for everyone, after all.

     "It could be worse." The Thief mutters as he steps up behind Kamon, catching up to him as he holds in his hand a neatly packaged thing that very much look like a large, large bottle of undetermined beverage. The decorations of the reception room are puzzling, yet ... dissonantly attractive. It does seems to follow a pattern, after all.

     He put the bottle at the drinks on the snack table, unpacking it. It looks like a giant novelty bottle of soda. Several sodas. All in one bottle. It's kinda intense to look at, all the flavours waging war on one another. Red against Blue, Yellow against Green, all kind of struggling neatly inside the bottle.

Rarity (136) has posed:
"This is certainly an interesting variety of displays," Rarity muses as she flips through several of the photos.... it takes a few looks and a few minutes of doing so before it fully dawns on her that the images she's admiring, save the few magazine cut-outs are actual photographs. Which means they were likely taken directly at the source, or close to it. That gets her eyes to widen a bit as she looks back to Freddy. "My goodness dahling, wherever did you procure images of such a diversity of ensemblems?"

Freya (578) has posed:
Freya finally get around to Rairty gift she curiously looks over the white and purple wrapped gift then carefully starts tearing away the paper to see what inside.

Beli Klum (238) has posed:
    When Beli does get the gift open, the wrapping miraculously spared from any tearing, she looks a little confused at the strange, heavy shapes inside the box. Dash clarifies things quickly, though, and that look of confusion shifts to a bright grin. "Oh, weights! Thank you, Dash! And there are even enough for all six of them. I will have to try them out as soon as I can." She chuckles softly, then. "I would try them now, but...I did not exactly come prepared," she adds, gesturing to the back of her sweater.

    The box of weights is gently set on the floor, then, and Beli steps forward to slip her arms around the blue pegasus' neck in a warm, grateful hug. She lingers for a moment before stepping back again, grinning a little more brightly. "I think I will have to ask you for help getting them set up, though. I have not really used weights before...or done much exercise at all, really."

    Beli turns her head just in time to see Soan's entry, then. "Ah! He is here! Excuse me, Dash, I just need to get my...Santa-ing...out of the way." While not entirely sure about the usage of that word, Beli still doesn't linger much longer than it takes to cast a last grin to Dash, tuck the box of weights under her arm, and then pick up her own gift before slipping over to the Thief.

    The six-foot-tall glowing woman shouldn't be easy to miss coming up to Soan, especially with the bright grin she has. "Hello there, Soan! I am very glad you made it here. Merry Christmas!" That cheery greeting comes with the large, square package that's held out to him, wrapped up in blue wrapping paper with white angels all along it. It feels a little warm, too, though not unpleasantly so.

Frederica (73) has posed:
    Not all of Frederica's pictures are photos of course. Some are prints of photos taken by others. She did do some travelling though. Because what's the fun in finding a bunch of fashion photos if you don't actually leave your chair to check them out yourself?

    Yes, Frederica didn't spend any real money on the gift, but she spent something more valuable instead. Time. She grins at Rarity's reaction, relieved. "Oh, you know. Here and there." she claims modestly. Not like it's hard to get out and visit exotic locations in the multiverse. And even to get an invite to a fashion show in an exotic land... purely for research, yes. Never mind Frederica's likely to use some of what she's seen for her OWN inspiration!

    "Now if you'll excuse me..." Frederica says, still grinning. She looks relieved, not just pleased. "... I think I'm going to discover what sweets... er, what FOOD is available here~"

Rarity (136) has posed:
Rarity chuckles a little at Fredrica. She can read between the lines, but that just makes it all the more interesting. Sometimes time is the hardest commodity to part with, and should not be disregarded simply because it does not have a physical value. "I'm sure it will provide plenty of inspiration when I examine the portfolio more thoroughly later, thank you."

When Freya finally gets the package unwrapped she'd find the contents of an appropriate winter esemblem. A white fleece hoodie with snowflake patterns stitched onto it with light blue thread. While the scarf and gloves are reversed, being light blue with snowflakes stitched on the back of the gloves and the length of the scarf in white.

Rarity is quick to hold up a hoof to hold off any protests. "Before you say anything dahling, I accounted for clothing and your ... unusual ability not cooperating at times. But Twilight Sparkle helped me infuse this material with an enchantment that will all it to change size as you do."

Natasha (425) has posed:
"I wonder if I can my hands on some magma that doesn't dry up." Toph's gift can't help but to make Natasha a bit curious. "Though I'm not sure what I would I keep it in." Storing it would be difficult. "I wonder if Freya or I can make stuff that change sizes." They could both change the size of their body after all.

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
Eariler, at the Dragon's Nest:

    "Got another load of paperwork boss!"

"Thanks, stack it on top of the others please."

    Fayt sits in his office, or at least it's possibly his office, stacks of paperwork, order forums, even some boxes sorround the room in great piles reaching from floor to cealing, winter is hectic for a shipping company, and this is an espically hectic one. As the workers bring in more, a pile behind Fayt starts to gently sway...

*CRASH!*

Now:

    Fayt comes running into the room Eryl booked. Sheets of paper trailing behind him as he almost falls in through the door. "Alright! I'm here! I'm not late am I? Things got backed up at the Nest and I sort of... got burried in my work." As he leans on the door frame to catch his breath, there's what seems to be a small package tucked under one arm.

Freya (578) has posed:
Freya ohs looking over the winter garments. "Oh these are great Rairty! There so pretty and well crafted!", Freya can do a little sewing but nothing as well as Rarity. "I wasn't even think about any enchaments on the clothing Rairty but that a nice bonus!", she looks over as Fayt crashes in. "Only a little Fayt."

Rainbow Dash (43) has posed:
"Heh, no sweat!" Rainbow Dash finally touches down on the ground, landing lightly on all four hooves. Her wings flick back, settling against her sides. "Even I'm not about to go exersizing in the middle of a party, so don't worry about it." Dash beams, lifting her head a bit at the reception that her gift gets. And is rewarded by getting pulled into a hug.

Hugs are always awkward for Dash as somepony who doesn't really get into heartwarming stuff like that. And this one isn't much different. She shifts awkwardly on her hooves, lifting one forehoof to half return it. "Good thing I got these then," Dash says, grinning as she steps back from the hug, "Just in time to show you how to do some serious wing training!" That, at least, Dash is enthusiastic about! "You got it, I'll totally help you out later!" When Beli's santa-target arrives, Dash lifts a hoof to wave at her. "Catch you later!" The pegasus spreads her wings, eyes already glancing to the food table. "I got some snacks to dive in to!" And just as quickly as ever, Rainbow speeds off to check out the other important part of the holidays; Food!

Soan Sagittarius (633) has posed:
     No real use to lie here: Soan is a little surprised at Beli's approach! A six-foot tall woman is not particularly that unusual in that grand scheme of things that is life. Plenty of tall women at the Academy, many even younger than him. What is a little more surprising is the glow. The glow is a little peculiar, including for the wings.

     "Huh?" The Thief lets out, a bit startled on the spot as he settle down the bottle, letting the warring liquids inside get at it against one another. Red is starting to gain an advantage on Yellow, who's getting it's arse kicked by Blue. Truthfully, it's all just laws of primal elemental physics in motion. His hands freed, he look at the box then heft it up, curiously looking at it. It's very nicely packaged, he'll admit. Themed, at that. He carefully gauge the weight of it, lifting it up to look at it from another angle, as if he was looking for traps. Of course it's not trapped. It's a gift, you git.

     "Ah, well, thanks you very much!" He says, a little guiltily that he don't fully know her name, moving the slightly warm box to an empty table as he begins to unpack it, careful to not rip apart the beautifuly folded wrapped paper. He's fast about it, methodical. Then something hits him.

     Soan pauses a few moments later. He adds, after it. "And, ah, merry christmas."

Reker (631) has posed:
Better late than never. Reker has arrived dressed in some of the special Holiday themed tactical gear from GGO. Beyond that, well. He's not doing too much to try to stand out yet. Lots of folks he hasn't ever even talked to, let alone met in person. Well as close to in person as he gets, anyway.

He tries to take a quick look around for the person he's supposed to be secret santa'ing for, but he hasn't caught sight of them yet, so he holds onto the package under his arm for now.

Beli Klum (238) has posed:
    The gift is, fortunately, not trapped. That would be rather cruel, and Beli isn't /that/ much of a demon. Beli folds her arms behind her back and lingers behind as Soan starts to unwrap the present, not even noticing the lack of a returned seasonal greeting until the Thief catches himself and points it out. Her smile only widens, then; she's not going to make a point of it, certainly.

    The paper gives way to a box, though what's inside the box is a little more elaborate. It's a clear glass statue about the size of a desk lamp, shaped like an abstract angelic figure pouring a jug hoisted on its shoulder into a dish at its feet, two wings curling around from its back. Except there's nothing coming out of the jug or sitting in the pool. There is, however, a strange blue substance inside the entire figure that seems like fire attempting to act like water. The entire thing holds a very gentle, soothing warmth, almost like the inner feeling a loving embrace would impart.

    "It is a fountain," Beli chimes in helpfully. "Though...I thought it would be nice to put seraphic flames in there instead of water. They heal anything that is not unholy and inspire positive feelings, so feel free to touch them when you get it going. It should not set anything on fire, either," she adds with a slight grin. "I thought it might be a helpful stress reliever, if classes get too difficult."

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt nods slowly has he walks into the room, finding a seat to flop into. "Ok not too late, that's good." He nods to Freya. "I got your gift, what was with that note though?" Taking a moment to catch his breath, He glances around at the others. "Anyone see Lou recently?"

Rebecca Chambers has posed:
    Arriving a bit on the late side but arriving nonetheless is Rebecca Chambers. You can tell it's her because of her hair, her stature... and that famous olive green and white S.T.A.R.S. uniform she always wears while she's on duty. She's carrying a wrapped package and seems to be slightly in a rush, but otherwise seems none the worse for the wear. She gives a nod and a smile to those she knows. Then she begins to look around for Riva...

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva happens to be present! She's at the food table, drinking punch and gabbing at batically anyone who looks like they need to be gabbed at.

Fayt might notice a present on the table with his name on it in white wrapping paper with fplashes of watercolor dotting it. It's flat-ish and has a distinctly folder-like shape to it.

Rebecca Chambers has posed:
    Having never met Riva, Rebecca is a little nervous, but she hands the package to Riva. "H-here, this is for you," She says, trying to force a smile that doesn't look nervous. Still, it's easy to tell that Rebecca's new to this and isn't feeling quite herself right now.

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva looks duly surprised when Rebecca Chambers approaches. "Hi there!" She smiles brightly. "Nice to meet you!" She grins. "Yeah, I'm Riva. Thank you very much!" She beams, and begins poking at the wrapping, looking it over. She works on unwrapping the gift, and comments as she does so, "So, you work as a medic, right? I heard you mention that before on the radio."

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Having had a few moments to rest, Fayt gets up to look over the tables, with how work has been he actually could use a drink and something to eat. That's when he notices the present with his name on it. "Hmmm? What's this, and erm... why is my name on it?"

Soan Sagittarius (633) has posed:
     Soan observes the beautiful statue as it is being explained to hin. He feels it's light, it's bright energy, perhaps on some more other levels that the angelic-like being may be aware of about him. Still, it very, very well done. Very magical, and the water-like flames will be a source of entertainment to investigate when he has more time. Until then...

     "That's very thoughtfull!" The Thief answers, slowly returning the fountain back into the box for safe keeping. "Thanks you very much! I'm not sure how it works, but I'll be pretty eager to give it a try when things get more stressfull than they normally are. Is something else I should know about it, things not to do, that sort of stuff?" He asks, before remembering the other reason why he's here at all.

     He smacks Kamon briefly on the shoulder to attract his attention, letting the box on the table as he reach out into his backpack, taking out a box shaped like two laptops on top of one another. It's wrapped in a nice red and white paper. "Here, Kamon. Merry, uh, Christmas, they say?" He says, looking around as if waiting on a confirmation that wont come, then begin to answer a question that's probably gonna be asked. "Yeah, I know, I was surprised too, but here we are."

Rebecca Chambers has posed:
    "Y-yes I do," Rebecca says, still a little nervous about her present. She didn't know that much about Riva, but had heard bits and pieces, so she was hoping her present would be OK. Inside the package is a black jacket, looking similar to a biker's, but not made with actual leather. On the back is Riva Banari's full name on it, with what looks like an image of her face painted on it. Apparently, Rebecca had it custom made.

Riva Banari has posed:
Upon opening the gift, Riva pulls out the jacket and looks it over, her eyes wide as she examines it. "Oh my god this is /so cool/!" She squees, immediately throwing on the jacket and giving Rebecca an enthusiastic hug. "I love it! Thank you /so much/!" People might not be able to get her out of it for the next few days.

Beli Klum (238) has posed:
    "Ah, just uncork the jar and it should take care of the rest," Beli remarks, gesturing briefly to it as Soan puts it away. Her head tilts slightly in thought as she tries to consider what other things to do. "Well...just keep it away from anything with an unholy nature. It will burn that away like real fire. Otherwise, it is very safe to keep around." Her grin brightens at that point; seeing someone honestly enjoy something she's done is clearly something that makes her happy. "I am very glad you like it! I hope it is pleasant to keep around. Enjoy the holidays, Soan, and I hope all your time at the Academy goes well, too!"

    With that, Beli slips off for the moment. The sweets at the table need more attention, and she's just the girl to give it to them before she heads out.

Rebecca Chambers has posed:
    Rebecca is caught off-guard, but doesn't mind the fact that Riva likes it. "Oh my... uh, I'm glad you like it!" Rebecca would be sweatdropping if she were an anime character right now!

Riva Banari has posed:
"Thank you so much! I'm going to go show it off now!" Riva laughs, and then gives Rebecca one more quick hug before bounding off.

Fayt's confused question gets a sudden answer as Riva passes by. "It's a present for you, silly! Open it!" She then continues walking off, but takes up position nearby Fayt, watching. AND PREPARING.

Freya (578) has posed:
"Open it! Open it!", Freya chants smiling and watching Fayt at his present.

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt blinks at Riva and Freya as he suddenly as an audience. "I um.. a-alright..." Slowly, he picks up the preasent and carefully opens it.

    Hopefully whatever happens next isn't too big a scare.

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
     Eryl goes over to Reker, carrying his sack and retrieving a present! It's rather long, and the paper is the color of gunmetal. "Mister Lloyd Irving could not make it today, but he sent his gift ahead for you. Merry Christmas." He hands the gift over with a smile.

Riva Banari has posed:
The present opens to reveal a brightly-decorated manila folder, with splashes of watercolors depicting a tropical beach and a chibi Fayt relaxing on the beach with shades and drinking a brightly-colored drink. The tiny umbrella is strong with this one.

Inside is a page with the following declaration:

-- CONGRATULATIONS, FAYT RAVUS! --

--- SANTA HAS PROVIDED YOU WITH: ---

A VACATION!

Behind that are 2 tickets for a Multiversal cruise booked through a reputable company, with itinerary and Cool Stuff planned.

Behind that is an internship application filled out by Riva Banari, who is apparently willing to come help out during the holidays and the length of the vacation.

"MERRY CHRISTMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!" Riva calls, waving her hands with a giant smile.

Reker (631) has posed:
Handing over the package, Reker grins a little bit, "Ah, shame. I'll make sure to thank him when I talk to him next." He says, "That one's for Yuna Kugurazaka, though I haven't seen her around yet.." He grins a little bit more as he moes to open up his package and see what's inside.

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    "Should she not show up before you have to go, leave it with me. I shall make sure she gets it."

     Inside the package is an Irving Gunsword of the same hue as the wrapping paper, though slightly glowing. The shell set would allow the weapon to function more like a very long pistol, firing a quick pulse of mana functionally the same as a bullet. A tag, tied to the hilt, reads, "In case you find a way to bring it into the game with you, or if you want a challenge to take up later on, here is the Soldier's Sidearm. Merry Christmas! Lloyd."

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
...

...

.///.

    Fayt slowly turns to look at Riva, he's gone red in the face, bright red "I.. um... I, er I-I-I-um-I-er..."
    
There's a long, awkward pause then. "Um... t-t-t-t-t-t-t-thank you?"

    Fayt it seems, at something of a loss for words.

Frederica (73) has posed:
    Frederica, who is not normally nosy as hell but makes an exception for this when it comes to friends, is trying to peer over Fayt's shoulder at his gift folder contents. When she has little luck peering over his shoulder, being none too tall, she peers around it instead. When she finally sees the contents, she busts out laughing. Long and hard laughter, wildly uncontrolled...

Freya (578) has posed:
Freya smiles and giggles at Fayt. ". Oh dear I think Fayt is broken. Again. Must have been a really good gift!"

Reker (631) has posed:
Taking the Gunsword into his hand, Reker takes a few moments to read the inscription on it, and then whistles a bit, "Damn, this is nice.." he says, as he twists it in his hand, testing the weight on it, "I will definitely need to figure out a way to get this into the game." He hmms a bit. He'll need to talk to Kirito to see if it's possible to do so.

For now, he holds onto his gift, though he'll make sure that Eryl gets it if Yuna doesn't show up before the party ends. For now, he's going to go mingle.

Natasha (425) has posed:
Natasha on the other hand can look over Fayt's shoulder to see what he got. She can't help but to laugh at Fayt's reaction as well. "So where are we going to send him on vacation? It needs to be somewhere nice and peaceful so he doesn't worry!"

Freya (578) has posed:
Freya says, "..and a place were he can't get any cell phone serivce!"

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    As everyone talks around him, Fayt jsut stadns there, going ever redder in the face and stuttering uncontrolably. "W-w-what's so funny?"

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt stands where he is, carefully closing hte foldering in his hands and tucking it under one arm, he coughs. "I um er i... yes, t-thank you. I look forward to it?" that said he slowly shuffles off to a corner of hte room to go hide in.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
"Sorry I'm late!" calls out Yuna as she literally runs into the Ring of Philosophy, however it's currently configured. She has a box tucked under one arm, wrapped in glittery silver paper and tied with a yellow ribbon; she skids to a halt, looking around and bowing to people whom she recognizes. (Which is not, she realizes, NEARLY as many as she'd like.)

Noiela (647) has posed:
Noiela moves aside for a fellow wall hugger, communicating by an exchange of glances and what might be the merest hint of a nod to seal the deal with Fayt. Whoever he may be.

Catching wind of yet another gaudily wrapped and tied present, her right hand stealthily creeps up her left sleeve, retrieving from its roomy billow a small, nondescript silver case.
"P...perhaps, I can..." Bending politely at the waist to the newest arrival whilst stimultaneously endevouring to not be noticed, she studies the room, frantic to espy a face she can name.

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
    Eryl smiles at the latecomer and the party crasher, giving them both a "HO HO HO! Merry Christmas!" before addressing them more personally.

    To Yuna, he says, "Not to worry, I had expected this. I believe that both your Santa and your recipient are still here, so you've missed nothing. Help yourself to some food and have a pleasant time."

    To Noiela, he says, "Well now! You were not in the Secret Santa I believe, but you are welcome to stay and be festive."

Frederica (73) has posed:
    Frederica waves to Yuna cheerily, using a small plate to wave with rather than risk upsetting the drink she has in the other hand. Fortunately the plate's unladen, or things might get messy. "Come on in! Glad to see you!" she says, grinning. "And not just because you're my secret santa~" she giggles, gesturing at the projected list of Secret Santas. Nooo, Freddie's not greedy, not exactly. She just loves getting presents!

Reker (631) has posed:
"Yuna!" Reker has been milling around and when she does finally arrive, he slides over towards here quickly, "Here." He offers her a box that has nice, shiny red wrapping paper on it, and her name on the tag, "I was your secret santa."

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt nearly jumps as he notices Noiela, giving her a small nod back. "Oh er... h-hello. did you come here to join the party?" Fayt it seems as just as skittish at the moment, though given the events around his gift, who could blame him?

Noiela (647) has posed:
Noiela grants Eryl a small smile, practically thrusting her Unidentified Festive Object into his hands, conspicously keeping no more than the very tips of her fingers from showing out from underneath her sleeves. "No time to wrap it, name is taped underneath." Short, clipped sentences that are entirely unsuccessful at disgusing her pink faced embarrassment.

Scrawled messily on the underside is indeed a name, yet the sharpest eyes probably can decipher no more than a lone 'n' as the last blotted letter in a heavily slanted hand. Prised apart, it contains a letter opener crafted as a sword inlaid with gold and red coral, teardrop socket in the middle. Replete with silver chain.

Catching on to Fayts attempt to engage in conversation, she twists round to splutter out an equally hesitant response. "Y...Yes. Brief-briefly."

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
     Eryl quirks an eyebrow as a sharp object is thrusted at him in a way he's never experienced before. Turning it over, he checks the name and frowns. Judging by the way she is acting, he can make a guess as to who it is for, but he needs confirmation.

     "Certainly, I can send this along with the other gifts for those who couldn't make it. I'll even wrap it, if you like. But who is it for? I cannot make out this name."

Fayt Ravus (319) has posed:
    Fayt nods to Noiela. "I-I-I see? Well um... H-have fun." That said, Fayt leans back against the wall seemingly trying to sink into it. Apparnetly Fayt's being a bit... Fayt like at the moment.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna smiles apologetically at Eryl and Frederica (whom she recognizes) and Reker (whom she doesn't, at least off the top of her head). "I'm really sorry to keep you guys waiting -" She offers the box she's holding to Frederica. "Here you go, and Merry Christmas! Took me some hunting to find something for you, and I hope I got your sizes right ..."

Sizes?

Noiela (647) has posed:
"It's..." Watching Fayt has an oddly calming effect, allowing the girl to square her shoulders and look this whole season and its jolly creator straight in the metaphorical eye. Regaining a measure of her usual poise, she first addresses the wallflower and his eager move to be one with his section of the wall. In a confidential undertone, head bowed in his direction. It takes less than a second.

"Keep moving right, the door is not far." Addressing Eryl next, she murmurs out the name of his Highness, Prince Landon al Cid, words jumbled in their haste to exit her mouth fast as they possibly can be uttered.

It felt...unusual and the old sensation of panic was back, this time entirely groundless. Her gaze flitting automatically round the rooom, scouting out the people within. It was not like home, she must remember. The cheery decorations alone testified terror and scheming smiles had no place. Yet still, she felt sticky palmed and nine inches tall again. Watching her father as he wound the audience round his uplifted finger.

"I...thank you for the-a moment, breath of fresh air wanted..."

Reker (631) has posed:
"It's Reker, by the way." He says to Yuna, since he has a feeling she probably doesn't recognize him, "The guy from GGO? Uh. That's all I got. I ain't really known for anything else. That's why I'm trying to get out to these sorts of things, you know?"

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
"Ohh, I *thought* you looked familiar ..." Yuna smiles sheepishly as she accepts Reker's gift. "Sorry, I should remember what the guy who brought me back to life in GGO looks like, shouldn't I?" She bows apologetically. "Ah ... should I go ahead and open it now?"

Reker (631) has posed:
Reker grins, "Yeah that's right, I did save you that one time, huh? Go for it. I hope you'll like it." He says, as he shifts a step back to let her open it up.

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
     Eryl grins, but his beard helps conceal it. Just as he had expected. Carefully, he puts the letter opener in the bag, so that it doesn't split it open.

    "I understand. It will reach him. Thank you for coming."

     He grins even harder when Noiela steps out to compose herself.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna busies herself for a moment with unwrapping her gift from Reker; she'll focus on refreshments afterwards.

Reker (631) has posed:
Reker watches as Yuna opens the box, Inside of it is a digital music player and a pair of high quality headphones from Reker's world, "Somebody told me you liked music...Figured you probably already had one but I pre-loaded this one with a lot of my favorite music, which I hope you will enjoy."

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna smiles, "Would you believe I don't have a dedicated music player right now? This looks like a really nice one, though - I'll take good care of it. And thank you for the music, I'll be sure to listen to it soon!"

Reker (631) has posed:
"Well then, that kills two birds with one stone, huh?" Reker says, "I hope you'll enjoy it. It should be able to hold plenty of data, I just put some of my all time favorites on there, lots of room for your own music."

Eryl Fairfax has posed:
     Eryl stands at the back of the room once more, raising a glass of holiday punch. Flicking his finger against it, it produces a clear tone to draw the attention of those in attendance. Clearing his throat, he removes the fake beard so he can be heard clearly.

    "Sorry to interrupt everyone, but I had something to say. Christmas is fast approaching, and to everyone it means something different. To some, it means time with family. Others, to feast deeply. To others still, presents and gifts, either giving or receiving." He takes a deep breath through the nose before continuing.

    "To me, it represents sustainability, and a time of living, giving and loving. A time where people can come together, make merry, exchange symbols of appreciation for each other, and live. In my world, such a thing is a fantasy; there just are not enough resources to indulge it. Thus, this is my first real Christmas."

     He gives the assembled a genuine smile. "As such, I thank you all for coming, and helping me experience it. The Union has been very kind to me, and I do hope that organizing this helped show how much I appreciate it." He raises his glass.

    "So, just to sum up: thank you all for indulging me by coming here. May everyone, Union, Confederacy or other, have a very merry Christmas." He downs his toast in one gulp.

     "So, I hope you all had fun. I'll ensure that the gifts from those who could not make it are sent out ASAP. Get home safely everyone."