A JELLICLE CHRISTMAS!

"Come on, Cettie!" Electra yelled excitedly to her friend, "It's snowing!"

Etcetera jumped up and down, trying to catch snowflakes on her tongue whilst giggling. "I KNOW! I can't wait to see what presents I've got – I want Tuggsie!"

"Cets, you CAN'T get Tugger for a present." Electra insisted, as the two queen-kits ran to the Junkyard from their houses that they stayed in with their separate owners – they coincidentally lived next door to each other.

"Why?" Etcetera whined, slowing down as they reached the clearing, which was alive with cats.

"Well, for one thing...It looks like Bombalurina got their first." The red and black kitten sighed heavily as they both saw Tugger holding a bit of mistletoe above the scarlet queen's head. They were both looking at each other flirtatiously, until eventually Bomba leant in and kissed him.

Etcetera pouted as she folded her arms. "It's not fair!"

"What's not, sis?" Tumblebrutus knocked his little sister to the ground and they both rolled around as Cettie squealed, wrestling him back.

"Tumble!" Etcetera gasped, finally shoving him off her, "It's snowing!"

"I know," he laughed, light flakes dampening his mane as he shook them off, "It's so cool!"

Electra sat down next to them, just as Jemima, Pouncival and Victoria ran up.

"Hi everyone!" Jemima beamed, twirling around elegantly, "I love this time of year!"

"Me too!" Victoria giggled staring up at the dark sky, alive with a full moon, twinkling stars and gently falling snowflakes, "It's so pretty!"

"Yes, but..." Pouncival frowned, glancing around at the decorative lights and strange prickly trees with stars on them, "What exactly does it...mean?"

This caused all of the other kittens to frown too as they contemplated the thought.

"Well...Munk says it's something called 'Christmas'." Electra said eventually, "And I've heard my owners talk about it, too."

"And what IS Christmas?" Tumble asked, "Because, I've heard about a human dressed in red with a beard, and someone being born in a stable..."

"Let's ask Munkustrap!" Victoria suggested, "He'll know!"

It was at this time that Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer returned from their latest heist. As they dumped their sacks on the floor, filled with brand new shiny things, they were suddenly surrounded by the bunch of clamouring kittens.

"Oh...Awlright, ya lot?" Mungo asked in surprise, "Whot's tha problem?"

"We're confused, Jerrie." Pouncival tried to explain, "About Christmas."

At this, the calico cats grinned, their eyes lighting up. "Christmas!" they said in unison.

"We jus' love Christmas," Teazer told the kittens, "'Cos it's when our 'umans get awl this amazin' stuff tha' we can jus' steal! Oh, an' give ta ya lot," she added as she rummaged through her sack, retrieving a sparkly necklace, "'Ere, play wif this." She threw it at Jemima, who caught it excitedly.

"So, it's when you just get a lot of presents? But we do that already!" Etcetera said, perplexed.

"There's prob'ly more ta it than tha'," Mungo admitted, "But ta be 'onest, we ain't awl tha' fussed. 'Ave a good Christmas, anyway."

The calico criminals ruffled the kitten's head fur before heading off to chat to Tugger and Bombalurina.

"Well, they weren't much help," Tumble huffed.

Munkustrap and Demeter were strolling around the Junkyard, smiling at each other, when Munk suddenly felt a tug at his tail. He glanced around in surprise to find Etcetera sitting there, playing with his tail.

"Hi, Munk!" the hyper kitten beamed, "We wanted to ask you about Christmas!"

"Oh!" Munkustrap said, winking at Demeter, who grinned back. "Sure, of course. I know a lot of cats are confused about it, so I'll try to explain it the best I can."

Most of the Jellicles were beginning to assemble around Munk and Demeter, all eager to hear the story.

"'Ey, Munk! If ya want us ta act it out, we're more than willin'!" Mungo called out, "We 'ave experience, Teaze and meh!"

"Thanks, Jerrie." Munkustrap smiled back, "Come out, then."

Mungo and Teazer eagerly leapt up to join Munkustrap in the centre, as Demeter sat down to also hear the story.

"This is how Christmas came about," Munkustrap began, "Once there were two humans, called Mary and Joseph. One day Mary was visited by –"

"The Everlasting Cat!" Jemima squealed and Munk grinned.

"Not quite. No, it was an angel."

The cats all frowned at each other, murmuring in confusion.

"It's like a human with wings," Munk supplied helpfully, "And they're...magic. Like Misto."

The tuxedoed cat smirked to himself, nudging Plato.

"Anyway, this angel told Mary that she was going to have a baby, which came as a surprise because she'd never, well, 'mated' with Joseph. But this was going to be a special son, one that would grow up to do great things for humans. He was the son of God, human's version of the Everlasting Cat. So, Mary had to go home and tell Joseph, who wasn't exactly thrilled that Mary was having a baby that wasn't his."

Rumpleteazer promptly grabbed Mungojerrie and flung herself in his arms and he staggered slightly in surprise.

"Joseph!" she cried, "Oi'm...pregnant! Oi'm sorreh!"

"WHOT?" Mungo yelled back, enjoying himself thoroughly, "But we 'aven't even mated!"

"Oi know! Listen, this is a son o'...GOD!"

"Oi don' care who's it is! Oi don' want ta 'ear this guy's name!"

"No, Joseph! It's tha LORD!" Rumpleteazer wailed dramatically, clutching onto Mungo's fur.

Mungojerrie dropped her and she squealed, momentarily coming out of character as she whacked his leg. As he hopped around, grimacing, Munkustrap quickly continued the story.

"But then an angel came to Joseph as he slept, telling him that it would be ok. So, he decided to stay with Mary and love the special son. Eventually, Mary was close to giving birth, and as she was in labour..." Munkustrap furrowed his brow, trying to remember, "Well, Joseph was going to somewhere called Bethlehem and Mary had no choice but to go with him. They travelled all the way there, but couldn't find a room to stay in –"

Rumpleteazer had leapt onto Mungo's back and he started marching around in a circle.

"Who do ya mean, there's no room?" Teazer fumed, "Oi'm 'aving a kitten!"

"Oi'm tryin' ta get ya a room, sweet'eart." Mungo gasped out, "But ya weigh a ton, so –"

"Oy!" Teazer smacked him on the head, "Munk, if there's no room, where am oi givin' birth ta this kit?"

"Hold on, Teazer," Munk grinned, "There was only one room available, but that was a..."

"Swimming pool?" Etcetera called out hopefully.

"Um, no. It was actually a stable, which is where they keep animals like horses." Munk told them all.

Rumpleteazer leapt back onto her feet and lay on the floor.

"Am oi givin' birth now?" she called out.

"Well, let's not go too graphic," Munkustrap advised her quickly. "Ok, so her son was born and all these people gave him gifts because he was so special. Mary decided to call him 'Jesus' –"

"Jesus?" Rumpleteazer wrinkled her nose, "Oi kind o' loike tha name Indigo...Joseph, are ya sure?"

"Yeah, oi like Jesus." Mungojerrie told her, patting her shoulder, "Moiy, whot a beau'iful kit we 'ave, Mary."

"Thank ya."

"Right! And from then on, Christmas day is celebrated every year, on the day Christ was born."

"I thought he was called Jesus?" Tugger asked.

"Well, he was, but...I don't know, maybe he had more than one name. We do." Munk cleared his throat, "So, that's what Christmas means! And we give presents to each other to celebrate. And it snows because it's really cold."

They Jellicles all began to clap. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer took a bow and Demeter sidled up to Munkustrap.

"Wonderful, sweetheart." She grinned, nuzzling his head, "Very good."

"It makes sense now!" Etcetera squealed, "Now I want to see my presents!"

All the kittens ran off, playing in the snow, which was beginning to fall more heavily. Munkustrap smiled, cuddling into his mate.

"Merry Christmas, everyone."

~Fini~

Well, I hope you liked it. It's certainly got me in a Christmas mood xD

Merry Xmas!

Shego xx