The last campfire of the year began with an explosion.

This was unfortunately common at Camp Half-Blood, so most campers barely glanced over.

The Roman ambassadors, though, about fell over. They were less used to random explosions than the Greeks.

When the smoke cleared, there was a sleigh where the Apollo kids usually stood. As one, the Apollo kids appeared from inside the sleigh, wearing antlers. Will Solace, the counselor of Cabin 8, was dressed as Santa.

They began to sing "Sleigh Ride", but Pollux of the Dionysus cabin was making his usual sarcastic comments a lot louder than normal.

Just hear those sword fights crashing,
Clash trash flashling too
Come on, it's a lovely battle
For a Greek on a saddle 'gainst you
Outside the blood is flowing
And friends are dying on me,
Come on, it's a lovely battle
For a praetor on a saddle 'gainst you.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap,
Let's go, Let's count up the dead
We're riding in a funeral parlor.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap,
It's grand, cutting off your hand,
We're fighting along with a giant
With a grudge so big and true

Our cheeks are nice and bloody
And sweating buckets are we
We're pressed up together
Like two birds with a hate would be
Let's take that road of friendship
Before we annihilate you
Come on, it's a lovely battle
For a centaur with a saddle against you.

Reyna leaned over to Leo and whispered, "Was that about the battle? Our battle?"

"I guess," Leo whispered back. "I don't know, though, I was kind of busy destroying Gaia."

"Shut up," she said. "They've started again."

The Apollo cabin was valiantly trying to keep attention focused toward the front, which was made rather difficult since the entirety of the Aphrodite had just stood up wearing skintight red shirts and black leather pants. Oh, and Santa hats. They all began to sing what might have been "Santa Baby", but could have easily been "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" for all the attention paid to the words.

Lupa baby, slip a toga under the tree, for me
I've been an awful good girl
/boy (depending on the gender of the singer)
Lupa baby, so hurry to the cabin tonight

Hermes baby, a bitchin chariot for me too, light blue
I'll wait up for you dear
Hermes baby, so hurry to the cabin tonight

Think of all the fun I've missed
Think of all the boys/girls that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be just as good
If you'd check off my Christmas list

Percy baby, I want Andromeda and that's
Not a lot
I've been an angel all year
Percy baby, so hurry to the cabin tonight

Valdez honey, there's one thing I really do need, the key
To the bu-unker 9
Valdez honey, so hurry to the cabin tonight

Zeusie baby, I'm filling my stocking with a duplex, and checks
Sign your 'X' on the line
Zeusie baby, so hurry to the cabin tonight

Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Versace
I really do believe in you
Let's see if you believe in me

Aphrodite, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring
I don't mean an IM
Aphrodite, so hurry to the cabin tonight

Hurry to the cabin tonight
Hurry to the cabin tonight

"Is this a normal occurrence?" Reyna asked.

"What?" Leo responded, still distracted by the sight of Drew (and Piper, and Lacy, and Katrina, and…) in leather pants.

"The songs. They aren't normal Christmas Carols."

"Oh, that," he said, turning around. "Yeah, camp tradition. Ooh, Jason's turn!"

Jason stood and sang (surprisingly in tune):

Last August, I tried to kill you
And the very next day, you slumbered away
This year, because you're a bitch
I refuse to go on the quest

Once sleeping and twice flied
I try to get away but you're still here
Tell me Gaia
Do you recognize me
Well, it's been four months, it doesn't surprise me
Happy New Year, I wrapped you up and stabbed you
With a message saying 'I hate you', I meant it
Now I know what a genius I've been
But if you kill me now, I know you'd probably be killed

Last August, I tried to kill you
And the very next day, you slumbered away
This year, because you're a bitch
I refuse to go on the quest

Last August, I tried to kill you
And the very next day, you slumbered away
This year, because you're a bitch
I refuse to go on the quest

A crowded field and friends with sharp swords
I'm hiding from you and your hideous face
My God, I thought you were someone to stand upon
Me? I guess I was only, only, only a pawn
A menace to a friend with a fire in his heart
A girl (and I love her) but you tore her apart
But this year
But this year I'll kill you right and proper

Cause last August, I tried to kill you
And the very next day, you slumbered away
This year, because you're a bitch
I refuse to go on the quest

"Good voice," Leo commented. "Bad lyrics."

"Let's hear you do better," Reyna challenged.

Leo stood up with the rest of the Hephaestus cabin. They launched into a stirring rendition of "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful". Or, rather, "Oh, Come All Ye Half-Bloods".

O Come All Ye Half-Bloods

Terrified we may be,

O come ye, O come ye to Camp Half-Blood.

Come, 'fore we're eaten,

They are freaking monsters;

O come, let us run in,

O come, let us run in,

O come, let us run in,

Christ! Oh, Lord!

O Shiz, they have found us,

Run like Furies chase you,

Oh, wait, they freaking are! Run, freak, run!

If we pass the pine tree, we are safe;

O come, let us run in,

O come, let us run in,

O come, let us run in,

Christ! Oh, Lord!

All arms! Lord, we almost bit it,

Thank God they were fat and slow,

O Jesus! I thought you were empousai.

Honest mistake, now,

let's just blame PTSD;

O come, let us run in,

Christ! Oh, Lord!

Leo sat down, smirking. "So there," he said.

Reyna rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Travis and Connor Stoll began to do somewhat of a duet with the Ares cabin:

I really can't stab – Well, it's time to learn
I don't have the time - Well, it's time to learn
This summer has been - Been hoping that you'd learn to fight
So very sharp - I'll hold your hand, you pathetic wimp
My mother will start to worry – Come on, what's your hurry
I'm sure she'll be pacing the floor - Listen to the hellhounds roar
So really I'd better scurry – You'll die for this hurry
Well maybe just a half a term more - Put some armor on while I train

The neighbors might think – There's monsters out there
Is that spear electric?! - No wimps to be had in here
I wish I knew how – You think monsters are this slow?
To break the spear - I'll take your sword, your performance sucked
I ought to say no, no, no, no - Mind if I STAB YOU NOW?
At least I'm gonna say that I tried – Do you call this trying?
I really can't stay – Leave and I'll kill you
Oh my Gods, Clarisse scares me!

"Rhythm was off," Reyna remarked.

"Yeah, well, Ares isn't exactly stellar on that front."

The rest of the Hermes Cabin began singing a version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", but it seemed awfully violent from where Reyna and Leo sat.

We hate that you steal the solos;

We hate that you steal the solos;

We hate that you steal the solos so we stole all your clothes.

Good like trying to find them in the snow;

We forgot where we hid them and we will not share.

We can parody just as well;

And our rhythm doesn't suck as bad;

So give us some solos or we'll force you to streak.

We won't go until you share them;

We won't go until you share them;

We won't go until you share them, so le-et us in

We hate that you steal the solos;

We hate that you steal the solos;

We hate that you steal the solos, so we stole all your clothes.

Katie Gardner, of the Demeter cabin started crying, she was laughing so hard. Travis and Connor were less than pleased.

The Iris cabin launched into their own version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", which Leo was pretty sure was a classic.

Clovis, the Hypnos child

Had a very ugly face (like Medusa)

And if you ever saw it

You would try and flee to space (or Pigfarts!)

All of the other campers

Used to laugh and call him names (like Kronos!)

They never let poor Clovis

Join in any half-blood games (Like sparring!)

Then one bloody August night

Chiron came to say (ho, ho, ho)

Clovis with your sleeping powers

Won't you keep us awake tonight

Then all the half-bloods liked him

As they shouted out with glee (yippee!)

Clovis, the Hypnos child

You'll go down in history! (Like Percy Jackson!)

"Was Kronos that ugly?" Reyna asked.

"Beats me, I was living in the sewers at the time."

The Demeter cabin stood all at once and drowned out the Apollo kids, who were still ineffectually trying to lead "Jingle Bells", which was probably another classic.

Gaia's felled, Romans smell, Percy sowed his seed

Now they're hitched, Reyna's a bitch, and we feel for poor Reid!

Dashing through the woods

Cuz I sense murder brewing

This song is inoffensive

Because it's just a joke, hey!

Then all of the Demeter kids scattered. It was sort of taboo to mention the Spawn of Percy and Annabeth, or SOPA. Everyone was kind of hoping someone would get Piper knocked up so they could have a PIPA (Piper is Pregnant. Awk.), too.

Sensing trouble brewing, the Athena kids stood and began singing almost immediately after.

Joy to the World, Gaia's asleep

We should just celebrate!

Let's not kill the Demeters

Because it's a huge mess

To hide their bodies well,

To hide their bodies well,

To hide, to hide their bodies well.

They sat down quickly. It was apparent to all that it was just a distraction for the Demeter kids to flee.

After a slightly awkward silence, the Hecate cabin stood and began singing what Leo thought was "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". He didn't even know that one came with words.

You better watch out

You better train hard

You better fight well, I'm telling you why

The Roman Camp is coming to town!

They're making a list

Of our defense

Gonna find out who can't fight and why

The Romans are coming to camp!

They spy when we are sleeping

They creep when we're awake

They know if you use sword or spear

So use both, for Hecate's sake!

They all raised their hands and created a picture of an eagle choking on a caduceus in the fire.

"Do they hate us?" Reyna asked.

Leo shook his head. "No, but it's the only thing going on."

Then it was the Hypnos kids' turn.

It was quite possibly the most impressive carol the world had ever seen. As one, the entire Hypnos cabin snored "Carol of the Bells". Nobody could figure out if it was on purpose.

"I got you a Christmas present," Reyna said, just as Will Solace, still dressed like Santa, yelled, "Sixty!"

"Really?" Leo asked. "What?"

Reyna pointed, and Echo appeared from the trees. Leo ran to her side so fast, for a second he thought he was riding Arion.

"You're here! You—you left Narcissus!" Leo said.

"Left Narcissus," Echo confirmed.

"TEN!" the camp yelled. "NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN!" Leo could see some couples moving around, trying to get next to their partner for the ball dropping.

"How? Why?" Leo asked. "Did you—"

"TWO! ONE! ZERO!" the campers cheered.

Then she kissed him.

And Leo knew, that was the answer to his question. She'd come for him.

It was the best Christmas gift ever.