Chapter 1: Oh, Christmas Tree

It was a pleasant winter's night at the Mellark home in District 12. Katniss and Peeta, along with their two children, Eric and Clementine, were busy getting ready for Christmas: a new holiday recently reinstated by the Panem government after records of the tradition were discovered in archives hidden by the previous oppressive Snow regime. Haymitch Abernathy, the couple's adopted father and surrogate grandfather to their children, was sitting peacefully on the couch, watching Eric and Clementine decorate the tree. Katniss was at the piano, playing a simple carol as Peeta sang along.

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree! Thy leaves are so unchanging Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree, Thy leaves are so unchanging

Not only green when summer's here, But also when 'tis cold and drear. Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree, Thy leaves are so…..

He paused, cocking his head and listening as his wife played what sounded like a flubbed chord. Katniss frowned, and tapped the key repeatedly. It did sound a little flat. Peeta shrugged.

"Must have been a little dusty." Katniss ran her fingers over the keys and smiled up at him.

"I don't see how you ever managed to get it downstairs from the attic all those years ago."

"Well, I didn't do it alone. Your mother and Prim helped…." He stopped, realizing what he was saying but too late. Katniss looked away sadly. She tried to distract herself by continuing the carol, but didn't get very far before she broke down and cried. Peeta held her. Even after 25 years, Katniss still grieved for her beloved, dead sister Prim. Haymitch and the children noticed the commontion, but before they could ask what was going on, another sound pierced the air:

"Oh, Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree, thy leaves are so unchanging/ Oh, Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree, thy leaves are so unchanging…."

Looking out the window, Eric spotted three figures approaching, one riding what looked like a donkey. His face lit up.

"It's Aunt Annie and Uncle Beetee and Finn! What have you got there?" He ran out the door, Clementine and the family dog, Copper, hot on his heels. The former Hunger Games victors continued to sing:

"Not only green when summer's here,/ But also when tis cold and drear./ Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,/ Thy leaves are so unchanging."

"What have you got there?" Eric called again over Copper's barking. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Eric!" Finn whooped, spinning his little cousin around in the air before running up towards the house. "Eric!" Beetee smiled, ruffling the boy's hair as he took off in his wheelchair after Finn. Eric smiled at his Aunt Annie, who he now could see was riding the Mellark family donkey, Mustang. Annie smiled.

"We borrowed him from Haymitch's stable; we wanted to surprise you."

Meanwhile, Finn and the other victors were rushing up the driveway to embrace their District 12 counterparts.

"Merry Christmas, Aunt Katniss!"

"Oh, Merry Christmas, sweetheart!"

"Finn! Happy Christmas!" Peeta greeted.

"Katniss! Peeta! Haymitch! Happy Christmas!" Beetee arrived. The men broke out into song.

"Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, thy leaves are so unchanging!"


Later, back in the house, Katniss and Peeta caught up with their friends.

"So, Johanna couldn't come?"

"No, she thought it best that we rendezvous with her in Seven on our way to the Capitol for Enobaria's party," Beetee explained. Their other fellow victor, the only living Career tribute in Panem, Enobaria Golding, had left her native District 2 behind to live in the Capitol after the war. She had invited everyone to her place for a Christmas celebration. When Katniss and Peeta broke this surprise to the kids, they were ecstatic.