Starfire looked out the window in awe. All across the city pretty lights were blinking. She walked out of her room, intent to ask what the lights were for. As soon as she left her room however, Beast Boy, a very green boy, jumped out in front of her.
"Merry Christmas Star," he held out a box covered in strange paper.
"What is Christmas," wondered Starfire as she grabbed the box and shook it.
"Well, it's the day we celebrate the birth of a little boy," exclaimed Beast Boy proudly.
"A baby is being born? Wondrous! Let us watch the grand scene," Starfire exclaimed excitedly.
"No, the boy was born a long time ago, we just celebrate on this day," explained Beast Boy.
"Oh? So it is a birth-day."
"Sort of."
"Tell me then, more of this 'Christmas'," begged Starfire.
"Okay, so, it was like a gazillion years ago! A woman named Mary had a baby named Jesus, and then he died for our sins," Beast Boy said, "And so we celebrate Christmas in honor of Jesus."
"Actually, the Catholic Church stole it from pagans," muttered Raven as she passed by.
"What," exclaimed Beast Boy in indignation, "They did not."
"They did. They used it to convert people. Big fat man giving gifts? Well, actually I don't think that was pagan... Decorating a tree? Pagan. Hanging wreaths? Pagan. They stole pagan ideas to covert them to Christianity," explained Raven.
"Friend Raven what is a 'Pagan'," Starfire asked.
"In general? Someone who worships-," but Raven was cut off by Beast Boy.
"-The devil."
"Who," asked Starfire.
"Not the devil, they worshipped the earth, mother nature and all that," Raven explained.
"Nuh-Uh! They worship the devil! Rae, they have a horned god," exclaimed Beast Boy.
"It's a ram, the devil was an angel, not a goat. Again, the Catholics said it was the devil- to convert people," explained Raven. "And don't call me Rae."
"Friends, I am… confused," admitted Starfire. Raven and Beast Boy turned, surprised, as if they had forgotten she was there. For some inexplicable reason they both blushed, confusing Starfire even more.
"It's religion," Raven said.
"Religion? You mean the thing that causes humans to kill one another?"
"Only because Christians and Catholics try to convert everyone to their backward beliefs," sneered Raven.
"They're just trying to save you from burning in hell," exclaimed Beast Boy.
"'Hell'?," wondered Starfire.
"Hell is the eternal resting place for evil," Beast Boy explained.
"Hell was created by the Catholics and Christians, again, to convert people," snapped Raven.
"I didn't know y'all were religious buffs," called out Cyborg. He walked towards them, his metal body squeaking slightly.
"Friend Cyborg! How are you on this glorious morning," asked Starfire.
"I'm cool, but you should have waited for this discussion! What're you all arguing about," wondered Cyborg raising his one eyebrow.
"Christmas," replied the cheery Starfire.
"Oh, well I could have told you about Christmas. Christmas is when everyone decides to be nice to everyone else," explained Cyborg.
"It is not, we celebrate Jesus' birth," exclaimed Beast Boy.
"It's for the winter solstice," monotones Raven.
"It's for the cash," asserted Cyborg smartly.
"Actually, its for the love," smirked Robin as he came to the rest of the group. "Christmas may have all of those things, but its also the one day of the year when we can all tell each other we love them, without fear of someone laughing."
"He's got a point," Cyborg said thoughtfully. Beast Boy and Raven scowled at everyone else, then each other and stalked off together.
"Friend Robin and friend Cyborg, it looks like those two have more in common than they think! They are both very…," Starfire struggled with the last word.
Robin rose an eyebrow and stated, "Stubborn?" at that Starfire nodded and Cyborg began to chuckle.
"So Christmas is a day where we can tell someone you love 'em," Cyborg asked Robin slyly, Robin blushed and nodded. "Right, just wondering. Well, I'll see y'all later, I have to go call Titans East."
As Cyborg walked away, he heard Robin tell Starfire something, "So… Star, wanna go… out to the movies?" And Cyborg chuckled as he heard Starfire's response, "Oh yes! That would be most enjoyable!" Cyborg chuckled as he called Bumblebee and asked if she too wanted to go out.
