T'was the month of December, and all through the city of New York, people in all 5 broughos were preparing for the up-coming holiday season.
Some had began the very day after Thanksgiving, others it was sooner.
Department stores were prepping for the annual window display contest, Con-Edison workers were hanging decorations, as well as replacing lights in time of the big New Year's Eve event in Time Square, and of course, Rockerfeller Center was putting up the tree by the famous ice skating pond.
To top it off, it was also starting to snow, as small white flurries fell from the sky.
Seems everyone in town had lights, wreaths, or even a menorah displayed on their home, or apartment.
Except for one place.
Firehouse Hook and Ladder No.8, which was the home and headquarters for the Ghostbusters.
There were no decorations on the outside, nor the inside, just all the equipment and tools used for catching ghosts.
It was also where fellow Ghostbuster Erin Gilbert was writing up reports from the groups last job, while Jillian Holtzmann or just simply Holtzmann was charging the settings of the wands on the proton packs.
At that moment, another Ghostbuster Patty Tolan, entered the firehouse, after fueling up the car, AKA Ecto-1.
"Man, there's nothing like Christmas in New York City, said Patty, as she walked into the firehouse, after wiping the snow off her boots, It's like a winter wonderland out there."
As she took off her hat, coat,scarf, and gloves, Patty began to sing.
"Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la
La la la la."
"Tis' the season to be jolly, fa la la lal
La la la," Holtzmann sang along in a mock high operaotic tone.
Patty walked up to her fellow ghostbuster and the two began to sing together.
"Don we now our gay apparel, fa la la la la la la
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol Fa la la la la la la laaaaa!"
Patty and Holtzmann then stepped away for the work bench, got into the center of the firehouse, linked their elbows together and started to dance, while singing another holiday tune.
"Grandma got run over by a reindeer, walking home for our house Christmas Eve.
You can say there's no such thing as Santa, but as for me and Grandpa we believe."
At that moment, Erin looked up from her paperwork to see what was going on.
"Patty, Holtzmann, shh, she said, No singing Christmas tunes.
Remember because of Abby."
The holiday hoedown came to an end, and the singing stopped and Holtzmann unlinked her elbow for Patty as she said,"That's right I forgot, before smacking her forehead with the palm of her hand and repeating,Stupid stupid stupid."
"What a minute, we can't sing Christmas carols because of Abby?" asked Patty.
"Or put up decorations, or watch any holiday specials or even bring up the subject of or anything relating to Christmas, said Erin, Abby has had this hatred of Christmas since she was eight years old."
Patty laughed and said,"Oh I think I know why.
My cousin Lisa was like that to.
It's cuz she didn't get the betsy-wetsy doll, chemistry set or Mystery Date game she wanted."
"It's actually more serious than it is," said a rather somber Holtzmann.
Patty knew that when Holtzmann sounded serious, which was a very rare occasion, it had to be a bigger deal.
"What is it then?" asked Patty.
Erin took a deep breath, let out a sigh and said,"When Abby was eight years old, she got the lead part in her school's Christmas pagent.
She was so excited, and was hoping her Dad would come home from his business trip in time for the show.
The night of the recital, however Abby kept seeing that the seat next to her Mom was empty.
It was at the finale during curtain call, that the principal came up to Abby's Mom with two police officers.
As it turned out, Abby's Dad got home from his business trip early and was going to surprise her at the show.
Unfortuntly, on his was to the elementry school, a truck slide on a patch of ice and swerved into traffic.
Sadly, the cab driver couldn't get out of the way in time.
Both the driver of the cab and Abby's father were killed instantly.
So instead of putting up lights around the house, decorating a tree, or buying and wrapping presents, Abby's Mom was planning a funeral."
"Wow, I never knew that about Abby.
No wonder she got quiet the time I asked about her family," said Patty.
"It's not the fact about her Dad's death that bothers her.
In fact, Abby told me she's been able to accept his death, but it's hard for her around this time of year, especially Dec 12th the day of his accident," said Erin.
"How did you find that?"
"The year Abby transferred to my school.
I wanted to get her a present for being a great friend and sharing her love of the spirit world with me.
So I got her a matching pen and notebook set.
It was black, and neon green and pink.
The look of the time.
Anyway, when I gave Abby her gift, she acted like I gave her a bag of garbage and knocked the box out of my hand.
When I went to her house to asked if I did something wrong and to apologize that's when her Mom told me the story.
Her Mom also told me it was when Abby started believing and studying ghosts because she was trying to find a way to communicate with her Dad."
"I know what you mean Gilbert, said Holtzmann, Abby snapped at me for decorating the lab the first year we worked together.
I found out the story to when her Mom called the lab."
"It's a shame about Abby.
Christmas is suppose to be full of happy memories, said Patty, Like one year, the city had a budget cut and couldn't afford a new sled for Santa to ride in the Christmas parade.
So my brothers, sister, cousins and I tricked out one of my uncle's old herses and transformed it into a sweet ride for St. Nick.
It was a big his at the parade and nobody knew Santa Clause was driving in a death mobile."
"My favorite Christmas memory was when my parents, my sister and I would go up to CT and spent the holidays with my grandparents and meet up all my aunts, uncles, and cousins.
All us kids would go sleding down the hill, play in the snow, until it got too cold and we go inside and have hot apple cider.
The house would smell of pine and cinnamon.
And on Christmas morning, everyone would gather by the tree and open presents.
The kids would go first of course.
What made it extra special for me was nobody brought up my problem or call me ghost girl," said Erin.
"My favorite memory was one year, my folks, along with my three brothers, myself and a few aunts, uncles and cousins pooled some funds together and we all went to Hershey Park in PA.
"Boy what a great time we had.
Even though two of my cousins threw-up from eating too much candy, and my brother HJ's retainer fell in a vat of chocolate during the factory tour, it was fun,"Holtzmann said with a laugh.
Erin was about to help herself to a red foil wrapped Hershey kiss, but after hearing Holtzmann's story, she placed the chocolate candy back into the bowl on her desk.