Note: I know I originally stated that I was going to post my alternate reality fic this week, but since it's Christmas, I've decided to delay it until closer to New Year's and post this story instead.

And I know using A Christmas Carol as plot fodder is a cliché. Just go with me on it.

1:


Woody grunted as he stood on the tips of his boots. He was holding a fake branch in his hands. "I don't know I'm the only one who has to do this every year," he groused as he tried to attach it to the plastic tree stem. "And I don't even know why I even bother. It's not like anyone cares anyway."

Bo frowned as she handed him another branch. "I care, thank you very much!"

"Sorry, it's just that…" he ducked as one of the branches came loose and almost hit him in the face. He pushed it back in. "Every year it's the same thing. Everybody wants a Christmas party, everybody volunteers, and then nobody helps until its time to put the ornaments on the tree. I end up doing all the work, and for what? Not so much as a 'Thanks, Woody' or a 'Gee Woody, sorry I ditched you and you had to cut out paper snowflakes all by yourself!'"

"Not feeling especially merry this Christmas, are you?"

"Not exactly," he answered. "Christmas is tomorrow and I haven't got half the things I need to do done."

Bo walked around the miniature tree to see if there were any bare spots in the back. "Maybe you should just cut back on the decorations this year, Honey. After all, Christmas is Christmas, whether or not you glue cotton balls together to make mini snowmen."

"It's not just the decorations. I've gotta get the baby monitor out of the closet for Christmas morning, choose what order the Christmas music tracks will play in at the party, and I have to find A Christmas Carol! I still don't know where that darn book is!"

Bo reached up and began to massage his shoulders. "Will you relax? You're too tense!"

"I am not! And rub a little to the left if you please. There, that's perfect."

"You don't have to read A Christmas Carol to everyone. I'm sure they won't mind."

"But it's tradition!" A couple yards away, Mike's radio was tuned to a Christmas station and carols were playing:

"There's a birthday party at the home of Farmer Gray
It'll be the perfect ending of a perfect day
We'll be singing the songs we love to sing without a single stop
At the fireplace while we watch the chestnuts pop
Pop! Pop! Pop!

There's a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy
When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie…"

"Will you turn that off?" Woody snapped to the toys who were listening. "I can't stand that song!"

"What's wrong with it?" Asked Rex.

"It's archaic and corny and it sounds like it was written in 'Leave it to Beaver-ville' under the administration of President Norman Rockwell!" Woody crabbed. "Nobody's Christmas was ever like that! I don't care what decade you lived in! And when was the last time anybody actually ate chestnuts?"

"Sheesh," Potato Head muttered as he got up and fiddled with the dial.

"Somebody sure knows how to suck the Holly Jolly out of Christmas," added Hamm.

"Better," said Woody as the music disappeared. In a moment, it was replaced by dogs barking to the tune of Jingle Bells. Woody groaned and put his face in his hands. Just then the branches of the tree fell to the floor. The Cowboy kicked one. "Well Merry Christmas to me."