I had a snow day today so I had time to write this up. We now have almost a 30cm of snow! Thanks for the reviews and alerts! these chapters will get longer.
disclaimer: not mine just playing with the characters!

The smell of ginger wafted through the pie shop that day. Mrs. Lovett was busy in the kitchen baking, as always but today it was something besides pies. Her cheeks were flushed as she rolled out a second batch of ginger bread men. Tucking a stray curl behind her ear she hummed merrily to herself. She put down her rolling pin and picked up the small shape cutter and pressed well over a dozen men out of the batch of dough. Placing them on a tray she smiled as she thought of how many years she had been making these small biscuits for only herself, this year would be different. Grabbing a cloth she opened the small storefront oven open and placed the tray alongside the other.

Christmas had always been her favorite time of year due to its joyful, cheery atmosphere. Everyone always seemed so much happier, like nothing really matter for that one cold month of the year. In Nellie's childhood Christmas had been a very eventful time of year. Her parents would take her out the seaside to visit her grandparents in their cottage. Nellie's grandmother taught her how to bake sweet treats and make cut out snowflakes. Her grandfather would sing carols and play the piano in the parlor. It was the one time of year that her parents didn't have to stress and could relax by the fireside. Christmas dinner was always a treat with a roasted turkey and potatoes with gravy. The gifts in the morning had always been handmade except on the rare occasion of store bought trinkets.

...

This year Mrs. Lovett was going to an extra effort to show off her holiday spirit. Earlier she had put small red and green candles on the shelves in her parlor along with small pine boughs. A small tree now sat proudly, if not slightly crookedly in the corner with small handmade ornaments hanging from its branches. The final touch had been a bundle of mistletoe hung in the shops front door.

...

Toby was in the parlor dosing fitfully beside the hearth. Every Christmas in his years past had been bleak with only an extra shot of gin as a present. Never having had a proper holiday he had no clue what was in store for him this year.