Chapter Three: Christmas
How many holidays do the Dauntless celebrate?! I no more than finish Chanukah with Zeke and Uriah and then everything goes into mass chaos… again! November 30th was completely normal with training and paintball. December 1st, the entire Pit is covered in green and red and plants! How does that have anything to do with Dauntless?
This morning I opened my door to find a ring of green leaves hanging on the outside. I didn't put it up. I looked down the hall to see everyone's doors decorated. The Pit is even worse. Never in my life did I ever expect to see Eric in a fuzzy red suit and hat. And he seems happy about it! Dauntless kids are running around with colorful decorations and they're wearing sweaters and scarves. I'm not sure why considering it's the same temperature down here year round. Zeke is on a ladder with Max holding it. It looks like he's hanging up a small plant on a lower part of the ceiling.
Eric sits on a large red chair. It looks soft and velvety. Most of the guys are singing. There is a giant tree with weird looking decorations hanging from the branches. This is worse than Halloween!
Uriah runs up to Eric and sits on his lap looking way too happy. Why would he sit on his lap?! And they're both grinning like idiots at each other, talking. Wait a minute. Did Eric just say "Ho, Ho, Ho"? What the-
I look up seeing Tobias dressed up, too. But he's wearing green tights that cling to his body and he's covered with bells! A green and red hat tips to the side with a bell dangling. He doesn't look happy, which is exactly why it is so funny. I can't help it, I burst out into laughter. Tobias looks up and a few emotions cross through his eyes: shock to embarrassment to anger. Yeah, I'll be in trouble later for laughing. It's so worth it, though.
I intentionally avoid Eric and Tobias because I don't want to ruin Eric's good mood and, also, because I don't think I can keep a straight face around Tobias. I instead decide to immerse myself in the holiday spirit with Zeke and help him and Max decorate. Max isn't half bad when he's actually in a good mood. They told me that this tradition is pretty much all of December and that its called "Christmas".
Basically, this guy named Santa comes and puts presents all around the Christmas tree and the Dauntless say that the more decorative and spirited they are, the more presents they'll get. That explains all of the spirit and the fact that Eric and Tobias are dressed up. I wonder if they'll be dressed up all month.
I've decided that I like this holiday. It's crazy and exciting. We tell stories about Santa, decorate the huge tree, put up streamers, and sing what Zeke calls "Christmas carols". Zeke, I found, is the most spirited out of everyone. He even went as far as trying to freeze the river in the chasm so we could ice skate. That was a bad idea and the poor guy is going to spend Christmas sick.
Christmas Eve is the most festive of all of the holiday celebrations. There are lights everywhere. There's also music echoing throughout the Pit, which is a big deal considering only the Amity really have music. The kitchen and dining hall is filled with the smell of freshly baked cookies. Apparently this is another Christmas tradition: baking cookies for Santa. I'm not entirely sure how one man is supposed to eat over five thousand cookies. It seems pretty impossible to me. I had the task of reading to the younger kids before bed from a book Zeke owns called "The Night Before Christmas". I don't remember a time where I felt so at home, so happy.
"Tris? Sweetheart, wake up." Tobias's soft voice wakes me up and he gently shakes me. When I open my eyes I see that I'm on the floor of the Pit. I must have fallen asleep after reading. I get up and look around, smiling when I see presents under and around the tree. I look back at Tobias noticing that he's in pajamas and smile at him. I haven't talked to him really since December began. I think he was embarrassed for his job. He smiles back. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Tobias." I kiss him softly and he helps me up, my back feeling stiff.
As much as I know that the members of Dauntless are the ones who bought and made all of the presents, it still seems so magical seeing the faces of the kids. We had a big feast after the kids finished with their presents and just spent the day being not just a faction, but a family.
I sit on the edge of the chasm, smiling at nothing. This holiday has made me in such a great mood. Tobias joins me, his feet dangling as he sits. I've been trying to get him over his fear of heights, but I can tell that he's still nervous because he holds my hand.
"So… Santa asked me to give you something…" He looks away, trailing off. He probably noticed how corny that sounded.
"Santa?" I raise an eyebrow. He laughs and hands me a small box. "Uh… here…"
I take the box hesitantly. What did he do? As I open it, my hand immediately goes to my mouth to hide the gasp. In the box lays a necklace with a pendant in the shape of the Dauntless symbol, a fire of small diamonds. I can't hide the few tears that fall. Tobias gently kisses them away, holding me close.
"Merry Christmas, Tris. I love you." He whispers in my ear. I smile as he helps me put the necklace on.
"Merry Christmas, Tobias. I love you more."