Aubrey Posen didn't do Christmas. From a young age her parents told her that it was a waste of time. So she grew up in a household that didn't do the typical things families did that time of year.
However she always got four presents for Christmas. Always something she had wanted, something she needed, something she could wear and something she could read.
It had never felt like presents. Her parents always made sure she knew she got them to show the outside world that they were good parents.
Growing up in a loveless household taught het that image and money were the most important things in life. And of course your position in society.
She gated this time of year anyway, so when she had started college, she had booked a cabin for herself. It was a great way to avoid the Bellas annual Christmas party and it provided the much needed alone time.
Her excuse for not attending the annual Bellas Christmas party lasted exactly one year. The second year a certain redhead overheard her when she was confirming her cabin reservation.
Of course, Chloe wanted to know what was going on. At first she refused to explain anything but the redheads persistence ultimately made her tell the truth. To her surprise Chloe cried when she heard about her horrible Christmas experiences.
Christmas was Chloe's favourite holiday and she couldn't accept the fact that her best friend was robbed of a proper Christmas experience her whole life. So she had promised Aubrey that she would make sure that at least for one time in her life she would have a wonderful Christmas time.
True to her word, Chloe had made her cancel her reservation and invited her to celebrate it with the Beales. At first she was hesitant. She didn't want to intrude, but Chloe wouldn't hear of it.
She never was more grateful in her life that she had accepted that offer. She still didn't know how Chloe had done it, but for the first time in her life she had experienced the magic of Christmas.
And now almost twenty years later she couldn't stop smiling while looking at her beautiful redheaded wife.
For the eighteenth year in a row they were hosting an annual Christmas party for their friends and family.
Thinking about her first real Christmas, she couldn't understand anymore why she ever hated Christmas in the first place.