Comments: I was in a hurry when I wrote this so it might be crappier than usual, sorry. I might do some changes in this after Christmas I don't know.
The first Christmas Hamato Yoshi spent with his new family was soon after they moved in the sewers. Trying to make this new home suitable for kids kept him busy and he had almost forgotten Christmas. But one night when he went top side to get some food and other essential supplies, seeing the decorations reminded him that the Christmas was coming.
In Japan, Christmas was usually known more as the lovers' day than a family holiday. But at the Foot clan's dojo, they had celebrated Christmas as a family party. He also had celebrated it with Tang Shen when they lived together.
"It reminds me that the children don't have any toys. Maybe I should get them few as Christmas presents… I have my savings but I have no idea how long we have to keep hiding. It would be best if we left this city but I can't show my face in public and the kids would be soon found by Oroku Saki. But on the other hand, travelling by foot would be too hard for them and it would take long time and we probably wouldn't be able to find a proper place to sleep. I have to wait until they are a little bit older and stronger. But the longer the wait will be, the more carefully I should spend my money..." Hamato Yoshi thought.
By chance, he came across a second-hand market stand. There was a basket filled with stuffed animals that cost two dollars each. Hamato Yoshi carefully picked the best ones, one for each boy. He put them in his shopping bag and carried on the grocery shop.
Buying food was hard because he needed to buy something cheap yet something that didn't expire quickly but it also should be healthy and have all the nutrients that the growing kids needed. Even though canned food lasted long, it was unhealthy. But fresh vegetables and fruits didn't last for long. If there was some way to grow them in the sewers… Well, there was at least enough nutrients and moisture for plants but no light.
"Let's see… Rice, oaths for porridge, canned tuna, some baby food, potatoes, carrots, condensed milk and few fresh vegetables and fruits… Also some other cans and diapers… Yeah, this should be everything… " Hamato Yoshi thought watching his shopping cart. He passed a shelf with Christmas goods and stopped.
"These are way too expensive but I think I could buy some baking ingredients and make something similar myself…" Hamato Yoshi thought. After finishing his shopping trip he returned the lair. The kids were still asleep.
Time passed and the Christmas Day came. Because Hamato Yoshi wanted to surprise the boys, he had baked the goods secretly when the young ones were asleep. He couldn't get a Christmas tree but he had made lots of ornaments out of old papers to decorate the lair. And he had few candles that would give them the Christmas feeling.
Hamato Yoshi placed the gifts that were wrapped in the magazine paper next to a pillar near to old sofa. Then he started to make breakfast. The boys would be waking up soon so he wanted to get everything ready before they did. After setting the table , he went to see the kids.
To avoid the boys wandering around when he was away, Hamato Yoshi had built fencing around their sleeping and playing area. There were four futons on the floor, but only three had a boy sleeping in them. The fourth kid was trying to climb over the fence.
"Raphael, you'll hurt yourself" Hamato Yoshi told and grabbed the black-haired boy. After placing him down Hamato Yoshi opened the gate and went to wake up the three other kids. Without him noticing, Raph had already left the room and headed to the kitchen. But when he passed the pillar, he noticed the gifts.
Raph grabbed a present and crumpled it with his both tiny hands. "Kole ga nandetu?" Raph wondered. He ran back to their room holding the gift. "Plinta, Plinta, kole wa nani?"Raphael asked. "Ah, you weren't supposed to find it yet…. And I think that one was for Michelangelo…" Hamato Yoshi replied. "Ie, kole wa Mike no tanai. Kole wa Nagi no" Raph told squashing the gift even harder.
"What it it?" Leo asked looking at the gift Raph was having. Hamato Yoshi sighed."I think we should all head to the living room now… Raphael, can you give it to me, please? You'll get yours soon" he told trying to get the gift from the boy. Raphael looked at the gift and then at Hamato Yoshi. But finally gave the gift away.
They went to the living room. Near to the sofa, at the feet of the pillar, there was three more presents. "Now then… I'll give you all your presents. Sit still and wait until everyone has their gift" Hamato Yoshi told. After handing out all the gifts he told that it was okay to open them now.
"A bunny" Leo said excited when he opened the present. Mikey tore the papers apart and under it he found a teddy bear. "A bunny!" Mikey rejoiced. "No Michelangelo, that's not a bunny, it's a teddy bear" Splinter told smiling. "And do you know what yours is Donatello?" Hamato Yoshi asked. "It' a twotol" Donatello answered. "Yes, that's right, it's a turtle… How about yours Raph? What is it?" Hamato Yoshi asked smiling gently.
"Toli" Raph replied. "Yes, it's a bird… A penguin to be exact" Hamato Yoshi told. "Thank you, fol the bunny'" Leo said smiling. "Thankt" Don also thanked. "It's Christmas after all" Hamato Yoshi said and added: "Now then, shall we have the breakfast?"
The breakfast contained only plain rice and canned fish. And milk for the kids. After the breakfast the kids went to play while Hamato Yoshi cleaned the table.
"Thit it my baby goet to leep" Leo told and put his bunny under his blanket. "Toli wa sole o nutumi" Raphael told and stole the blanket. "No! Tupid Laph! Don't take it!" Leo yelled. "Kole wa Toli no" Raph told and put his penguin under Leo's blanket. "I don't even undeltand what you ale taying" Leo replied.
"It Toli't" Raph told. "It' not, it' mine, give it back!" Leo yelled and tried to get the blanket back. "No!" Raph screamed. "Ute youl own blanket!"Leo told. "No!" Raph replied. "Tupid!" Leo yelled. Raph got mad and bit Leo. Leo started to cry and hit Raph. Don and Mikey were looking at their fighting brothers, Donnie seemed afraid and worried while Mikey seemed like he didn't really know what was going on. He was just munching his teddy's arm.
Hamato Yoshi had heard screaming and hurried to the boys. He found Leo and Raph fighting. "Raphael, Leonardo, stop fighting!" Hamato Yoshi told. Leonardo obeyed, Raphael did not and hit his brother again. "No, Raphael, it's not nice to hit your brother" Hamato Yoshi told and continued: "Especially not at Christmas"
"Laph took my blanket and bit me. And hit me" Leo told while crying. "Leo hit" Raph said. "Raph, this is Leonardo's blanket. You're not supposed to take it without Leonardo's permission. And neither of you should bit or hit each other. Apologize" Hamato Yoshi told.
"Tolly, Plinter" both Leonardo and Raphael said. "Not to me, to each other…" Hamato Yoshi replied. "I'm tolly fol hitting you Laph" Leo apologized. But Raph didn't reply anything, just kept pouting. "Raphael… Say that you're sorry" Hamato Yoshi told. "No" Raph replied. Hamato Yoshi sighed.
"You had your own blanket so why did you take Leonardo's" Hamato Yoshi asked. Raphael stayed quiet. And then suddenly started crying. "Raphael, I know that you just wanted to play with the others and it's hard for you because the others don't understand what you are saying. But you can understand what they are saying right?" Hamato Yoshi asked in Japanese. "I do. Leo called me tupid" Raphael replied in Japanese.
"It might be hard for you to understand because you're still so small but the others are speaking a different language. You should try to use the words they are using instead of the ones I'm using now. The reason why I don't speak Japanese here even when it's my native language is because your brothers don't understand it" Hamato Yoshi told, still speaking in Japanese. "But I guess you cannot help it, you're just a baby after all…" Hamato Yoshi sighed.
"But anyways, teasing others won't get you anywhere. You should say sorry to Leonardo for teasing, biting and hitting him. Leonardo already apologized so it's your turn" Hamato Yoshi told. Raph seemed to be still pouting but finally said: "I'm tolly Leo"
"That's good. Now then, play nicely" Hamato Yoshi asked. "Plinta" Don said. "Yes, what is it Donatello?" Hamato Yoshi replied smiling. "What it thit Clitmat you ale talking about?" Donatello asked. "Ah… That's right you don't know about it yet… Let's see…" Hamato Yoshi replied and sat down.
"Christmas was originally known as Jesus' birthday. But even un-Christians celebrate it as time of giving and sharing. It's a day to show your love and caring for your friends and family" Hamato Yoshi told. "People give present to each other and eat Christmas food" he continued.
"Plinta didn't get a gift" Donnie told. "Ah… It's okay, having you four is the best gift I could get" Hamato Yoshi told. "Plinta, Plinta, pee, pee" Mikey interrupted. Hamato Yoshi helped Mikey to use the toilet and then returned to the children's room.
Don, Raph and Leo were all holding pens and were drawing on them. "Hele! A gift!" Leo told and handed Hamato Yoshi a drawing that looked like a ball that had five legs, mouth and two eyes. "Thank you. Who is this?" Hamato Yoshi asked. "It' you" Leo told. "Oh yes, thank you, it looks much like me" Hamato Yoshi replied and patted Leo's head.
"Plinta, gift" Raph told and handed out his drawing that had only some messy lines on it. "Um thank you, what is this?" Hamato Yoshi asked. "Clitmat" Raph told. "It's pretty, thank you" Hamato Yoshi thanked and patted Raph's head too.
"Mine't not finited yet" Don told and tried to quickly get his drawing done. "Don't worry take your time" Hamato Yoshi told. Mikey wasn't interested of drawing anything, he had just gone back to suck his teddy. "Okay it done!" Don stated and gave Hamato Yoshi his drawing.
"Thank you" Hamato Yoshi replied and looked at Don's drawing. It had some lines and circles in it. Before Hamato Yoshi could even ask, Don already told: "It' ballt and linet" "Ah, yes, it clearly is, you did good work" Hamato Yoshi said and patted Don's head.
Time passed and it was finally time for the Christmas meal. They had some mashed potatoes, peas, boiled carrots, sweet potatoes and some fried chicken. And as for the dessert they had a Christmas cake, not a fruit cake but a sponge cake with strawberry jam filling, frosted with whipped cream. It was still hidden inside the fridge. Like on the breakfast, now too the kids had milk to drink. The kids' share of the food was already chopped in smaller parts that it would be easier to eat.
"Wat it thit?" Leo asked looking at the fried chicken. "It's fried chicken. It's common in Japan to eat at Christmas" Hamato Yoshi told. "Yummy" Mikey said, his mouth full of chicken. "Henna ninjin" Raph commented sweet potatoes.
"It's not a carrot but a sweet potato. Though they aren't actually potatoes but their distant relatives" Hamato Yoshi said. "Mole tiken" Mikey demanded. He had already eaten all his chicken pieces but had still everything else left. "Eat the other things on your plate first" Hamato Yoshi told. "No, mole tiken" Mikey insisted.
"Here" Hamato Yoshi told feeding Mikey. Mikey ate obediently everything on his plate and then demanded for more chicken. Hamato Yoshi gave him few pieces more. After eating them, once again, Mikey demanded even more chicken.
"Leave space for dessert" Hamato Yoshi told. "Dettelt?" Don asked. "You'll find out after you all finish eating" Hamato Yoshi replied. The other three hurried to empty their plates. Hamato Yoshi smiled and went to get the cake. When the kids saw the cake, they looked excited.
Hamato Yoshi cut them all small pieces of the cake and then gave the boys their pieces. He had to feed Mikey. "It' tweet" Leo said. "Yes, cake is sweet indeed" Hamato Yoshi told. "Cake it tweet" Raph repeated. After eating the kids used potty and took their nap. Well, all except Raph. For some reason, that kid wasn't very keen to take naps.
Meanwhile Hamato Yoshi washed the dishes and cleaned up a little. Raphael was in the kitchen playing with his penguin so that he would wake the other kids up. After finishing cleaning, Hamato Yoshi went to the room that he used to practice. Raphael tried to mimic his moves.
When the other kids were awake the kids played and ate again. And at evening, Master Splinter turned off all the lights, leaving only some candles lit. He taught the kids the Christmas songs that he remembered and told them some stories. After eating evening snack Hamato Yoshi put the kids in bed.
"Clitmat it fun. It tomollow Clitmat too?" Leo asked. "No, Christmas is only once in year" Hamato Yoshi told and continued: "That is what makes it so special. If it was every day, you would get tired with it very quickly and it would lost its magic"
"Now then, good night" Hamato Yoshi told. "Good night Plinta" Leo said. Raph and Mikey were already fast asleep. "Good night" Donnie said. He looked at his plushie that was lying under the blanket next to him. "Good night Tulte" he said to his plushie.
After making sure that the kids were fast asleep, Hamato Yoshi headed to his room. He had a crimson kimono stash on the table. "Merry Christmas Shen" Hamato Yoshi whispered. And so, Hamato Yoshi's first Christmas with his new family had come to an end. But it certainly wouldn't their last.