Christmas was never high up on Kurt's list of best times of the year. It was almost intentionally tacky and encouraged the giving of terrible things like gnomes dressed as some kind of college sport playing Santa. Although he could concede the snow could give even grey, depressing Lima a romantic glow, it was pointless if a person didn't have someone to share it with. Which was totally not the reason why he was sitting off in the corner by himself while the rest of his family made merry on a holiday that celebrating something that was completely made up in the first place. And it certainly had nothing to do with the fact Finn was sitting there being disgustingly cute and all couple like on the couch. Was he….he wasn't going to sneak a kiss was he? Kurt grimaced as Courtney giggled and stroked Finn's cheek. Was there no safe place left on this Earth?

He was just going to ignore the voice in his head (the one that sounded entirely too much like Mercedes if he was being honest) that wanted to point out if he hadn't have spent the past three days fighting with Austin he probably wouldn't be fighting back the urge to vomit all over that machine-concocted thing Finn insisted on calling a holiday sweater with dancing reindeers on it. Well he'd still want to vomit all over it, but only because it was beyond ugly and made his soul cry. (It would get worse when Finn would insist on wearing the elf ears later on Christmas morning) It just wouldn't because seeing them being so cozy and couple-like right in front of him just reminded him all the more that right now he was alone and he hated it.

It was entirely Austin's fault. Well it was Matt's fault for putting the stupid idea in his head in the first place but it was Austin's fault for actually listening to that nonsense. So to be charitable he was mad at both of them. And it served them both right that neither one of them would get the gifts he nearly decked some tragic fashion victim in Columbus over on Black Friday. As such, both the exquisitely wrapped boxes were safely in his old basement bedroom and come the day after tomorrow, he was taking them back to the store and getting his money back. Those two didn't deserve presents.

Neither did Finn or Mercedes, since really they had started the entire Facebook campaign to make him eat, but those two had enough sense to not attempt to do an intervention for something that wasn't even a problem. It was less than a problem. It was a non-entity. Just because he didn't feel the need to stuff his face with empty calories that everyone knew went right to his pear hips, didn't mean he had a problem. It just meant that they weren't with him twenty four hours a day.

Sure he was always on a diet. It was just easier to showcase his designs himself than chase down and beg one of his friends to be his model. Bowling Green offered many things, but a ready supply of girls in standard model sizes wasn't one of them. And it wasn't like he was the only one in his class who did that. Kurt could name at least four other design students who did the same thing as him, and two of them were also men. He had tried to explain that to Finn, but his dear step-brother just got that glazed over look on his face he always got when Finn didn't have the faintest idea what Kurt was talking about and was just waiting for the conversation to return to topics he knew something about.

He knew all of them were just worried about him. But if they could learn to express their worry in a more appropriate manner it would be greatly appreciated. An intervention? Kurt scoffed as he remembered Matt's impetuous declaration that he was going to become his shadow. Matt's heart might have been in the right place (not that Kurt was even going to consider admitting that) but really? He thought that would help? Kurt hoped against the currently very long odds against it that Matt would actually get better at this whole confrontation thing. Otherwise? Kurt feared for Matt's future patients and his malpractice insurance would be insane.

The sad truth was that it seemed his friends were bigger drama queens than he ever had hopes of being. It was almost tempting to email Rachel and tell her that she had to forfeit her title for all eternity. The only thing that kept him from that was the sinking feeling Rachel would take such a comment as a direct challenge and he really didn't want to know what she would come up with to top all this.

"Kurrie?" JoBeth tugged on his pants leg, her light eyes as serious as a three year old's could be on Christmas Eve. Kurt felt the first genuine smile he had all day cross his lips as he reached down to scoop her up into his lap. JoBeth giggled delightedly as Kurt made a fruitless effort to smooth her wild curls.

"What are you doing over here Jo-Jo? I thought you were helping Mommy make cookies for Santa."

She nodded, pointing to the kitchen where Kurt could see Carole putting the cookie tray into the oven. "Done." She announced proudly before sticking her thumb in her mouth.

"Hey. Stop that." Kurt playfully swatted her thumb. "Do you want ugly crazy teeth?"

"No." She shook her head before she screwed up her face, wrinkling her button nose. "Why you over here Kurrie?"

JoBeth had just recently started to not have issues saying her Ts thanks to a truly wonderful teacher in her preschool program. However Kurt had the feeling he would remain Kurrie for a long, long time. Not that he minded, even though it did mean Finn felt the need to constantly have a supply of Indian related food jokes ready for all occasions.

"Just thinking." Kurt shrugged his shoulders. "What do you think of Courtney? Did you have fun playing tea party with her?"

JoBeth nodded. "She ate the cookies. Like you used to."

Kurt felt his brows furrow at her comment. Had Finn put her up to that? It didn't seem likely since their sister had a habit of prefacing statements with "Kurrie said" or "Finny said" whenever she was repeating them. But come on, his little sister saying something like that? Finn had to have something to do with it.

"I eat your cookies. They're great."

JoBeth shook her head. "No. You always say you on a diet."

"Not always."

"The last time you didn't."

"I'm sorry Jo-Jo." Kurt hugged her close, not wanting to see the hurt look in her eyes a second longer. "Next time I promise. I'll eat every last cookie."

"Promise?" Kurt would swear on his current subscription to Vogue the skeptical look his sister was giving him could rival his own any day of the week.

"Why would I lie to you?"

"You don't like to eat." JoBeth said simply placing her hands in her lap. "You don't do it anymore."

"I ….I like to eat." He protested weakly. The words weren't all that different than the ones Matt, Finn, Mercedes and Austin had used but he was having a harder time summoning up the same level of anger when the words were coming out of a three year old's mouth.

Unaware of her brother's confusion, JoBeth shook her head. "No. You don't eat. Like I don't eat lima beans cause they're yucky. You think eating is yucky."

"It's not yucky. It's just a… it's only a diet Jo-Jo."

"What's a diet?"

"It's when someone needs to lose weight and so they watch what they eat. A lot of people go on diets."

"Oh." JoBeth nodded seriously. "I'll diet with you. Then you won't be out all alone at dinner."

"No baby. You don't need to diet. You're perfect just the way you are." Kurt hugged her tightly as he tried to figure out a logical way to deflect her words. He had taken to avoiding the kitchen at meal times to not engage in yet another discussion on if he was eating enough. JoBeth didn't need a diet. Lord knows she had always been small for her age. The doctors always said she would grow stronger with time, often pointing to his own late growth spurt as proof that every person developed on their own timeframe. His dad had always assured Carole Kurt had been the exact same way as a child.

And now here was his little sister, declaring she was going to do the same thing her older brother was doing. The same way she would declare she was going to play drums like Finny. Except instead of creating outfits like him, she wanted to diet like him. Something he didn't want her doing.

If you don't think JoBeth should be doing it, why are you? Matt's voice came unbidden to the Kurt's mind. Kurt closed his eyes as he pressed a kiss to his sister's forehead. He could almost see Matt standing there, with that questioning look he always got on his face when he knew he had a question Kurt wouldn't be able to answer flippantly or quickly. Honestly, if the expression was so cute Kurt would have slapped it off Matt's face years ago.

"Why don't we have that tea party?" He suggested to JoBeth's delight. The question wasn't going to leave him alone and if he was going to be wrestling with this, he might as well get some tea out of it.