TO:
JACKSON GOLD
ELIZABETH DUNCAN GOLD III
EDWARD ERNEST GOLD V

DO NOT OPEN UNLESS IT IS IN YOUR HANDS ON 25TH DECEMBER 2103.

Dear Jaxx, Ell and Ed, I hope this letter finds you on Christmas morning. I hope you'll forgive my messy handwriting.

I want to thank you for all you did last night. I'm sure Krampus wasn't an easy goat to take down, but it bought me valuable time as I paid the old debt to your ancestors. Before they all disappeared, your oldest man Edward I (I'll call him Edd from now) told me to take care of their house and restore it if they ever were gone for too long. Which, obviously, they have been - there's more to the saying than this, but let's address the short-term first.

As my role of the original Santa Claus, I know if anyone has been naughty or nice on my list - which doesn't always have to be physical. This is to say you are all permanently on my nice list from now on. Why? Because of course at some point of the year, you were all considered naughty. Which, I don't blame you for entirely. Cynicism, anger, exhaustion and a stupid crave for revenge can get the best of us in the worst of times. Then we all end up doing things we don't want to.

But you three were willing to step forward and take up the task despite your bad times. I believe had it not been for Jaxx taking notice of your ancestors' studio, Ell driving the sleigh and Ed for taking the first steps into your ancestral home for the first time in seventy-two years - I never would've known the damn goat had returned, then the holidays around England and maybe the world would've been toast. The Christmastime Killer may have never been found in the chaos which Krampus would've caused.

So, yes. You certainly won't have your heads being eaten alive by me. From naughty to nice forever, it's a welcome change. It'll stay that way, because… well, put simply, I'm dying.

With Krampus gone, I feel his curse is too. Yes, I'm alive again, but my body is getting weaker and weaker by the minute. For the first and last time, I'm going to properly stay dead. And judging by my deer around me, so will they. As my gift to you this Christmas, you three are more than welcome to my old sleigh and its weaponry - providing it hasn't gone defunct for some reason or another. By the time you're reading this, it's in your backyard, with the whole deer pack gone. Do what you wish with it - though I'm sure your younger cousins would love it.

There is one more thing I would leave behind for you, but… It isn't for you exactly. Which brings me to the long-term.

I doubt you three could take on owning your ancestors' home of 27 Dirdum Lane while simultaneously living in two different university campuses at once. Yes, I brought it back to its former early-21st-century glory whilst you were gone saving Christmas. Don't ask how.

More importantly, I found Edd's will. There's a copy of it in the envelope if you want to look for yourself, alongside some old GPSes under the tree which have paths to Dirdum Lane. The important bit is that the eldest Gold family member of each generation is slated to come into ownership of the house. Bonus points if said descendant also has Richwells, Hartgrace and Lawson blood. You three are the eldest of your combination generation, but you're all standardly busy. There would be nobody to take on the home.

But I know of Cora and Laurie. Well, I know Cora's old enough to take the hereditary offer.

I know about what your father pulled you all into (and how you got out). I heard all your worries about it for both sisters. Hell, even both your parents were concerned about it and the home. But they relented, and agreed to my small plan regarding it. Now you'll need to follow up too, and I'll tell you why.

See, I didn't find just relics and nostalgia from the past in the house. I found something more. What it is… Well, that's up to your sister to figure out. I did mention Edd was gone for too long. Which also goes for his friends, the other three ancestors. And you did say your sister was more of a mystery-solving type, right? She'll have some fun: owning a family home, being independent and digging into something which shouldn't have stayed buried for as long as it has. (Believe me, I know what it's like.)

Now, this is where the last of my plans comes into play: you have to agree with what your parents are saying. Even your dad. I know you don't want to, but listen. Your father will tell Cora that you three renovated the old home while you had some spare time. And when she asks you about this, confirm it and mention strange things happening while you were there. Weird frequencies in the basement, old relics, seeing things that you're sure didn't appear before. Your mum will add more stuff, so play off her as well - it should be easier. But afterwards, both of them will shrug it off and say it's nothing. Your father will say you three are just kidding, but Cora will be ready for the search.

Hell, why not even pull Laurie into it to get her away from her parents, and maybe one more? Say, a best friend Cora has? The more brains living together and discovering old secrets, the better.

Remember the GPSes? I recommend using them when you can before Cora's slated to move in. I'm sure you'd all like a quick tour of the house to see what your ancestors lived in, but also to really sell the idea of you three being behind the renovation. Leave some notes. Be cryptic about things, especially from the basement. Make some dumb puns. That sort of stuff.

I know this isn't the kind of Christmas morning you three expected to wake up to. But after all you've done last night, the best thing I can do is to keep you three out of what's ahead . I suppose you've had your fun, but now it's time for a new story to play out. I'm sure your studies are enough work as is without living in your ancestors' place.

Wishing you, your family and other relatives a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays in general, with best of luck to the New Year in every endeavor,

Your old friend,

Nikolas Klaus/Zanta Claws.

W'zdv ilyh qljkwv sdvw Fkulvwpdv, dqg doo wkurxjk d krxvh
Qrw d fuhdwxuh zdv vwluulqj, qrw hyhq d prxvh.
Vhyhq ghfdghv kdylqj sdvvhg zlwk dqrwkhu bhduv wkuhh,
Pdnhv orqj wlph iru rog iulhqgv, zkr uhpdlq lq ghhs vohhs.
Wkhlu wdohv duh ohjhqgv, wkhlu sdvw: idplob klvwrub.
Exw wkhlu suhvhqw ri qrz lv vwloo d vzhhw pbvwhub.
Wklv krxvh rq Glugxp Odqh, 27 lwv qxpehu,
Doo vhhphg vr sodlq… Dsduw iurp vwluuhg voxpehu.
Iru vhh wkh krxvh kdg qr fuhdwxuh, qrwklqj wr eh vwluuhg;
Exw ghhs lq wkh edvhphqwv, vrphwklqj lv glvwxuehg.
Wkh forfn nhsw wlfnlqj, dqg dw vwurnh ri plgqljkw;
Wklqjv iolfnhuhg dqg zkluuhg, zruwkb ri d iuljkw.
Wklv Fkulvwpdv, Cdqwd kdwk sdlg klv ghewv,
Bhw zkdw kh glvfryhuhg sxoov vhfuhwv xqghu wkuhdw.
D wudgh, d mrxuqhb, d sodq frqfhlyhg,
Wr eh xqudyhoohg dqg uhyhdohg, zlwk olhv wr xqeholhyh.
Zkdw rqfh zdv orvw lv vrrq wr eh irxqg:
D idplob wr uhxqlwh - xqvdih, bhw vrxqg.
Iru wkuhh wr wdnh ixoo rssruwxqlwb,
Lw vkdq'w eh wkuhh wkdw mxvw irxqg xqlwb.
Li hoghuv uhdfkhg ylvlrqv, wkh brxqjhu zloo wrxfk guhdpv,
Vr wzr vlvwhuv dqg d iulhqg zloo uhfuhdwh wkh rog whdp.
Dv wkh qhz bhdu uroov lq, zlwk doo wkdw'v ehhq suhylhzhg:
Vr wkh wdoh zloo vwulyh rq:
WR EH FRQWLQXHG...

Wsr eql dism epx jzkhe bayk pirpm uzpl oipl,
Kley aageis qwkry:
Xhp Mteci's Nzhqj.

Hint:
Iru brxu yljhqhuh nhb wr iob Skrhqla-iuhh,
vhdufk brxu rog Uhg Vdyhv, wkhq brx vkdoo vhh.

Fr tsm lcminep gcox mzvmf, klecm pgcp bp i gcn vewmtqv,
wo T aaycp spm rml elw qg Hrrulzr.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everybody. Here's to the new year.