Molly insisted that Christmas was for families, and this meant that all of hers were expected to be under her roof for Christmas Day. Harry and Ginny, being without children in their home, arrived on the Eve. Charlie and Ron were already there. The others would all arrive after breakfast, allowing their children to open gifts at home early in the morning. The long mantle over the fireplace had stockings hanging, with the names of each member of the family, for small gifts and treats. Molly was adding oranges as they arrived. Ginny quickly divested herself of cloak and gloves, and began adding her own collection of brightly wrapped boxes to the children's stockings. Harry was carrying a box completely full of more small boxes. He placed the chill-charmed chocolates on the table to be added to the stockings, and took the rest into the long sitting room where the enormous, fragrant Basalm was standing. He hung the collection of shrunken packages under the lower branches. In a moment Ginny joined him with the rest of her own packages, which she slid under the tree, joining the dozens already there on the velvet blanket. She nervously patted a flat green one as it slid behind the rest.

Unlike mundane trees, this one appeared to grow directly out of the floor. It had not been cut at all. Instead, Mr. Weasley had chosen it years before out in the back of the orchard. Every year he brought the same tree indoors, leaving it rooted outside, and took it back outside at Epiphany. He swore that the tree was waiting for him, ready to come. At the moment it was undecorated except for the gifts some had hung: that would be the activity for after supper.

Supper was a Weasley tradition of meatless lasagna, with salad, plenty of garlic bread, and rasberry sherbet. There were only the 6 of them for supper, so they ate in the familiar kitchen with the old lamps lit rather than using the modern lights.

After supper they moved back to the sitting room. Each member of the family, including Harry, had their own box of ornaments. Each year Mr. Weasley had chosen a new one for each person, representing something good that happened to that person during that year. He had made the ones for them when they were babies, and had made one for Harry with an image of his parents holding him. They took turns placing them. This year Ginny had a tiny broom in Harpy Green & Gold. Harry topped the tree with his glowing golden Snigit. Tomorrow the rest of the family would hang their own before the gift exchange.

Molly brought in eight frothy mugs of chocolate. On the tray was an unlit blue candle. "Ginny, I think you are youngest again this year."

Ginny blushed, but took the tray and candle to the large front window. She settled into the cushioned seat, and lit the candle with a splinter from the Yule log. Then she carefully cupped her hands and stared solemnly out the window.

Harry sipped his own creamy mug, dusted with cardamom. The first time he had watched this little ritual of the youngest in a family, he had thought it a tradition from the mundane world. Dudley had not lit candles, but he had put out cookies and milk, and snuck out of bed several times during the night hoping to see Santa. Harry had heard him on the stairs, and also heard Vernon and Petunia slipping down in the early hours of the morning to lay out the gifts and eat the treat. Then he had learned that Nicholas was quite real and a wizard (the elves should have been a clue.)

A knock on the door, and a breaking log in the fire, brought everyone's attention around. Ginny opened the door, welcoming in two elderly people, brushing snow off their wraps. She seated Penny and Nicolas on the couch, and brought them the last two mugs. "Perfect, of course! Molly, you always remember how we like our chocolate!" They stayed for an hour, catching up on the small doings of the family before wrapping up again. Penny looped a long chain over both heads and spun a red globe back once. They were gone in a swirl of snow, putting out the sputtering end of the candle on the tray. Harry closed the door, turning to find Molly sharing out gifts from the pile on the couch. He knew his would contain a pair of warm pajamas. He took it, smiling, and headed upstairs.

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Breakfast was traditionally eaten in pajamas and robes, and Molly was all about this sort of Tradition! Even the elves were wearing fluffy robes and silly slippers. There were huge, fresh-baked cinnamon rolls that had been rising all night. A deep stoneware dish with a paper collar proved to hold a fluffy omelet, streaked pink with tender shell-less shrimp. More substantial fare was also there, but these had pride of place. Long before they finished their first mugs of tea, Percy, Aubrey, and their girls tumbled through the Floo, followed by George and Angelina carrying their twins. Bill, Fleur, and their three came next, followed in a slightly more dignified way by Andi, Ted, and Teddy. The children were dancing with excitement, barely able to focus on their sticky rolls. Each adult slipped away for a moment or two, carrying outer wraps and bags.

When all the adults were back in the kitchen, sipping tea and sampling the food, Arthur finally had mercy on the children, and opened the door to the hall with the Tree. The children led the swarming movement into the warmly lit room, sunlight just beginning to come through the windows. The adults had hung their family ornaments, finishing the decorating. The tree shone, gleaming ornaments reflecting light. The lower branches were thickly hung with tiny packages, and the floor was completely hidden by more.

The families settled on the circled couches, with most of the children on the floor. There were small tables convenient for mugs. A nod, and the children made a dash to the stockings hanging on the mantle. Soon bits of orange peel joined scraps of paper on the floor. It did not take the boys long to find their rings with the carved wolves. They were of smooth stone, stained in bright colors, and sized themselves to fit the child's finger. The boys loved them! The girl's packages included the add-a-pearl necklaces, each strung with the correct number of pearls, and the girls were thrilled with their first pieces of 'real' jewelry.

In a family that now had more than enough money, appropriate gift choices were at least as difficult as when they had no money. Molly had knit her annual jumpers, and everyone had boxes of their favorite home-baked treats. Arthur had gotten each of them a radio-controlled car, and explained that he had laid out a racecourse in the back garden. Everyone laughed when he showed the large box of 'extra' batteries, spare parts, and frequency chips. Harry shared out the stuffed animals and books. The girls were showered with new gowns from Bill and Fleur, which they loved, while the boys got Desert Pith helmets exactly like the one Bill wore. Charlie had brought model dragon kits, of the sort you painted yourself, which would actually move when finished. Teddy and Victoire already had a few of these, and were trying to complete the entire set, while Fabian and Gideon were just starting their collections. The babies too small to be allowed paints were given pull-along dragon toys. Percy and Aubrey had brought lovely wooden puzzles for everyone, from simple sets of farm animals to intricate balls and boxes with surprises hidden inside for the adults.

With the children occupied (nearly buried in paper and ribbons) the adults had a more quiet gift exchange. Ted and Andi brought everyone watches. Charlie gave the adults lovely blown glass dragons (his hobby was blowing glass, and he was good.) Ron had created a computer game based on Tolkien's travel guides. He explained that the commercial version, when it came out, would be populated with Tolkien's Travelers, with the ability to insert yourself as one. The Family Version, however, was completely supplied with avatars of the family! The games could connect between computers, so the children could play with each other even when they went home. Fleur had brought French purses for all the ladies, while Bill had bought all the men new wallets.

Now George pulled a box from deep in the tree and handed it to Arthur. To his delight, it was a magical camera. Hidden in the tree, it had been taking pictures of the whole party! He set it back up on a shelf. George handed a wrapped photo album to Molly, explaining, "The camera has been going, and I have the photos automatically inserted here. The camera is set to look for movement and then focus on faces, so there should be some good shots." He pulled out another couple of boxes and handed one to Arthur, "They are actually designed as Security cameras. If you leave one on the shelf behind your desk you should get a nice collection of pictures of all your visitors!" He passed the rest to the other adults.

Molly was already paging through the album, delighting in the pictures.

Now Harry turned to his wife. He pulled out a box, but handed her a stiff white purse while setting the box on the floor and expanding it. Expanded, it was open at the top and contained multiple smaller packages. Ginny was examining the purse, and set it on her little table. Both ends were mesh, revealing that the inside was pink. She opened two small gold latches, and the whole thing folded out flat. The pink inside was cushioned. On the rectangular bottom panel lay a very small ball of white fur, with a shiny black button on one end. "A Puff skein?"

"No, this is a traditional gift Royalty give Princesses - a type of puppy called a 'Bichon Frise'." At their voices, two more black buttons appeared in the fluff, defining a tiny face. A tiny pink mouth yawned, and the puppy may have stood up - hard to tell, because its thick fur was cut in a perfect ball, but four feet appeared at the bottom, and the fur at the back end began to wave.

"She is ten weeks old, and has had her first shots. Her papers are over here in this box with the supplies. You will need to choose her Registered Name, as well as her everyday name if different, so we can fill out her Registration and send it in. She will weigh about 5K when she is fully grown."

Ginny reached down one finger, which the puppy licked. That was all it took for her to fall in love with it! She gently slid her hand under and lifted it up. It continued licking her fingers joyfully, bouncing up in her hand and trying to lick her face. The fur was some of the softest she had ever touched. Reluctantly, she passed the pup to Fleur to show the children.

Now Ginny brought out her gifts. Her mothers' great necklace, with seven strands of pearls rayed around a central heart-shaped pearl, astonished everyone! The necklaces for the other women were simpler, though it was clear each was ready to be expanded in the future. She also handed out sweatshirts to the men and the boys, the thick black ones with the Wolf head. Harry got the special one, with the white stag she had printed on the back.

Now, this was noted by the entire group as an unbelievable set of choices by Ginny. She was well-known for expecting a lot but giving only minimal effort. Today there were no bad gifts. But, Ginny wasn't done. The sweatshirt for Harry wasn't the real gift. She got down on her knees, pulling out the flat green rectangle she had tucked at the back of the tree, and carried it to Harry. Setting it upon the floor, leaning against the wall, she tapped the edge, and it enlarged, finally stopping when it was a bit larger than a door.

Harry approached it nervously. He had no idea what this could be. The entire family watched as he tapped the ribbon and pulled the paper loose.

It was the wall plaque. It was made of carved shapes of wood in 3D relief, fitted together in swirling pieces of various natural colours. Each piece was lovingly polished and oiled to show the grain. It was a night scene, but not dark. High in the sky rose a full moon, large and lustrous. Against it curled a black dragon, with tiny green jewels for eyes. At the foreground of a Winter forest scene below, deep snow on dark evergreens, was seated a large black wolf with amber eyes. Behind the trees rose a high bluff on the left, with a white stag and doe at the top. The bluff dropped away to a black loch. The more you stared at the scene, the more animals and beings could be picked out of the moonlit branches. A twist of a branch here outlined a Centaur, a bit of snow there resolved into a Unicorn, and a rocky part of the bluff with bushes became a giant. Owls peered out of hollow trees, and a moonlit ripple of black on the black water was a Giant Squid. Harry finally turned his attention to the intricate white border, and realized it was entwined shapes - every Patronus he could imagine! Just a quick look found an otter, a hare, a swan, a horse...

"Who?" Harry was truly speechless, hoarse with emotion.

Ginny knelt and touched the tiny shapes of initials, "DT". "Dean Thomas. He went to mundane Art School after we graduated. He is beginning to make a name for himself doing fantasy scenes. He paints, too, but his woodwork is what is selling well. He was at the Den Night with a group of friends and a trailer of art."

Harry couldn't take his eyes away. "This is amazing. I have NEVER seen anything like it! Thank you, Ginny. I could not have imagined wanting this, because I had no idea it existed, but I cannot imagine anything I will enjoy more."

Everyone went back to their rooms to get properly dressed. The elves changed quickly, and then had a wonderful time cleaning up the mess before moving back into the kitchens to prepare for lunch. The children were downstairs quickly, gathered back in the hall to play with their presents. Soon their mothers were back with the babies, looking through the books. The Delacours floo'd in. They, and Gabrielle, had had breakfast with the Creevy family. They brought dolls for the little girls, dressed in the same gowns Fleur had given each girl, and explorer belts for the boys. Lovely silk scarves for everyone else were passed around, and they were given the small pile of gifts reserved for them.

By lunchtime everyone was starved. The scent of the great onion-stuffed Capon filled the entire house, and there was a baked ham crusted with American Pecan glaze as well. Roast potatoes and yams, green beans, mixed squash and corn, rolls and plenty of Molly's special gravy filled everyone's plates. Finally the plates were cleared to make room for the huge plum pudding, which had been curing in the stillroom. It was brought in flaming, with a twist of red ribbon and holly at the top. Arthur removed the decoration, fixing it in a blushing Molly's hair before he took a long silver knife and cut careful slices, laying them on new plates.

Hidden in the pudding were the traditional prizes, saved and reused for generations. No one knew, or cared, how old they were, but everyone waited to see who got them this year. Percy was the first to bite incautiously, and nearly broke a tooth on a silver sickle. Gabrielle was the next, raising her fork bearing a silver ring. She blushed but didn't say anything at all, while her parents tried not to laugh. Bill got the wishbone, and Fleur the silver thimble. Arthur had the silver anchor. The final prize didn't turn up until almost the end of the meal, when Ginny found the baby in her last bite. Molly reached over and took it, surprised. "How did that get in here? He's supposed to be in the King Cake, for Lent!" She collected the trinkets and took them to the kitchen, to be washed and put away for the next pudding.

By this point the adults were willing to take naps, but the children weren't having that! Arthur had promised them races with their new cars, and even the toddlers were trying to put their own boots on. Everyone wrapped warmly, mostly in new jumpers or sweatshirts, and tromped outside. The remodeling had included a large deck overlooking the back gardens, and the women with babies stopped there, while the men and older children went down the steps. Arthur waved his wand absently and the covering snow lifted itself gently and piled over to the side on the grassy lawn, ready for snowballs and forts.

Arthur's promised racecourse was actually in fourths. Closest to the house was the play yard for the smallest children, which already included a large sandbox. That had been laid out with a simple figure-eight track, with a center bridge allowing for the crossover. Next there was a large and complicated speedway with banked curves, twisted paths, and final straightaways. Arthur and Percy stayed in the sandbox with the toddlers. George and Ted set up with the four oldest children on the speedway. Bill, Charley, Ron, Harry, Ginny and Gabrielle went on to examine the next challenges.

Challenges they were - Arthur must have done some research to come up with these! The first was an obstacle course of tight turns and gates, with hedges, ditches, moats, ramps, mud pits, and a straightaway composed completely of speed bumps! Getting past all of that, you went into the final. There was a steep dirt mountain (about 2 meters high) to climb. Careful examination showed the mountain route was doubled, going up and coming down in opposite swirls. You went up one, crossed the top, and continued down on a separated lane but facing the oncoming cars. That's where it got tricky, because while the lanes were separate there was no fence between, and the lanes were not banked. Go too fast in either direction, and you'd be off your lane and facing oncoming cars. Go too fast crossing the top and you would fly right off! On either part, losing sight of your car was asking for an accident! These were challenges in speed and in control! Examination showed timers built in to the controls. The young adults smiled competitive smiles, and lined up their cars!

An hour and multiple wrecks later, the babies were taken for naps, and everyone else divided into teams and began building huge snow forts. By agreement, no magic was used as stockpiles of snowballs were accumulated. A maze of snow walls went up between the forts. There was no signal, but suddenly the fight was on! By the time the brothers had captured the ladies flag, everyone was soaked and laughing! The ladies offered a forfeit of hot chocolate, and everyone went inside to clean up. Back in the sitting room everyone collapsed with the promised chocolate and plates of biscuits. Now they had a little peace, while the children slept, to get a good look at their gifts.

The Delacours were the only ones who had not more than glimpsed the plaque. Now they joined Harry on a long couch, trying to find as many hidden animals as possible. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were trying to search their memories, matching friends and Patronus. Ginny's puppy was awake, lying in her lap on its back licking her fingers as she tickled it. George was overwhelmed with memories, and stayed back, looking instead at the glass dragons, now displayed on a table in front of the big window, sparking in the afternoon light.

The children woke as the early Winter sun was setting. Supper was a buffet, mostly of leftovers but with the addition of cut fruit and bowls of berries, with a light dipping sauce. The cold meats had been sliced into practical sandwich slices; there were more soft rolls, cheeses, and cold drinks. Even though they had eaten steadily all day, it was surprising how much they managed to eat! The children were then wrapped and booted, gifts gathered, and the assorted friends and families left in approximately the reverse of the order they had arrived in.

The six originals took a fresh mug of cocoa and went back to the hall to collapse by the fire. Ginny's puppy was located, asleep in a corner on a nest of wrapping paper. She scooped the lightly-snoring pup back into her lap without waking it.

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The next day, of course, was Boxing Day. That meant the traditional giving of gifts to employees and dependents. The businesses had combined orders and sent all of their human employees a suitable box in the week before the holiday, containing a fowl or a ham and other food items. Now it was time for the personal touch for their non-human staff. Even though all of their elves were free, clothes were not going to be welcomed. The elves ate what their families ate, so they didn't need food. George gave each adult elf a camera set, and Harry gave them books on how to take good pictures. Arthur gave them RC cars and permission to use the track. Ron gave each elf, large or small, a large bar of Honydukes Chocolate. Harry gave all the little ones mundane coloring books, with large boxes of crayons. Molly had also knit handkerchief-size baby afghans for all of the little elves, in gay colors and random patterns.