Song-fic MINUS the lyrics, please see the link for them!

NB. You'll have 2 copy it and remove the spaces because it won't let me post it!
But it's worth it to see the song and know what I'm on about!
Thanks people

http/ www. stlyrics. com/ lyrics/ ocmix3the/ christmaswithyouisthebest. htm

This totally not meant to offend any one at all. I think traditions and beliefs are very important and should be enjoyed and encouraged, this is just a little drabble about blowing off ceremony and commercialism to spend time with someone you love. That's all.

Thanks

Christmas With You Is The Best

SandyCohen entered the apartment he shared with his girlfriend whistling cheerfully. He tossed the packages he was carrying onto the kitchen table and ducked his head into the sitting room, "Honey, I'm home," he warbled, a goofy grin on his face.

Kirsten was stood by the window, phone in one hand, a crumpled tissue in the other, she'd obviously been crying. Sandy's face clouded and he crossed the room in three strides, "Don't cry sweetheart, come on, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied unconvincingly, he shot her a look, and she elaborated, slightly;"just my dad…you know."

Sandy smiled sympathetically and slipped his arms around her, "I know." True he'd never met the famous Caleb Nichol but he knew enough, enough to know that he was the only one that could make Kirsten like this, enough to hate him for it.

"He's…pressuring me about Christmas, the holidays…" Kirsten mumbled into his shirt.

"He wants you to go home?" Sandy asked, kissing the top of her head.

"Yeah, and I…I don't know Sandy."

She looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed with tears. He cupped her face in his hands, "Don't worry beautiful, you don't have to decide yet."

"I hate the holidays," she muttered

"Me too," he told her, smoothing her hair and tucking a wayward strand behind her ear. She smiled, and closed her eyes, enjoying his comfort.

"My mom invited you actually," she said eventually.

"Mine did the same."

"Really?" Kirsten's eyes flicked open with surprise

"Well, she asked what your plans were anyway; I was kind of the one who invited you," Sandy admitted.

"That's nice of her, nice of you, but…"

"It's ok. So, do you want me to come with you?"

Silence.

"It's not that I don't want you to meet them, but…"

"Your dad. It's always your dad." Sandy ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He hated the way Kirsten's father ruled his daughter.

"I know, I know and I'm sorry. Look, it's gonna be terrible whenever it happens let's not make it worse ok? Meet the parents and the holidays? Not a good combination."

"I get it. It would be weird at mine too, the whole 'you-not-being-Jewish' thing, you know."

Kirsten nodded, looking upset again. "I don't want to go at all."

"Don't go, I won't go, let's blow them off, stay here. Skip the traditional Christmas, skip Hanukah; have our own celebration. Our own non-traditional, non-denominational celebration!"

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Verse One

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Kirsten looked up into the blue eyes that were twinkling with mischief, excited by his own crazy idea, and grinned, she couldn't help it. It was mad and she liked it, but, blowing off Christmas? Newport? Her family? Saying no to her dad?

"But…I mean, Christmas is Christmas, where I come from it's a celebration, an excuse to party, not religious festival anymore; it doesn't really matter to me. Hanukah is part of your religion, it's important."

"There's important and there's important Kirsten. It's not a major Jewish holiday and it's not like I really practise Judaism. It's my mother that's going to be mad."

"Yeah, my dad is gonna have a fit."

"Sod 'em!"

Kirsten laughed and Sandy revelled in the sound, he didn't hear it enough.

"He insists on a 'family' Christmas and then invites half of Newport. I just don't think I can face the Newpsies this year and certainly not Jimmy Cooper."

"Don't then, stay here. Forget about Cooper."

"I already have, it's just…no, it's not important. Julie Cooper is the best thing that ever happened to me; means I met you."

"I love you, you know that?"

"I love you too, I just don't know if I can do this." Kirsten chewed on her bottom lip, "My dad…"

"You don't have to baby; it was a suggestion, that's all. Go home if you like, see your family, the interminable Newpsies, we can spend New Year's together instead." Sandy's tone was light but she could tell he was disappointed.

"But you'd do it for me; you'd give up Hanukah at home to stay with me?"

"Yeah, but to be honest I don't really want to go home, there's not a lot of Christmas spirit in the Bronx. Ma will divide her time between working and complaining about my choosing Berkeley." He gave a false laugh.

"Your mom really hates California huh?"

"Yeah, she's not a fan of the sunshine."

"She's gonna hate me then."

"No honey, no way, she couldn't."

"Don't lie Sandy."

"O.K. well, probably as much as your Dad will hate me. Satisfied?"

"Your mother and my father, what a pair!"

"So we're going to do this? Face the parental wrath?"

Kirsten took a deep breath, "Okay."

"Okay?" Sandy's eyes searched her face.

"Okay," she said decidedly, closing her eyes and leaning in to kiss him.

"Better than okay," thought Sandy, "far better."

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Verse Two

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"Are you sure about this?" Kirsten asked, her eyes large and worried. Sandy smiled broadly, "Positive. No Hanukah."
"No Christmas."

"No menorah."

"No crawling around on your hands and knees to pick pine needles out of the carpet!"

"No Dreidel!" "

"What's Dreidel?"

"It's a Jewish game, ok what else? No candles."

"No turkey."

"No latkes," he smiled, noticing her confusion and relented, "in other words potato pancakes."

"No stockings."

"No gelt."

"What?"

"Chocolate coins sweetie."

"No Christmas pudding."

"No Sufganiyot."

"This isn't fair," Kirsten complained, "I think you're making things up now!"

"I'm not, honest," Sandy laughed, "Sufganiyot are sort of…jelly doughnuts."

"No carol singers."

"No prayers."

"No cheesy Christmas songs"

"No Maoz Tzur."

This time Kirsten only raised her eyebrow.

"Jewish song, not cheesy."

"No fighting your way through the mall trying to buy presents!"

"No cards."

"No mistletoe."

"We don't need mistletoe honey; I'll just kiss you anyway!"

"Is that a threat Sanford Cohen?"

"Could be! You know Kirsten, I think this…celebration might just be perfect. Think about it; no family."

"No guests."

"No interruptions, just me and you."

"Just us."

"Perfect."

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Verse Three

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Sandy thought back to his childhood, Hanukah in his home in the Bronx. The excitement of waiting to light the menorah candles each night, the laughter that would ring through the small apartment as they played games, sang songs and ate traditional food, the anticipation of the chocolate coins, sometimes other presents too, and the long trip with his father to Times Square to see the giant Christmas tree alight and magnificent.

After his father had left it all changed, his mother worked longer hours and had no time to spend cooking up delicacies in the kitchen. The apartment was quiet and undecorated, the menorah stood alone in the window, cheap candles burning for the second year. Sandy grew up suddenly, he shunned the games, songs were forgotten and there was no money, chocolate or otherwise; presents were impossible.

He missed his father. He missed the trip into New York, travelling on the metro, seeing the grand houses with their wreaths and brightly lit windows. He missed standing by the tree in Times Square, looking up at the stars and making wishes.

Wishes he never thought would come true.

He missed holding tight to his father's hand as they walked back from the station, singing songs with his brother and sister as the snow began to fall around them.

His mother was always working, always tired, always stressed, and always struggling to make ends meet. She was busy; saving other people's children, there wasn't time for her own, even on holidays. Not exactly happy Hanukah.

But now he had Kirsten and that was all he ever wanted.

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Verse Four

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Newport Christmas, one of the biggest, brightest and most outrageous celebrations of the calendar year. There was never any shortage of parties in Newport but the Christmas season basically involved a complete excess of extravagant parties, food, alcohol and presents. Sometimes it made Kirsten sick.

As a child she'd loved the excitement, the joys of Christmas in vibrant technicolour. She was daughter of the richest, most powerful man in Newport and she had everything she wanted.

But as she got older she realised how commercial and fake it all was. They kept up the charade of the family Christmas (or rather the Nichol-Cooper Christmas) for Hailey, her little sister, but it wasn't the same, the glitter was gone, it was all a pretence. One over-done ball to the next, more outrageously expensive outfits, luxurious and unnecessary presents, a sickening excess of rich foods and expensive wines all culminating the most horrible, exaggerated gathering of them all; the infamous Nichol Party at their mansion. More plastered plastic Newpsies, more inebriated executives, more press desperate for a picture of the 'perfect Newport family', more Newport princes and princesses decked in the latest D&G gown or Armani suit slipping off for their own bash in someone's beach house, and of course, Jimmy Cooper with his own personal supply of mistletoe.
Merry Christmas, I think not.

But now she had Sandy and that was all she ever wanted.

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Verse Five

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The clock on the bedside table read 11:35 but the curtains were still drawn and the two bodies in the bed were still curled together beneath the duvet. Glancing at the clock Kirsten made as if to get up but Sandy caught her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her towards him. "Not yet honey; I want to give you a present," he told her suggestively, placing a kiss on the back of her neck. Kirsten shivered delightedly. "I thought you said no presents," she murmured, twisting round in his arms and kissing him. Sandy smiled and ran his hand down her back.

"Well, perhaps just one…!"

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Verse Six

Ending

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The End