"Mom!" cried Lindsey, brandishing a cracker at Catherine as she sat down.
"Ok," Cath took one end of the cracker, and was disappointed when Lindsey got the bigger half.
"A keying!" shouted Lindsey, plonking it down in disgust and putting her paper hat on.
"Come on then, tell us the joke," smiled Warrick, as Sara came in and put down a plate of vegetables.
"Why did the skeleton cross the road?"
"I don't know," replied Cath.
"To get to the body shop." A series of groans followed.
"They're worse than Greg's," laughed Nick, as he and Warrick pulled two crackers at the same time.
"Come on boys, hats on," laughed Catherine, as she pulled hers with Lindsey.
"Here lads, want a jigsaw?" asked Nick, throwing the plastic pieces across the table.
Catherine couldn't help but smirk at the way Warrick had an orange paper hat lopsided on his head.
"Mine's too small," cried Nicky, as it ripped part way down.
"Maybe your head's too big," suggested Sara, bringing in the stuffing and sitting down.
"Go on Sara, you and Grissom pull yours."
Grissom looked mildly panicked at this prospect, but held his out all the same. Everyone laughed when neither of them could actually get it to snap, until Sara nearly flew off her chair as they finally went.
"Hat!" cried Catherine as Grissom examined the green thing.
"Come on," said Sara placing her red hat on before grabbing Grissom's and placing it on his head.
"Oh, I need I picture," laughed Cath grabbing her camera.
"Mine's too big," said Sara, repeatedly pushing the hat out of her eyes, as Greg brought the turkey through.
"What did you get in them?" asked Lindsey, eager to see if anyone had something better than her.
"A picture frame," said Warrick, holding up a small silver frame.
"A bat and ball," said Sara, bouncing the ball on it before passing it to Lindsey.
"I don't know," said Grissom, holding up a bag full of small plastic pieces.
"It's a car, you have to put it together," replied Lindsey, like it was obvious.
A few minutes later and Sara was sat laughing at Grissom, who had started building the plastic car. He'd discarded the turkey that Warrick had described as "reasonably edible", and was sticking stickers onto the side.
"If you're really good you can play with it after, but you have to finish your dinner first," mocked Sara, causing Greg to nearly choke on his turkey.
Grissom turned red and placed the car down, finishing his dinner. Greg was wearing an orange and green hat that made his hair stick out the top like an antenna.
"Well, anyone want dessert?" asked Greg, after they finally finished dinner.
"I don't think so," replied Catherine, looking at everyone's empty plates.
"Well, Lindsey volunteered to wash up," said Greg.
"I DIDN'T!" shouted Lindsey across the table.
"That's what a dishwasher is for. Linds, why don't you go put on a DVD and we can all go sit down," suggested Catherine, as everyone began clearing up.
It was now late evening and the tree lights were illuminating the living room where everyone was sat. 'Finding Nemo' was just finishing. Grissom was sat slumped on the seat after his eighteenth brandy, commenting on how realistic the sea creatures looked. Warrick and Nick were arguing over which character was better, Crush or Bloat. Greg and Sara were sat on the floor either side of Lindsey, doing drunken impressions of Dory. Catherine had cut the drink supply off after everyone had become merry, and after she caught Lindsey trying to down one of Greg's beers.
"Do you speak whale?" asked Sara to Grissom, her voice going up and down.
"Whales don't speak, they communicate through sound. Maybe they technically speak…" Grissom began to ramble on but was interrupted by Greg.
"Boy, wish I could speak whale," he cried making Lindsey laugh.
"Ok, I think it's past someone's bed time," said Catherine turning the TV off.
"Mom!" cried Lindsey pouting.
"Santa won't come unless you're asleep," said Sara. Lindsey thought about this for a few moments and practically ran out the room.
"I'm asleep," she cried as banging was heard from her bedroom.
"If you were asleep you wouldn't be talking," shouted Catherine as it went quiet.
"Greg, Sara, you two are in charge of distracting her later while we put the presents out," said Catherine, pouring them both a glass of water. "Once you've sobered up," she added with a smile putting some music on.
"I think my song was good," started Greg as Nick suddenly dived on Warrick trying to wrestle him off the sofa.
"Hey! Stop that!" Catherine pulled Nick off Warrick to everyone's amusement.
"Yes, mum," moaned Nick.
"Don't do that," said Catherine dropping him. "God, I'm turning into my mother," she added, sighing as Sara and Greg began to sing along to the Christmas music playing.
"Come on, Cath relax," laughed Warrick pulling her up and twilling her around.
"Come on Gris, dance," cried Sara using all her strength to pull him to his feet.
"Dance," she pouted but gave up when he simply stood staring.
"You sing," said Grissom. "I'll dance if you sing."
Sara thought about this. She was beginning to sober up, but the idea of Grissom dancing was too strange to resist, especially with his paper hat on.
"Ok, you first."
With that Grissom began to twirl Greg around the room, to the laughter of everyone.
"Done," said Grissom, as Greg fell to the floor.
"Ok, here's my version of 'When Santa Got Stuck Up the Chimney," she grinned.
"When Ecklie got stuck in his office, he began to shout.
You CSIs wont get any leave unless you get me out.
His eyes were
bulging, his face was red…"
"…And he was eyeing up Sara too!" cried Greg having helped come up with the song just before they left for Christmas.
"When Ecklie got stuck in his office, whoo woah woah woah!" they both cried together.
"That's you singing on that email that's been going around the lab!" cried Catherine.
"Yes, Archie helped me and Greg set it up after he made us rewrite a report of improper use of office equipment," said Sara grinning.
"What were you using the equipment for?" asked Grissom, rubbing his head as he drank the coffee Catherine had made him earlier.
"Testing if office chairs could hold three people," smiled Greg.
"Oh," was Grissom's only reply. "Catherine, tell me you didn't photograph me dancing," he sighed as Greg fluttered his eyes at him.
"I got your best side," laughed Catherine. "Now you two go distract Lindsey," said Cath, shoving Sara and Greg out the room.
"How?" asked Greg
"Tell her a story, let her put make up on you, I don't care but…she's been listening at the door for the past half hour," she whispered the last part.
"Hey Greg, she can put make up on you," added Sara with a wicked grin.
TBC….