And we're back, folks! An enthusiastic "Hello!" to all my old friends and acquaintances, and warm welcome to all who are new to the challenge.


December 1: "Holly" (from zanganito)

A/N: Please enjoy this dastardly bastardization of A Study in Scarlet


No. 3, Lauriston Gardens


"Mr. Gregson," said Lestrade, "I have just made a discovery of the highest importance, and one which would have been overlooked had I not made a careful examination of the walls. Come here," he said, bustling back into the room. "Now, stand there!"

He struck a match on his boot and held it up against the wall.

"Look at that!" he said, triumphantly.

In this corner of the room there was scrawled in blood-red letters a single word—

HOLLY.

"What do you think of that?" cried Lestrade. "The murderer has written it with their own blood. See this smear where it has trickled down the wall!"

"And what does it mean now that you have found it?" asked Gregson in a depreciatory voice.

"Mean? Why, it means that the writer was referring to some someone named Holly. You mark my words, when this case comes to be cleared up you will find that a woman named Holly has something to do with it. It's all very well for you to laugh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. You may be very smart and clever, but the old hound is the best, when all is said and done."

"I really beg your pardon!" said Holmes, who had ruffled the little man's temper by bursting into an explosion of laughter. "But Lestrade, you are overlooking a vital connection. Do you not recall the recent string of high profile robberies done by a person in Father Christmas costume? I know Inspector Anderson was working on that case, but surely even you could not have failed to notice the front-page articles."

Then out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, we sprang to the door to see what was the matter. It turned out to be a boy delivering a telegram, who had slipped and fallen on the icy stoop. He handed it to Holmes.

"Every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart STOP Saint Nicholas Cage STOP"


A/N: Sorry not sorry! A share of credit/blame to Dextrous Fred xD