Hi, guys! I hope you're still enjoying this story! I haven't heard anything for a couple of days, but I guess it's better than everyone jumping down my throat, telling me how much they hate it, right? Anyway, please enjoy this next chapter.

December 17th: Baking

"Oh, boy! Something smells good in here!" Lightning declared, taking in a wonderful scent the second he opened the door to Flo's.

Flo smiled as she took a tray out of the oven. "Fudge and I have been working hard, makin' these cookies for the Christmas party tomorrow night." She showed off the cookies that had, once again, been made into the shapes of Christmassy things like Santas, snow cars, Christmas trees and stars. "Now, we just have to wait for them to cool. Then we can put icing on them."

"In the meantime", Lizzie spoke up. "is anyone interested in a little contest?"

"Contest?" Mater repeated, intrigued. "What contest?"

"I bought these the other day", the Model T explained, showing them all several boxes of gingerbread houses. "Let's see who can decorate the best one."

There were four gingerbread houses, so everyone divided into teams of three, except for Doc and Sheriff, who agreed to be the judges.

For the next half hour or so, everyone was occupied with the task of constructing gingerbread houses carefully and then came the fun part: decorating.

"I think the peppermints should go over here."

"You're putting on too many gumdrops."

"I like gumdrops."

"Well, then, eat them. I don't want too many on the house."

"Oh, my gosh! That icing looks perfect!"

"Fudge! Don't squeeze so tight!"

Too late. There was white icing everywhere: on the floor, on the counter, on everyone's hoods, in Fudge's hair and on her clothes.

"Oopsie", the six-year-old murmured sheepishly.

"It's okay, honey", Flo assured her, smiling. She wouldn't expect anything different from Fudge. "Let's just clean it up, okay?"

"And you are going to have to take a bath as soon as we get home", Luigi added. "It is all in your hair."

At long last, everyone's creations were ready. The judges, Doc and Sheriff, inspected each gingerbread house carefully. Flo, Ramone and Lizzie's was a work of art. Guido, Luigi and Fudge's was beautiful too (thanks to Luigi and Guido), if a little overdecorated (thanks to Fudge). Lightning, Mater and Sally's was a crumbling mess after Mater had dropped it. Sarge, Fillmore and Red's was created neatly, but there was nothing particularly special about it (mostly because Sarge and Fillmore argued where everything should go and ran out of time to get a lot of stuff done).

"It's hard to chose", Doc declared. "They all look good."

"I guess you're all the winners", Sheriff announced.

"You know what the prize is?" Lizzie quizzed the others. "Eating the gingerbread houses."

"Yay!" Fudge cheered.

"After your bath, angel", Luigi reminded her. "And after dinner."

I just had to have a chapter like this in the story, but I didn't have many ideas.

Please review! :)