This directly connects with the Decorations prompt, after Alison first meets Jemima, and is partially inspired by Tumblr user tonksbeybey-she-no-porcupine's post about the ghosts watching How The Grinch Stole Christmas :)

Fandom: Ghosts (Jemima Bone)

Day 17 prompt: First Holiday

"So..." Alison stood in front of the ghosts gathered in the common room, "Tonight is going to be our first Christmas Eve film club special and I wanted to pick something that everyone could enjoy. And I have chosen, drum roll please..."

Kitty and Pat obliged with big grins on their faces. Mary joined in a second later, slightly out of time, while everyone else just stared in expectation.

"... Thanks," she nodded and they stopped (again, Mary being a second or two behind), "How The Grinch Stole Christmas!"

Pat furrowed his brow, "That old cartoon?"

"Well, not that. This is a live-action film adaptation. It's basically a modern classic. Mike and I both watched it when we were young. And when we got older. And now."

Robin discreetly tipped his head towards Julian, "What is 'Grinch'?"

"Some weird green monster thing who steals people's Christmas presents," Julian said with a sneer, "Learns the magic of Christmas and all that nonsense the little buggers just eat up this time of year."

Robin grunted in understanding and rolled his eyes.

Pat piped up again, "He were actually white in the original book. All furry white, it's how he could pass himself off as Santa, looked like he had the beard and that."

"It sounds rather like this is a children's film, Alison," the Captain commented.

"Sort of, yeah, it's more of a family film, but..." she started, then sighed in frustration, "Look, Jemima is going to be coming to film club tonight, at Humphrey's request," she gestured to the head lying on the table and he smiled, "It's her first time actually spending Christmas with the whole family, so I wanted to choose something suitable for her."

"The plague girl is coming?" Thomas gaped at her and Humphrey scowled.

"Oi, she's got a name, you know."

Alison crossed her arms, "Yes, Thomas, she is coming. I mean, she's so closed off from the group that I didn't even know she existed until recently! Humphrey's been her only friend and Kitty's just barely warming up to her, I think the rest of you need to make more of an effort. She's just a child, for God's sake."

"Thank you, Alison," Humphrey said, "I'm sure she'll appreciate that."

– THANKTIVAL –

Jemima was escorted upstairs from the pantry that night by Humphrey's body. When they reached the room where the other ghosts were waiting for them with Alison, his head told her to take a seat on the floor, and his body went to sit behind her at the end of the sofa. Pat kindly placed his head in her lap for him and took his own seat. It was clear she was nervous to be there with them, sitting stiffly and avoiding looking at any of them, but most of them seemed not to realise, too concerned with their own discomfort at her mere presence.

"Hey," Humphrey whispered and she looked down at him, "Don't worry. I'm right here. And... right behind you, as well."

She gave him a weak but grateful smile as Mike entered the room.

"Alright, guys?" he said to no-one in particular, knowing at least some of the ghosts must have turned up by now. They all had, in fact. A few unheard responses were thrown back at him and that was it for that conversation. When Alison came in, he looked up at her, "They all here?"

"Yup."

He held out one hand at around child height, "Even the little one?"

"Ye-"

"Ring-a-ring o' rosies..."

Mike shot up from his seat, "Shi-" he snapped his mouth shut, remembering there was a child present, "... Forgot you said she could do that."

Alison nodded and went to put the film on.

Fanny pulled a face, "Beastly child..."

"Oh, I don't think she meant to frighten him," Kitty said, "She just wanted to tell him herself that she's here. Isn't that right, Jemima?"

Jemima shrunk in on herself a bit, stroking Humphrey's hair for comfort, but nodded, "... Sorry..."

"She says sorry for scaring you, Mike."

"Oh, it's fine, I wasn't that scared," he lied.

"Sure you weren't."

"I wasn't!"

"Ssh. It's starting."

– THANKTIVAL –

Throughout the film, while the others joked and chatted and made a wide variety of comments about it, Jemima stayed mostly quiet, except for the odd response to Humphrey checking in on her. She was enthralled in Cindy-Lou's story, and when she began to sing, it stirred something in Jemima's heart.

Later, Humphrey carried a half-asleep Jemima back to the pantry, his head still in her lap.

"What did you think of the film?"

"I liked the little girl. I liked how she made friends with the Grinch even though everyone told her she should be afraid of him and hate him. He was lonely, he needed a friend."

"Reminded you of something else, did it?"

Jemima yawned, then nodded and smiled at him, "Yes."

"So you enjoyed your first Christmas Eve as a family?"

"Yes. Thank you, Papa."