Christmas as Only a DiNozzo Can
A collection of Christmas moments and one-shots with the DiNozzo clan and extended family over the years.
Chapter 1 - When Do We Put Up the Tree? (Thanksgiving 2018)
Ziva, Delilah, Breena, and Abby cleared the table at Ducky's condo in Georgetown after the Thanksgiving meal. Tali and Tori meandered to the play area set up in the living room for the kids. Anthony followed his big sister, mostly to see what she was doing. The McGee twins were crawling well, and just getting to where they were trying a few tentative steps holding on to furniture or an adult's hand. Jimmy took seven-month-old Charles to the guest bedroom to change his clothes and diaper and try to get the baby to nap. Ducky followed the kids to the living room to keep an eye on them. Tony, Tim, and Gibbs helped put food away.
"Are we going to put up the Christmas tree next?" Abby eagerly asked anyone who cared to answer her. "It's time to have it up for the holidays. Christmas starts when Santa turns the corner in the Thanksgiving parade."
Tim gave her a look, "Christmas Eve is soon enough. The tree goes up after the kids are in bed dreaming of Santa. Trees, presents, stockings… all is set up for Christmas morning."
"Well, last year, you didn't complain when Ziva and I set up a tree for you since you had your hands full with newborns," Tony ribbed his brother of the heart. "That was not Christmas Eve."
"It was not, but we were so busy and almost overwhelmed with the two babies that we hadn't even thought about decorating for Christmas," Delilah replied before Tim could say anything. "But both of us grew up with the Christmas Eve trees."
"At least you had a tree," Tony frowned as he remembered Christmases spent alone or left at the boarding school for that year. "Uncle Angelo and Aunt Isabella always had a huge tree; well, it seemed huge to me. The angel on top touched the ceiling."
Jimmy came into the kitchen, "He's asleep, finally. Nope, Christmas tree goes up two weeks before the big day. Not a day sooner. And it has to be a sustainable tree; one in a planter so it can be put in the ground after the holiday."
Tony turned to Ziva at his left and mumbled, "He knows how to suck all the fun out of the Christmas tree…" Ziva swatted his arm in response. "I mean, who goes out to get a sustainable tree? And then plants it after the holiday? Not gonna catch me out planting a stupid tree in the yard in January…"
Gibbs had been listening to the conversation so far without any reactions. "Put it out on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Decorate it all month long."
"Which works if you don't have curious babies, toddlers and preschoolers," Jimmy commented. "Heck, remember last year at Tony and Ziva's rented house? They ended up putting their tree behind a set of baby play yard fences. Christmas tree in a cage," he smirked.
"Anthony was starting to get into things, and Tali was fascinated by the tree," Tony retorted. "Even with kid-safe and kid-proof decorations, we found them all over the house. We put the tree up the first weekend in December and it seemed as though we redecorated every week until Ziva came up with the idea of using the baby fencing to keep little hands away from the tree."
The group finished the kitchen chores and continued the discussion as they moved to Ducky's living room. The five little ones were gathered around their Grandducky as he read them a story from an old book.
"Ah, there you all are," the old doctor looked up as the adults entered the room. "I was just about to read a favorite Christmas tale from when I was a lad to the children. This book was mine when I was just a wee boy. Every year, my grandfather read the stories to me, one per night, until Christmas Eve. When he passed away, the following years, I read the stories to myself. It was never quite the same…"
Abby plopped herself down on the floor with the kids. "Ready!" she declared as she tried to scoop the McGee twins into her lap. "Oh, by the way, Ducky, where's your Christmas tree? We can put it up for you if you want."
Ducky chuckled, "Abigail, my tiny tree is pre-decorated - lights, ornaments, and garland – and is all of twenty-four inches tall. I will remove it from the storage box and set it out in about two weeks. A five-minute chore, not counting the time to retrieve the storage container."
Abby pouted as John and Katie scooted to their parents. Anthony ran to his Ima and climbed into her lap on the loveseat. Only the two older girls were left sitting on the floor.
Gibbs patted the forensic scientist's head, "People do things their own ways, Abs. When you go home, you can put up your tree; and stay up all night doing so, if that's what floats your boat."
"But, Gibbs, my tree is already up!"
Tony nudged Ziva, "Why am I not surprised?"
"Shush… be nice…"
"You take the fun out of ribbing everyone," he made a sad face at his wife, which evoked a fit of laughter from Anthony and the young McGees. Tali came over to see what her brother and parents were doing and decided to sit in her Abba's lap.
"Abba are we going to put up our Christmas tree soon?" she asked as she got herself settled. "A big tree, please?"
"Ask Ima."
Ziva rolled her eyes at Tony, "Sure, deflect it onto me… Tali, we will do what I plan to do each year. The Christmas tree goes up when Chanukah is over. When we pack the menorah away for next year, we will take the Christmas decorations out from the storage shelves in the garage."
"Okay," the little girl settled back against her Abba as Ducky began reading Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl.