Family Christmas
Christmas Holydays or rather Winter Holydays were between the most enjoyable experiences a family could have a winter landscape with decorations everywhere outside the house while inside was a cozy fire burning in the chimney while the family was staying together relaxing on either the sofa or the coach near a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Both parts were in this case true for the Orlock building in New Orleans in Louisiana where near a fire were staying Bunnicula the Vampire rabbit alongside Harold the dog and Chester the Siamese cat. For the latter Christmas ever since he came to New Orleans became almost part of his everyday horror movie, even with that he always hoped that he would have some relaxing holydays.
There was also another thing to know Mina was preparing the Christmas dinner alongside Maria, it was by all account her first Christmas with Mina and her father and she was trying her best to do it right. One aspect she was doing now was helping her with several Christmas specialties originally from France. It was very easy especially if her native tongue is French.
"Remember Mina don't put too much smoke salmon on the crackers and not too much sauce." Maria said directing the red haired girl who was making final adjustments with some appetizers.
"It is much easier to do it when one understands the recipes."
"The importance of been a polyglot is high especially when you deal with recipes that are in French or Spanish. Or other things that are in Latin." Maria explained.
"You always tell me that when I cook." Mina said rolling her eyes, although she couldn't deny the fact that with her pushing around, she really did started to learn French and Spanish for her cooking or other activities while Latin for her spells.
"It is much easier to remind this all the time especially for some who need more repetition in order to learn." She said with a smirk.
"I know that mom." Mina said a bit annoyed by her now step-mother before hearing the bell to the oven, meaning one of the main dishes was done, taking a heat resistant glove he went to the oven to retrieve the classic spinach soufflé.
"This went pretty well." Mina said liking what she was seeing only for the soufflé to deflate.
"Seriously." She said annoyed this been the third time this happened.
"Don't be disappointed, you have to try it before judging." Maria said giving her a fork and Mina took it to try it only to find it remarkably good.
"Hey this really tastes great I might have added a bit more pepper but it really works." She exclaimed before placing it near the Au jus for Prime Rib and the Boeuf Bourguignon on the table.
"Despite the soufflé having the possibility of deflating it doesn't mean it will go bad."
"Yet many think about the aspect."
"They might but they have to try it first in order to judge." Maria explained while Mina looked at the dishes she helped her to make for this Christmas thinking about how she will even eat from each of those, especially if what she has kind of makes it a bit hard for her to eat some normal food if not liquid.
"You know I sometimes wonder how you would manage to eat some of those dishes you taught me and also how Christmas is for a vampire."
"The eating part, you don't need to worry much I can eat things as long as they are soft. As for Christmas, it was usually lonely, only at my work I was thinking about and barely took some time off to celebrate with night walks which were pretty empty. You don't seem to feel fulfilled spiritually when everyone around is celebrating with loved ones. And if you ask how supernatural creatures that are married to normal people celebrate, well they are indeed weird sometimes, but at least they got the warmth the celebration itself represents, especially when you think about what is the essence of the tradition." Maria explained placing her hand on Mina's shoulder.
"In this case, let's make sure this Christmas shall be better than the ones you had before." Mina said with a smile.
"I believe it already starts to be." Maria said looking at their Christmas dinner, there was only one thing to be done however and that was covering them from prying eyes.
"Quick let's cover them for now, we don't want some members to start eating them already."
"I know who you mean." Mina said taking some caps from the wardrobe and started to cover the dishes before hearing another bell ringing this one was for the desert known as the Yule Log which was in essence chocolate cake shape as a log and a Tarte au Citron, a tart made out of lemon with curd filling with a perfect balance between sweet and sour with lots of cream.
"One can't deny those dishes now could make anyone's mouth to water." Mina said while both took them and placed them under some caps.
"I know but the wait wouldn't be long I assure you, just 10 more minutes." Maria said with a smile before they heard a sound from the hall and they went to see what had happened, Arthur was trying to make some small adjustments but he got himself wrapped in tinsel on his neck and around his head.
"Oh boy and I just wanted to adjust some of the decorations near the windows."
"Oh dad you didn't had to." Mina said a bit amused by this before both went to help him down on the coach.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this." He said while Mina and Maria helped him get off the tinsel.
"Honey, you don't need to stress yourself with some of the decorations." Maria said with a tender voice placing the tinsel near the window. "There now they look wonderful."
"Oh why I am now surrounded by the best girls around." He said placing his arms around the 2 while the 3 pets were watching them.
"Ahh now this is really a good time." Chester said.
"Indeed, and I am really wondering how will be the food served, I really can't wait." Harold said with enthusiasm which they were heard by the woman.
"Mina I believe some need to have their early dinner." Maria whispered and Mina knew what she meant.
"On it." Mina said going to take the food bags to fill the bowls for each of them, doggy food for Harold, cat food for Chester and a nice carrot for Bunnicula. Each of them went to their plates and started to eat however during that Bunnicula couldn't help but leave one finger in Chester's bowl for him to notice.
"Aaah, Bunnicula!" Chester commented.
"Egly Christmas present." Bunnicula said with his strong accent while Cheste grunted as Mina and Maria brought their dishes in, and started to fill the plates, Maria of course had her plate more light. Once each of them were filled they started to eat, each could not deny the fact that everything tasted wonderful.
"You 2 really put a lot of effort in this dinner, everything tastes really great." Arthur said.
"It is easy when one got some help." Mina said with a smile.
"I am glad that you 2 are getting along so well I really am impressed by this."
"Well, it seems that we got many things in common actually and also due to the time spent to know one another." Maria said with a smile.
"That despite having to always work the night shift at the clinic. I am glad still that you are free during the holydays." He said placing his hand on hers.
"What kind of wife and mother I will be if I don't spend time with family during those special times." She said with a smile giving him a kiss on the cheek prompting him to giggle.
"And you really do the best you can." Mina said smiling for her father and step-mother, after finishing their dinner and the rest was given to Harold they decided to spend the time listening to Christmas carols till one by one Mina and Arthur had fallen asleep on the sofa while Maria made some final adjustments, by placing Christmas presents for the 2, for Arthur was a nice pullover and a guitar for refining his musical talent while for Mina it was a digitally made art piece in gothic style alongside a secret present in the form of her personal charm book.
"Make sure nothing happens to them." She whispered to Chester and Bunnicula.
"Na prablam." Bunnicula said while the vampire woman went back to her room this time to sleep during the night with her husband, the pets however also fell asleep and didn't noticed that Santa Clause had came in to leave his own presents there. His presence however didn't remained a secret despite the sleep spell he had made sure to cast Chester had woken up and saw him leaving the presents under the tree before shaking his friends.
"Guys look." The Siamese cat said pointing at him.
"Wow it's Santa." Harold said tracking his attention who smiled at them.
"Don't make too much noise my friends; we can't risk spoiling the surprise." He said smiling to them.
"Marrie Chrismas." Bunnicula said.
"Merry Christmas to you too Bunnicula, and to you Harold and Chester." He said going back to the chimney.
"Santa must always know, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year." He said going back up.
The next day everyone woke up to the sight of a rich Christmas tree where everyone seemed to have got what they had wished. Chester had a new Sudoku game, Harold a new chew toy the shape of a bone while Bunnicula a new scary mask. As for their owners, Mina was very impressed by her charms book, whom she kept secret for the moment as well as the gothic style painting with the landscape while Arthur started to practice his guitar with his pullover on. Maria in her case received a silver necklace with a blood red ruby to it.
"First Christmas with your own family in a long time I believe." Mina said smiling.
"Indeed it is." Maria said in a way feeling her heart beating for the first time in years which drove her to shed some tears.
"This I believe is the best Christmas ever." Maria said with a smile.
"Ooh mom." Mina said hugging her followed by Arthur.
"No one should cry in such a moment." He said.
"I know sorry, I couldn't hold it." She said with a laugh taking off her glasses to whip her tears from her eyes before hugging the two of them smiling before the animals joined in.
"Merry Christmas everyone."
Author's note: Sorry for the late post for this Christmas special I couldn't found a better time to finish it and to post it due to other things that I needed to care for. But even with that I hope you all will enjoy this story, sorry for the possible spoilers that might have in it.