Happy Christmas to those who celebrate it! I'm in a bit of a Raoulstine mood.

Oh, Christmas Tree

The de Chagny family was practically famous for their Christmas trees. Every year, the family purchased a giant evergreen tree to go in the entry hall. A few more were scattered around the house. Though they were as decorated. It was tradition. Through thick and thin.

Raoul remembered decorated the tree all his life. His mother was the one who held up the tradition, for the most part. After he was born and she passed on, the family united over the Christmas tree. The year his father died, his siblings made sure they continued with it. Nothing would keep them from their tree.

The first time he showed Christine the tree, she merely stood there. Mouth gaping at the decoration. Raoul teased her about it later. She responded by saying she had never seen a tree so big. Her and her father kept a smaller tree that fit in their parlor.

Even after all that had happened, they were going to continue their tradition. Raoul's sister wouldn't be able to make it. His brother was dead. It was only going to be the two of them.

They could've asked for help from the servants. In fact, they should have. But they were determined. Christine vowed this year's tree was going to be the best one yet. A week prior, they found their perfect tree. Bigger than most of the ones he'd had as a child. It was delivered. Their footmen set it up exactly where they wanted it to go. Other servants gathered the boxes full of ornaments.

It took the two an entire hour to do the bottom few branches. Christine hadn't realized just how wide it was. She glanced back at the boxes. Hopefully, they would have enough to get them to cover the tree.

"How are we going to reach the top?" Christine asked from one side of the tree. She hung a red ball on a branch.

Raoul paused for a moment. Through the branches, she could see him taking a step back and studying it. One finger tapped at his chin.

"I'll have to put you up on my shoulder to get it," he said.

"Excuse me?" She joined him. "You're going to lift me up onto your shoulder?"

"Would you prefer if I went on your shoulders?"

Christine swatted at him with a smirk.

They gathered a few ornaments together. So Raoul could easily pass them up to her. With that, Christine met him on a sofa. Where she was able to lift herself onto his shoulder. He held onto her legs, but she wobbled slightly. Raoul began passing ornaments to her. Ever so carefully so nothing (or no one) would fall.

"That's the last one," Raoul said, passing it to her.

Christine lifted the string and expertly pull it on. He lowered himself down to a kneel. Gently, she slid off of him. In the process, knocking both of them over.

The two laid there. Trying to regain their breath. Raoul let out a chuckle. His laughter got louder and louder. Christine joined in. Not that she knew what was so hilarious, but her husband's laugh always caused her to giggle.

"What's so funny?" she asked him, wincing slightly as she rose the upper half of her body.

"We could have used a ladder," Raoul wheezed.

The image of herself sitting on her husband's shoulder as she hung up decorations. What were they thinking? It was stupid. So very stupid. Yet hilarious. Christine began laughing harder.

Once they died down, Raoul helped her up. They shared a kiss in front of their less-then-perfect tree. The couple wrapped their arms around each other and looked up at it. Christine giggled again.

"I think it's lovely," she said, nuzzling her face into his chest.

"You really think so? Maybe we should keep it like that. Have a half decorated tree. It's nice."

Christine only looked back up at him and smiled.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!