"Nancy? This just came for you."

Nancy tugged the sweater over her head and gave Hannah a grin. "Thanks," she replied, reaching for the mail the housekeeper was offering. The largest piece was a small box with an envelope glued to the top; Nancy's name was written in elegant, flowing calligraphy with metallic ink.

"Ooooh," Bess cooed on seeing the box. "That looks fancy."

Nancy chuckled. "Probably the Ford dealership trying to get me to buy a new Mustang."

Bess's eyes widened. "So what do you think it is, a key?"

"I wish." Nancy loved her car, but as her father had pointed out, they had almost certainly replaced every piece of it, thanks to accidents and sabotage it had suffered while ferrying her around for her cases. She strode to her closet and swung the door open. "I have no idea what to do for shoes."

Once Bess had finally pronounced her outfit acceptable for their early Christmas-shopping trip to the mall, Nancy's best friend turned back to the bed, where she had tossed the package after a thorough surface inspection. After the last mysterious package had left burn marks on their front door and doorframe, Nancy's father had installed a doorbell camera, and that had cut down on the number of crackpots trying to attack the Drew family that way. Still, the mail delivery drivers put their packages through a slightly more rigorous inspection process, and Nancy and Carson were both grateful.

"Please tell me you're going to open that before we go."

Nancy heaved a good-natured sigh. "Fine. If you insist."

The note in the elegantly inscribed envelope was written in an equally impressive font.

Happy Holidays!

A special someone has bought you an equally special experience: a spa day courtesy the sisters at the Emerson College chapter of Theta Pi!

The holidays can be a rough, busy time for everyone, so come be pampered at our chapter house! You'll be showered in luxury and bliss* and leave rejuvenated, ready to tackle more shopping, Hallmark Christmas movies, or whatever combination thereof you enjoy! Experience the magic of our holiday-themed coffee and hot chocolate bar while you relax and let us take care of you. Open the box for a preview of the experience!

*Our treatments will include facials, massages, manicures and pedicures, and possibly other skin treatments. Let us know about any allergies or sensitivities you might have.

All proceeds benefit the Emersonville women's shelter.

"That's sweet," Nancy said with a smile. She had no doubt about the identity of the "special someone."

Bess was reading the note, too. "Oooh! I wonder what's inside?"

Nancy unwrapped the box and tugged the lid off, when—

WHOOM. A shower of red, green, and gold glitter exploded out of the box, dusting Nancy and Bess in powdered Christmas.

The two girls looked at each other, mouths agape, then burst into laughter.

"I mean," Bess gasped out, "your outfit was missing that special something to take it over the top."

"I feel like a Santa superfan," Nancy chortled.

Once they recovered, they shook glitter out of their clothes and hair, but Hannah still gave them a double-take when they came downstairs. "What happened?"

Nancy and Bess started laughing again. "A very special invitation," Nancy finally replied, wiping her eyes. "I'm not sure I'm ever going to get all this glitter off. I'll vacuum my room when I get home."

Hannah chuckled. "I should have a batch of Christmas cookies done by then," she said, and Bess's eyes lit up.

After an afternoon full of shopping, during which Bess bought as much for herself as she did for other people, Nancy's best friend rewarded herself with a few cookies "I've already walked off," she told Nancy, before heading home. The two of them had continually found glitter, clinging to their skin, trailing behind them as they walked. Nancy gave herself a thorough scrub in the shower, but it had still managed to get everywhere: in the webbing between her fingers, in the shell of her ear.

"Good one, Nickerson," she told Ned when she called him before bed.

"Oh?"

"Theta Pi sent me the invitation to their holiday spa day. Complete with a glitter bomb."

"I... did not know that was going to happen," Ned said slowly. "I mean, yes, of course on the invitation. It's their fall fundraiser this time. But, a glitter bomb?"

"It was funny," she told him. "It set the mood for the trip Bess and I took to the mall. But Bess had one waiting for her when she got home, and since she'd already seen what happened with mine..."

"She dodged that bullet."

"But George didn't. Bess is planning to give it to her." Nancy chuckled.

"So you'll be coming up for that weekend... may I offer myself for some supplemental services?"

"Mmm?" Nancy snuggled down into the covers with a smile. "Tell me more."

"It's all to help you relax, right? So maybe you could come over to the Omega house for some... additional relaxation."

"Uh-huh," Nancy replied, deadpan. "Like a holiday-themed vodka bar."

"Or... some one-on-one time."

"Oh," Nancy said suddenly. "Um."

"You know. If you wanted to."

"I think I would," Nancy said slowly. "As long as you make me a promise."

"What's that?"

"Please don't shower me in glitter, not again. I'll probably still be wearing some by the time I get to Emerson."

Ned chuckled. "I'll resist the urge," he replied. Then his voice dropped low. "I can't wait to see you, Nan. I count the minutes."

Nancy smiled. The sound of his voice was sending a delicious shiver down her spine, along with everything he wasn't quite saying. "Me too. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart."