Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.

Christmas with the Shortmans

A sweet holiday one shot about our favorite newlyweds.

December 25

Christmas Day

It is a beautiful winters day in the town known as Hillwood, the snow was falling , covering the entire town with a blanket of pure white snow. It wasn't just any day it her. It was December 25th.

Christmas...

The most joyous time of year. A time where people everywhere join their family and loved ones to celebrate this very wonderful day. Including a certain newlywed couple who had just gotten up to what is the first Christmas they had since they got married a few months go. ..

"Merry Christmas, darling...'The wife said as she gave her husband a kiss upon awakening, making him smile.

"Merry Christmas, honey..."The husband said as he gave her a kiss as well.

They are Arnold and Helga, who had just woken up to what would be their first Christmas together as man and wife and needless to say, they were both feeling pretty merry right now.

"I still can't believe it, our first Christmas together since we got married..."Arnold said happily after getting dressed.

"The first of many..."Helga said with a coy smile, making her husband send her one as well.

After getting dressed, they decided to go start with one Christmas tradition that people of all ages love..

Presents...

They went to their living room to where the Christmas tree was. They're apartment had been decorated with beautiful, elegant Christmas decorations that they had picked up a few weeks ago in preparations of the big day, including a beautiful Christmas tree that was adorn with colorful lights, steams of popcorn and a lovely Christmas Angel on top of it. And right underneath it was two beautifully wrapped Christmas presents, one addressed to Arnold and the other to Helga.

"Merry Christmas, my beautiful little wife...'Arnold said as he handed her his present.

"Merry Christmas, my handsome hubby..."Helga said as she gave him her present.

"You first...'Arnold offered.

"No you..."Helga said, eager to see the look on his face when he sees what she got him.

After a few moments of playfully trying to get the other to open their gift, Arnold gave in and started opening his gift. Once he unwrapped it and opened the box, he was pleasantly surprised to see a video camera in it and one of the good ones too.

"Helga, this is amazing..."Arnold said as he admired the camcorder.

"Thanks...I figured since so many memories are being made, you'd want to capture them for good...'Helga said sheepishly, earning a kiss on the cheek from her husband.

"Well, I love it and I think I know one memory I want to capture right now...'Arnold said as he activated the camera and pointed it to his wife.

Helga giggled as she knew he wanted to get her opening her present on film and she indulged him. She unwrapped her present, and opening a rectangular box. Once she opened it she gasped when she saw what was inside.

It was a beautiful, gold charm bracelet that once caught her eye when she was shopping at the mall a few weeks ago, she really liked it but when she saw the price, she knew it was out of her range...and now it's here...

"Arnold... how did you know?..." Helga said as she admired the gorgeous piece of jewelry.

"I saw you looking it at it when we were at the mall and I knew it would be perfect for you..."Arnold said.

"Arnold, this is solid gold, this must have cost you a lot..." Helga said but Arnold shook his head.

"Hey, nothing is too good for my wife..."Arnold said, making her smile as she placed the bracelet on her hand.

Once she was done, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him for a kiss, which Arnold returned and his video camera ended up getting it all on tape.

A little later

After the opening of presents, Helga and Arnold had breakfast together, did their old tradition of watching a classic Christmas special, such as A Christmas Carol and even went outside, dressed in their winter suits to admire the beauty of the snow and lights of their neighborhood, watching many children run outside to play with their new toys and their parents with them. Some of them were even playing in snowball fights and Helga, out of a moment of mischief, threw one at her husband, which resulted in their own little playful game together, which ended with the two in the other's arms, just like they always do in moments like this.

After that, they decided to go do some caroling together, visiting several of their neighbors and later going over to Gerald and Phoebe's place to both wish them a Merry Christmas and to exchange gifts. After that, it was time to go to The Boarding house where the family's Christmas dinner would be held with the family with the exclusion of Helga's parents since Miriam won a trip to spend Christmas in Mexico and Patrick took Olga and the twins to visit his parents for the Holiday but they at least called to wish them Happy Holidays. Anyway, Helga brought over several dozen gingerbread men and pies she made for the family, which was greatly accepted by the family before she went to go help both Stella and Gertie out while Arnold spent time with his father and grandfather.

After that, it was time for Christmas dinner, where the family said grace and then dug in and enjoyed the dinner and many desserts made by both Helga and Stella. After that it was the boarding houses traditional secret Santa exchange, then everybody played some Christmas songs before it was time to take the traditional family photo. And Arnold caught all of these events with his new camera, that his precious Helga had given him this morning.

"That's a keeper..."Arnold said as he turned off his camera after video taping Grandma and Grandpa dancing to some classic holiday tunes.

Once done, he was about to join his family again, only for something to catch his eye. It was a framed picture and not just any, but of the first Christmas after the adventure in San Lorenzo, when his parents finally came home and in that picture, he was next to both his mother and father and a certain blonde little girl who smiled shyly as he held her hand in the photograph. It's been so long since this picture has been taken and now another Christmas has passed, with him still with his parents and the girl in the picture has now become a very beautiful woman that he is proud to call his wife.

"Time sure does fly..."Arnold thought with a smile as he felt so many warm, wonderful feelings right now.

"Hey Arnold come on, your dad is serving eggnog ..."Helga said as she came in.

"What are you doing?..."She asked when she noticed the picture he is holding.

"Oh nothing...just reminiscing I guess. .."Arnold said with a shrug while Helga looked at the picture with a smile.

"I remember that Christmas...it really was memorable..."Helga said.

"Of course it was, my parents were back and it was the first one with us together as boyfriend and girlfriend. ..."Arnold said, though his wife sent him a playful look.

"Well yeah...but I was thinking of the other stuff that happened that day..."Helga said as her husband raised a brow, only for the memory to come back and he sent her a romantic look.

"I remember, all the times you made me stand under the mistletoe..."Arnold said with a chuckle..."That sure was a nice memory..."He admitted.

"Speaking of which..."Helga suddenly pulled something out of her pocket and Arnold smirked when he saw what it was.

Mistletoe...

"I can't believe you still have that..."Arnold said with a chuckle.

Every Christmas since they got together, Helga always made sure to kiss him under the mistletoe, either by making him stand under one or by deliberately pulling one she brought herself, it had become her own personal holiday tradition.

"What can I say...I just love these traditions..."Helga said as she held the green plant over her husband's head and he smirked.

The two leaned in for a kiss, though it was more of a minor make out session, which wasn't even all that minor. They only stopped when they heard Arnold's mother call for them. The couple the went to go enjoy some eggnog and spent more time with their beloved family, sneaking in some more mistletoe kisses when they could get away with it. Sure they don't really need it but it was just too fun!

After a few more hours of Holiday fun and merry making, the happily married couple left for home, after hugging and saying goodbye to their beloved family. They both felt so happy and content, they were young, in love and married and had many people in their lives that they loved and who loved them. And most of all, they had each other to spend this wonderful Holiday with.

And they both knew that there would be many more Christmases to come.

-To be continued-

Next time on The First Year

Helga's Birthday

A/N: I know it's not Christmas day yet but I just couldn't wait...

:) Happy Holidays, Everyone :)

REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:

Boris Yeltsin : Glad to hear that...

Invader Johnny : Yeah, she manages to hold it all together...years of practice, I guess...

61394: It's Olga, at this point, despite some bumps in her life, she's still in he mindset where she thinks the world is up pose to revolve around her...

:)I hope you enjoyed my special Christmas gift to you all. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. :)