A/N Merry Christmas Everybody, This special Christmas ficlet is brought to you with the help of Lady Ambreanna, who graciously supplied the ideas for this chapter in "A collection of small tidbits" Despite her request that flames go to her, don't blame her if I fudge up. It was her idea, but I am the one who filled in the blanks. If you must flame, do so but you won't receive the special Lord Elrond's gone crazy imaginary tee-shirt.

Thank you Lady Ambreanna and all you people out there who have been reading along with me.

Definition: Solstice, the equivalent to Mid-winter or Mid-summer. (I did not know this until recently myself, so if you didn't know, then don't feel bad)

Slightly AU and the characters might be a little off.

Of Elflings and Winter Solstice

"My Lord, relax. They are elflings!"

"Glorfindel, sweet naïve Glorfindel. They are not just elflings, they are ORCLINGS!" Lord Elrond exclaimed.

"Now now," Glorfindel replied, leading his lord to his overstuffed chair. "They can't be that bad"

"Oh they are! I've tried everything I can think of." It was nearing the big winter solstice gathering and Lord Elrond had a serious dilemma. His twins, Elladan and Elrohir, ALWAYS found their gifts before the gift exchange. The last year, guards were posted at the doors; Elrond had hid the gifts in a spare guest room. To his chagrin, the twins still managed to get past and open the gifts.

"Are you sure you have tried everything? How about hiding them in completely random and different places?" Glorfindel suggested while raising his arms and shoulders in a shrug. Elrond rolled his eyes and ran his hand over his forehead and eyes.

"Yes, my friend, I have indeed tried that. That was the year Figwit was drenched in tomato sauce." Though a rather funny sight to see; Glorfindel did his best to understand his lord's dilemma.

"Sir, what if we hide them in Lord Glorfindel's room?" asked Lindir, who had been sitting in the library's music section not 10 feet away. Glorfindel snapped his head towards the poor elf his face alight with dread and almost fear.

"No! Not again! I will not put myself in that much mental peril again!" he exclaimed. Once, a few years back, they had tried that. At the time it seemed like a brilliant idea. What elfling, even twin elflings, would be able to get by the mighty Balrog Slayer? The answer to this question is quite obvious. They had managed to find and use his one true weakness against him. While he was tearing the house apart looking for his beloved Mini-Glor, the twins were able to sneak in and open the gifts. They had hidden the sweet stuffed rabbit in the kitchen on the other side of the house, so by the time the esteemed head guard had returned; they had retreated to their own rooms. The gifts looked untouched, except that they had been moved. Of course nothing can get by Elrond and he soon found out the reason his children still managed their feat. But of course, during the few months to follow, he had not let poor Glorfindel live it down.

"You're right; we don't need to form another search party this year." Lindir laughed. If looks could kill, Lord Elrond wouldn't have the time to worry about hiding the gifts this year and Glorfindel would be locked away. The Lord paced the library floor.

"I'm so forlorn! There is not a place in my mind I can bring forth that would supply sufficient hiding space." He moaned.

Glorfindel and Lindir stood up simultaneously.

"I've got it!" they chorused. Glancing at each other, they went to sit down so the other could speak. Both stood again as the other sat.

"Go ahead" they said.

"No, you first" they replied.

"Alright, I'll go" said once again together.

"QUIET" Lord Elrond intervened, quite fed up with everything. The guard and the minstrel ceased all noise.

"Sir, what if you name all that you have tried and work from there!" Lindir exclaimed once more, earning a dirty look from Glorfindel who was about to say the same.

"Brilliant idea, I could kiss you!" he said jumping to his feet. Lindir looked bewildered, "I won't though, and my wife wouldn't like it if my minstrel went insane and tried decapitating me with a lute."

The two friends were looking at each other, deciding whether or not their lord was mentally stable.

"Alright, I have: hidden them in my room, used the oak tree out front, buried them in the snow, locked them in the panic room, locked them in the cellar, hidden them in the coat rack, hidden them under the twins own beds, put them in the chairs, hidden them in the highest cupboard…" Glorfindel cut him off.

"What about here in the library?" he asked. Elrond glared at him.

"Of course I've tried the library, remember? I sat by poor Mithrandir for almost two days trying to calm him down!" His two comrades stifled giggles. Mithrandir had been covered by an avalanche of books after the twins had accidently loosened one of the top shelves. He had reached up to take down a book of maps and hit the wobbly shelf causing six more shelves of books to pile up on him. The old Istar was fine if not shaken up and paper cut.

"I know! The fireplace! No they could get burned. The wreath? No it might fall on them, behind the curtains? Oh that's the first place they'll look!" By now he was hitting his head repeatedly on the desk begging the valar for help. Glorfindel and Lindir where trying to sneak out of the room.

"The ROOF that's it! Ha HA! They would never think I would hide them up there! They cannot climb up there without help! It's perfect!" He started laughing and dancing around the room. Lindir made it out the door in time, but poor Glorfindel was pulled into the dance by Elrond. The crazed lord swung him around the room in a crazy, if not hobbit like, jig.

"The roof The roof! The roof is on…." Elrond started to sing. There came a knock on the door, and to Glorfindel's relief, Elrond stopped to answer it. Seconds later the twins were standing in front of their father and their weapons tutor.

"Father" Elladan started.

"We came to tell you" Elrohir continued.

"That you need not hide our gifts this year" they finished together. Elrond's jaw dropped and Glorfindel's legs gave out. After a moment of silence Elrond blinked and responded with a sound, "Why is that?"

"Because Father" Elrohir stepped closer to the duo.

"We have decided that we are too old to do childish things like that anymore" Elladan added joining his brother's side.

"And besides, you seemed to be getting a little too stressed, so we thought we would give you a break this year." Elrohir finished and gave his father a hug before leaving. His twin followed after giving his own hug with a whispered "sorry adar" added. With a nod to Lord Glorfindel, the twins exited.

After a few steps the twins could have sworn they heard crazed laughter then sobbing and Glorfindel saying "now now my lord, there is always next year"