Dear Sherlock,
It's Boxing Day! Christmas so far has been fantastic, but that's not really any thanks to your brother. Mycroft sent a card, saying "Merry Christmas, 221B Baker Street. Mycroft Holmes." There was also a little present for us all, but I think I'm the only one who appreciates your old books on bees. They have pride of place on the bookshelf, and one's currently at the side of my bed because I was reading it last night before I went to sleep. I didn't know you liked bees, but I can see why you do. They are intelligent in a lot of ways, and their communities are complex and interesting. You were definitely the queen bee of Baker Street weren't you, Sherlock? The rest of us revolved around your extreme power, we did all we could for you. And we are all lost without you, with no purpose and we are in a frenzy of confusion. A new queen bee hasn't come to our dead hive, and no bee ever will.
Onto the exchange of presents, then. I got Mrs Hudson a new coffee machine for the café, which she is extremely grateful for. It makes excellent cappuccinos according to her. In return she gave me a new phone, a Samsung Galaxy SII, if you were interested. So now Harry's old phone has been passed on to Nina.
Nina herself gave me a painting, and I can't tell you how much it means to me. It's of you, standing at the window with your violin in your dressing gown, playing beautifully. I don't know how she managed it, considering that she's never met you, but then again she didn't paint your face, only your body and the back of your head. I felt inadequate when I revealed her present, which was a bicycle. It's got this vintage look about it, in shiny red. I got it for her because she was complaining about always having to order a taxi if she wanted to get somewhere more than five minutes away. She loves it, of course.
I got Greg a divorce for Christmas. And I'm being serious when I say that. I literally paid for his divorce. He finally decided to leave his wife, and he's much better for it. Doesn't have to worry about her running around with other men behind his back. To say thank you he got me a sort of job on the force, with official ID, so that what happened to you will never happen to me. An official consulting detective, or so it says on the card. It was a great present, and one that will prove extremely useful as I continue to solve more cases.
Molly came over to dish out our presents, which was a surprise to me even though I'd bought her one and she came around for Christmas before. She gave me a huge packet of chocolate chip cookies, which are surely intended to make me fat, and I gave her some diamond earrings that Mrs Hudson helped me to pick out.
Sarah gave me a tea set for the flat, because I accidently broke yours when I dropped it in an encounter with the knife. Sorry. I got her a new watch, because the one she'd had kept stopping and the strap was wearing away. This watch is completely metal so that can't happen in the future.
Harry sent us some presents through the post, and what she got for me was a voucher for this recently-opened Italian restaurant called "Zizzi's". I'm planning on taking Sarah there sometime, and I'll report back if it's any good or not.
That's enough for now, I think. Well, I can't fit any more onto the page, so I'll include all other Christmas details in my next letter.
Goodbye for now,
Love,
Your John.