So, I've decided to give each of the Mane 6 characters their own individual chapters of when they relive their favorite Hearth's Warming memories. Hope you like it.

I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic or its characters. And I do not own the Christmas story that I have based here.

Twilight's POV: "Late in the night, Gink Greenhair snuck his way into the village. He then climbed up onto the roof of a house and slid down the chimney to get inside."

Oh, I feel so dizzy. I open my eyes to find everything fuzzy. Geez, what happened?

I think back to the last thing I can remember. I was listening to Mrs. Saint read a story out loud to foals. Did I fall asleep? Had I been so tired that I actually dozed off? Wow, I must have been way more exhausted than I thought I was.

Wait a minute. How long had I been asleep for? I got to get back to finding my friends Hearth's Warming presents! I sit up immediately from bed. Wait, when did I get into bed.

"Calm down, Twily. The story has just gotten started."

I find myself in a purple, foal sized bed in a room filled with books and Princess Celestia posters. This can't be possible. I was in my old room. It was just how it was when I was a filly. Course, it looks brighter and has fewer books from when I last came here. My parents must have really worked hard making it look brand new.

But what really gets my full attention was my brother, Shining Armor standing besides my bed. He's wearing the academy jacket he use to wear all the time when he was younger. Doesn't it have a stain from that one grape juice incident? Wait, why was my brother here and not at the Crystal Empire? And why was he reading a floating foal book?

"Um, Shining Armor, how did…?" I try to ask how I got here and why he was here. But something's wrong with my voice. It sounds high and squeaky. Almost like something that a little filly should sound like. Had my vocal cords been damaged when I fell?

I feel my throat. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. But I do see something unordinary. My hooves are so small. In fact, everything about me is small. My legs, my mane, my tail, my… Wait a moment. I turn my head left to right about a dozen times to be sure. But it's obvious that my wings are missing. How could that be? My wings are a symbol of my new alicorn status and they're a part of who I've become. How could they have just disappeared like so? But it's not just my wings that have vanished, it seems. I look down at my flank to find that something else is missing. My cutie mark! My bright star shine, my symbol of the element of magic, my unique quality. It's gone!

"Um, Twily" Shining Armor speaks calmly. "Everything alright? You seem to be in a panic."

I look at him with wide eyes. "Everything is certainly not alright! Shining Armor, what happened to my cutie mark?"

He looks at me as if I'm talking nonsense. "Um, you don't have a cutie mark yet."

What? I don't have my cutie mark yet? Wait a minute. I'm back in my old room that looks exactly like when I was little, my voice sounds like a filly, my body shrunk, and my flank is as blank as an ink-less piece of paper. Putting all these factors together, I find that there's only one logical explanation. I'm still asleep and dreaming about a memory of when I was a foal.

It makes perfect sense that this was merely a dream. That's why Shining Armor and I look so much younger. I must be dreaming of something that happened long ago. Not one hundred percent sure which particular memory this is. But that doesn't matter. From everything I've studied about dreams, if I simply give myself a small pinch, I'll wake up instantly.

I'm about to do just so, when Shining Armor shakes. "You're funny, Twily. Lets get back to where we were. Ah, here we go! 'Once in, he took all of the decorations, presents and everything else that had anything to do with Hearth's Warming. But he didn't stop there. To be sure that no pony would have a large feast the next morning, he took everypony's roast oats, six flavored crusted tarts, apple stuffing, pudding, and every last can of pony hash. He made the home look as if Hearth's Warming never existed. And it satisfied his empty heart."

Hold on there. I'm starting to remember how this story goes. If I recall, my favorite part is about to come up. "Hey" I speak up. "I know the next part!" I use the small amount of magic my foal-self has to bring the book over to me so I can read from it. 'Then, as he was finishing collecting all the family's dolls, someone caught him by surprise. The family's youngest member, a filly named Little Bloom. She stayed up late that night making Hearth's Warming dolls for all of her friends but had fallen asleep. When she heard some odd noises coming from the living room, she awoken to find a green pony collecting all of her family's dolls.

"She stared at him and said 'pardon me, mister. But, why do y'all happen to be takin our dolls?'

"Gink, frozen with panic, tried to think up a quick lie. 'I… Ummm… I saw that they're not fully stuffed. So, I thought I'd take them back to my home to fix them as good as new…'

"It wasn't the best fib ever. But it was good enough to make Little Bloom convinced. 'Why, that's mighty kind of y'all! Say, what's your name? I don't believe we've met. Mine's Little Bloom.'

"He smiled awkwardly. This was his first interaction with another pony in a very long time. 'Gink Greenhair.'

"Gink Greenhair? Well, it's swell to meet you!'

"Gink was shaken and confused. Wasn't this little filly disgusted by his weird appearance?

"Instead, Little Bloom gave him a smile. 'Well, I'd better get back to be before my granny and older sister wake up. But, thanks again for fixin our dolls. Have a Happy Hearth's Warming!' Then she took off back to bed.

"While…."

Shining Armor laughs. "You really have heard this story before. When did mom and dad tell you this?"

I don't worry about answering. This was just a simple dream. All I have to do is pinch myself and I'll wake up. And as soon as I do, I'll get straight back to present searching. I just got to get my friends the greatest gifts a princess can get them. I'm still unsure of what exactly that can be, but I'll know it when I see it.

And I'm about to pinch myself, when the door to my room opens. My mom comes walking in and says "okay, foals! Hearth's Warming Eve's dinner is ready."

Hearth's Warming Eve dinner my mom prepared? It's been years since I had my mom's famous Hearth's Warming feast. She always made the most full filling meals during Hearth's Warming. But I haven't had a chance to visit her or my dad on Hearth's Warming long enough to enjoy her wonderful dinner. And this year, she was so busy with Princess Cadance that she didn't find the time to prepare it.

I do want to wake up. But I can smell her homemade apple stuffing. It's just as overwhelming as I remember. Would it be bad to stay a little longer?

Thinking it over, if I did fall asleep in the bookstore, some pony was sure to find me. They will wake me up and I can get straight back to gift shopping. And based on all I've read about dreams, time works differently from the dreamworld to reality. One hour here is a minute in the real world. I have a little time to spare. And my mom's Hearth's Warming feast was worth an hour.

Shining Armor and I walk into the dining room to find mom's wonderful Hearth's Warming dinner. Roast oats, pony hash, six flavored crusted tarts, apple stuffing and specially made pudding. Oh, everything looks delicious! I smell the freshly made apple stuffing. It's so good that my mouth waters. It's been too long since I've tasted it. I just can't help myself from diving face first at it….

Wait! What just happened? I'm still my filly-self, but I'm no longer in the dining room. Now, I'm in the living room. What's more, I can no longer smell any of mom's home cooked dinner. Not even a spec of apple stuffing. Awww! I was really looking forward to tasting it once again.

Snap out of it, Twilight! This is all just a dream. I can't actually taste or feel anything. No matter how nice it feels to relive sweet moments from my foal-hood, I have more pressing matters to attend to. My friends are counting on me to give them the greatest presents a princess can give them. I need to wake up and get back to shopping.

I'm just about to pinch myself, when my parents come in. "Alright, Shining Armor and Twilight" my dad says. "Now that we've had your mother's fantastic dinner, it's my turn to give you foals something."

Behind me, young Shining Armor claps his hooves. "Yay!" When our mom eyes him, he calmly says "I mean, you don't have to do that, Dad. Hearth's Warming is tomorrow."

"True" my dad speaks. "But these are too special to wait for." He uses his magic to bring in a rectangle shaped present with green and blue striped wrapping and a gold bow on. He gives it to Shining Armor and says "son, I know that you're going to graduate from the academy next year. So, I wanted to give you something that helped me after my graduation."

Wasting no time, my brother rips the wrapping off his present and opens the box. Inside, he pulls out an old scrapbook.

"My father wanted me to remember my academy years" Dad explains. "So he collected all the best times I ever had during those years and put them in that scrapbook."

While he seems puzzle, Shining Armor skims through the old scrapbook. He suddenly gasps in the middle of it. "There's one of my first day at the academy." He flips to the next page. "And one when I formed my Ogres & Oubliettes club." When he flips it again, his eyes start to water. "There's one of when I took Princess Cadance to the school dance. How…?"

Dad grins. "Well, there were a few extra pages to add more memories. So, I figured that putting some of your fondest memories would fit perfectly in there."

Still crying tears of joy, Shining Armor smiles. "Thanks, Dad." And he gives our dad a big stallion hug.

After being released from his son's grip, Dad turns to me. "Now, it's your turn, Twilight." He uses his magic to bring a square shaped present that's wrapped up in purple wrapping with a pink bow on top and sets it down in front of me. I'm puzzled. What could it be?

It was my mom who explains. "Your father and I noticed how hard you've been studying in order to get into Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. So, we wanted to get you a reward for all your effort."

Ummm, what kind of reward do they have in mind? I try to wrap my brain around to recall what it was they got me this particular year. Oh, but this memory happened so long ago that I must have completely forgotten about it. Well, at least I'll be able to recall it by simply opening up this present that's right in front of me.

Carefully, undoing the bow, the gift opens to reveal a large book. It's so thick with golden covering. When I see the golden unicorn face on the cover, I recognize it instantly. It's The Mare in the Moon.

I don't believe it. The story that got be curious about the Elements of Harmony. Which would lead me to discover the story of how Nightmare Moon would return. That then made me write the note of urgency to Princess Celestia of her sister's potential escape from the moon. It was what had me sent to Ponyville, where I made the great friends I have today. All because of a story I read as a filly. Now, that very story was right in front of me.

"That same book was what my mother gave me when I was about your age" my dad explains. "It was what her mother passed on to her. As her father did before her. And now I wish to pass in down for my daughter to have."

"And you didn't pass it down to your son, why?" Shining Armor asks.

Dad smiles awkwardly. "Because… I know that you're sure to use my scrapbook more than an old foal's tale."

My bother grins. "Oh, okay. I thought it had something to do with me misplacing and damaging the last few books I had. But, I totally get that this scrapbook is more my thing while the story is more of Twily's thing."

I notice how my parents are giving each other guilty looks. It doesn't take an expert to know the real reason my dad didn't want to give Shining Armor the book. My brother did enjoy reading as the average colt. Except he did so while he was doing kick flips at the skate park or showing off his defensive magic powers to Princess Cadance.

More importantly though, I feel so touched by my present. I can't believe I completely forgotten how I was given the story that helped me to become who I am. So, The Mare in the Moon had been a Hearth's Warming present my dad passed down to me. And it had been in the family for generations. Who knew? Had I not read this story, I never would have learned about Nightmare Moon's upcoming return or about how to use the Elements of Harmony to stop her. I likely wouldn't have been sent to Ponyville either, where I met all my best friends. Who knew that the book that started it all had been a gift I got on Hearth's Warming Eve as a filly?

Hearth's Warming gifts! I totally forgot! I have to find my friends perfect presents for our gift exchange and I still don't know what to get them. While it was a pleasure reliving a cherished foal-hood memory, I must pinch myself to awaken and assume my task at hoof….

Whoa… Oh no. Not again! In a mere moment, I find myself back in my filly room and on my bed. The purple bed sheets are on top of me this time. Shining Armor is standing next to my bed as he flips through the same book he had been reading to me before.

Rubbing my eyes, I ask "um, Shining Armor, what just happened?"

He continues to flip through the book. "Well, Twily, I'm trying to find the part of the story where we left off. Then, I'll finish reading it to you."

Oh, now it's all coming back to me. Shining Armor read me How Gink Stole Christmas every Hearth's Warming Eve just before I went to bed when I was a foal. It was a tradition we had, before I got too old for that foal's story. Hhmmmm. I'm still not sure how I got here, but it feels nice to be reliving my favorite memories of Hearth's Warming Eve.

What am I doing? I shouldn't be think about staying any longer. My friends are counting on me to get them princess worthy presents. It was time that I wake up!

Taking a deep breath, I tell Shining Armor "look, bro, I'd love to stay and hear this story. I really would. But, the thing is…."

But he doesn't seem to be listening to me. Instead, he becomes excited about a page he finds. "Here it is! Now to pick up where we left off… 'While Little Bloom was getting snugged in bed, Gink Greenhair wiped his forehead with relief. Crisis averted! Then, he smiled deviously and got right back to his plan. Stuffing all of Little Bloom's family's Hearth's Warming things in a large sack, he pushed them all up the chimney and outside. He finished by ripping all of the wreaths, ornaments and other outside decorations the house had. He did the exact same thing with all the other ponies' houses. Robbing them of their Hearth's Warming decorations, their holiday feasts and presents. It took him the entire night, but…"

Knowing that I don't have a whole lot of gift searching time left, I become desperate. "Look, bro. I really appreciate this moment with you. You have no idea how much it means to me to listen to you read the book that you gave me this Hearth's Warming. But it's just…"

Shining Armor grins guilt-fully. "Actually, Cadance was the pony who wanted me to give this to you. Might have forgotten to mention that part. But, I'm the one reading it to you for the first time, so it counts as my present to you, right?"

Wait, did I hear that right? It was Princess Cadance who gave my favorite Hearth's Warming book when I was a filly? I always thought that it was something Shining Armor bought for me. At least, I'd always assumed that it was so.

"Wait, wait, wait!" I couldn't help to shout. "So, my foal-sitter gave me this book?"

Shining Armor nods. "It was hers when she was a filly and she asked me to pass it down to her favorite foal in the whole world." He grins. "You're lucky to have gotten such a gift worthy of a princess. She merely got me the new skateboard that I'd asked for." He tries terribly to hide his tears.

I'm still confused, but for a different reason. This book that previously belonged to another pony was considered princess worthy? Seriously? I have a hard time believing it to be true.

Don't get me wrong. It was very meaningful of Cadance to give me a book that was once hers. But I wouldn't call it worthy of a princess. "How come you consider my gift from Cadance princess worthy, but not yours?"

He grins. "Well, Princess Cadance gave you something that she loved and held some of her most cherished foal-hood memories. It's kinda like she gave a part of her most valuable Hearth's Warming memories for you to share."

My eyes widen in astonishment. "She did?"

"Of course, she did. Cause no present truly last forever. But the meaning that it brings and the memories it holds will last forever. And the fact that Cadance gave you a gift that held a meaningful place in her heart for so long makes it just as special as the pony who gave it to you."

A present that holds a meaningful place in your heart makes it special and princess worthy? Who knew? I certainly didn't till now. But does that mean that whatever I have to give my friends must hold a meaningful place in my heart too? It does sound heart warming and all. But, what could that possibly be? If Cadance's favorite Hearth's Warming book as a filly was princess worthy, what could I give to my friends that was just as good?

My brother smiles. "But, just so you know, the time I spend reading this to you makes it just as good as Cadance giving you this book. Maybe we can make this our own tradition. Sound good?"

I nod. That's when it hits me. What did all of these moments during this particular Hearth's Warming Eve have in common? My mom's homemade Hearth's Warming feast. My dad giving my brother his old scrapbook and me a passed down story. Shining Armor reading me a book that Cadance had given me. All of these gifts had one thing in common. They showed me what a true gift worthy of a princess really is.

Just when an idea lights up in my head, Shining Armor reads out loud. "As I was saying… 'It took him the entire night. But Gink Greenhair finally got rid of every decoration, present and anything else that resemble Hearth's Warming. Satisfied by what he accomplished, he pushed his large sack of the Hearth's Warming things all the way up to his home. By the time he arrived, he was exhausted. While he desired to see the looks on every pony's faces when they realized that he took Hearth's Warming from them, he was too tired. So, he went to bed straight away for a good long nap."

Another idea comes to mind. "Actually, could I read this part to you?" Now that I knew what to get for all my friends, it will do me so much good to enjoy this memory. And what better to enjoy it than by reading my favorite Hearth's Warming story as a filly?

He grins. "It's your present, Twily. You can do what you want with it."

Satisfied, I use my magic to bring the book over for me to read the rest of it. 'But not long into his nap, there was a knock at his door. It was strange to him. For no pony had ever visited him before. Regardless, he answered to find Little Bloom. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. And Gink guilty guessed as to why.

"Ummm, everything alright, little filly?' He asked her.

"She sniffed. 'Well, y'all are never going to believe this. But for some reason, all of our Hearth's Warming decorations, food, you name it just vanished! It's as if some sort of spell has erased all of Hearth's Warming from our village.' She sighed heavily. "Even the dolls I made for everypony are gone. Now I got nothin to give to my best friends or my family. Oh, and I had really hoped that doll makin was my special talent and would earn me my cutie mark!'

"Seeing her like this made Gink feel sorry for her. But not enough that he regretted what he did.

"Well' he spoke. 'I'm sorry that Hearth's Warming isn't coming this year. But…'

"That was when Little Bloom showed him a present wrapped in green. 'I still want y'all to have this though.'

"His eyes widen. Little Bloom had gotten him a present? For real? 'A present for me? But… Wait, how did you know I was here?'

"You're mailbox says your name.'

"Oh, but why are you giving me a present?'

"Last night, after you'd offered to fix up our dolls, I figured that getting you something to say thank you was the least I could do. Took me most of the night to put it together, but it was worth it. Especially since it's the only present I have left to give.'

"When she gave it to Gink, he was so in shocked that he stumbled on what to say. 'I… Umm..'

"But Little Bloom just walked away with a huge frown on her face. 'Y'all are welcome.'

"Once she had left, Gink was left to wonder about the present that filly left him. He didn't take it to heart though. Maybe she got him a simple cookie or an ugly sweater or some other worthless thing that ponies always gave each other every Hearth's Warming.

"However, he opened the present to find…"

Suddenly, I feel some pony pinching my shoulder.

So, what did you think? Enjoy Twilight's foal-hood Hearth's Warming?

Let me know what you think ;) Till next time!