Elphaba went over to the tree with her Secret Lurline gift and placed it next to the other gifts before taking a look at the decorations.
"Wow. I have to admit, it looks really good. Who decorated all this?"
"I did Fae," Fiyero replies still mixing the cider. "Nessa helped pick out the decorations for me."
The green girl nodded and smiled at her sister, taking some cheese and crackers and went to sit down in Fiyero's favorite chair.
"Oh! I put a pickle ornament in the tree!" Nessa pipes up happily.
Fiyero turns away from the stove looking at her confused.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"A pickle?" Galinda asked puzzled as well.
Boq explains, "It's a Munchkin tradition."
"Oh Oz," Elphaba groans knowing what's coming next. "Here we go."
Nessa ignored her sister and tells a story behind it. "In Munchkinland, a pickle gets placed in the tree and on Lurlinemas morning, the little ones go searching for it. Who finds it first receives good fortune for the entire year."
Fiyero seemed convinced. "That's pretty interesting."
"But why a pickle?" Galinda asked still confused.
The brunette ignores the question and begs them to come to the tree. "Come and try to find it!"
Fiyero reluctantly went over to the tree and started searching.
"Man this is hard!" He said looking around the same spot for the third time.
Galinda joined in the search and it took them a full five minutes to find it until Fiyero's landed on a shiny pickle ornament.
"Found it!"
"Finally!" Galinda sighs of exasperated relief.
"Five minutes," Boq says before whispering to Nessa quietly. "That must be the record for longest search."
"WE HEARD THAT!" Galinda and Fiyero shout together making Elphaba, Nessa and Boq laugh.
The prince heads over to the stove to see that the mulled cider is ready.
"Boq, can you give me a hand? I think everything is ready."
The tall munchkin got up followed by Elphaba and together they brought the food over to the coffee table with plates and napkins. Fiyero scoops some of the cider into five mugs, putting them on a tray and carried it to the living area like a waiter.
"Mulled cider is ready! Up for grabs!"
Elphaba immediately takes a mug before Galinda and Nessa take theirs and Fiyero puts Boq's mug on the table for him while he carves the ham in slices.
Fiyero picks up his mug putting the tray back on the kitchenette table before jointing the others.
Staring at the food on the table Boq clears his throat before slowly asking the four, "Should someone say something?"
They all look at each other before Fiyero starts, "I want to say that I am really happy and thankful that you're all here celebrating our first Lurlinemas together in my private suite and I must say that we should this every year."
"Hear hear," Boq said raising his mug.
Fiyero smiles before continuing, "I wish you all the comfort and joy for this Lurlinemas."
"Awww… That's so sweet," Galinda gushes.
He replies, "Thank you. Anyone else would like to say something?"
Nessa starts, "Actually, I want to send wishes and blessings to all our families all over Oz as they are celebrating right now and we couldn't be with them this year and do anything traditional. I was a little sad that I couldn't return home to see father. But I am enjoying this."
They all nod in agreement.
Galinda says, "I like to say, may all good things come to us on this very Lurlinemas night and when the New Year comes."
Boq took Galinda's hand who takes it graciously and said, "I agree too. And speaking of good things, I like to say, may we all have good health in our body and minds which I am already thankful for."
"Yes," Nessa agrees.
"And also lots of love to go around," the munchkin finishes.
Now everyone looks over to the green girl since she hasn't spoken anything yet. She looks nervous and very unsure of what to say.
"Elphie, wanna say something?" Galinda asks while Fiyero comforts Elphaba. "It's ok Fae. If you don't want to-"
"It's alright Yero," the green girl assures him before making a little speech. "Honestly I was pretty wary about celebrating Lurlinemas this year. In fact I wasn't sure if I wanted to at all. I never festivated the way anyone else does."
Nessarose's face fell a little at that. She remembers all the Lurlinemases that Elphaba had been sidelined while she opens all her gifts. One year she almost shared some things with her sister but their father wouldn't allow it and with that, she stopped to avoid making him angry.
Elphaba continues, "I was planning on spending it alone like last year but now I realized that I don't have to be. I really don't know how to say this, but last year I didn't have any friends then. I thought I wasn't to going to have any ever. But all that changed."
Tears form in her eyes when she finishes, "Instead of friends, I have a family."
"Awww Elphie," Galinda says wiping her tears.
Everyone smiles. Fiyero wraps his arm around her and gave her a kiss on the side of her head before picking up his mug. "Here's to us. May our Lurlinemas be full of love."
"Full of laughter," Boq says raising his mug again.
"And full of joy," Galinda adds now raising her mug.
Nessa holds her mug as well. "May we be blessed."
Elphaba takes a breath before raising her glass. "And may our lives be changed. For good."
"For good," they all cheer before clinking their mugs.
"Cheers everyone," Fiyero said. "Let's dig in!"
Everyone took a plate and piled up as much food as they can hold and they settled down to feast.
"Mmmmmm Boq, the ham is delicious!" Galinda exclaimed taking more slices.
"I thought the stuffing is better, but the rice dish is good," Nessa said while taking a scoop full of seconds. "The spices blend really well."
Fiyero nodded. "The potatoes and vegetables are fantastic, of course the ham is good too! How's the pot pie Fae?"
After swallowing a bite, Elphaba replies, "It's good. I appreciate that Boq got me something without meat in it."
Soon they finished their meal continuing to drink mugs of cider and Galinda gives cinnamon rolls out as a dessert as the group continues to talk and laugh.
"Is it time for gifts?" Boq asked the group.
"Yes it is-"
The blonde squeals bouncing up and down like an excited child interrupting, "OOOOOH! Wait! It's time for my surprise!"
Elphaba muttering under her breath to Fiyero. "I was hoping she would forget about it."
Galinda got up, went behind the tree and pulls out four packages and then passes them around.
"Should I be afraid?" Elphaba thought as her hands take Galinda's package.
"Ok! Now open them!" The blonde shouts full of glee.
Everyone opens their surprise presents but the reveal confusified them until Fiyero holds up what looks like a piece of red clothing.
"Ummmm… What is this?" The prince asked.
"They're pajamas!" Galinda giggles. "And look! They're all matching!"
The group takes a look at the details, just ordinary red and white flannel pajamas with buttons on the shirt.
"Surprise!" Galinda says giggling.
Boq smiled a little at them while Fiyero and Nessa look at each other not sure what to say. Elphaba of course wanted nothing more but to throw them away as Galinda got them in one of her least favorite colors.
"Thank you Galinda, this is so sweet of you," Boq says holding it up.
"Thanks," Nessa and Fiyero say together while Elphaba closes the box but the blonde stopped her.
"Ah ah ah! We're going to wear them. Together. I even have a pair."
The rest of the group look at the blonde like she grown three heads.
"You cannot be serious Glin," Elphaba said her eyes wide.
"I am!"
Fiyero whispers in his girlfriend's ear. "Come on Fae, let Galinda have this moment."
"Over my dead body," Elphaba whispers back in a dark voice.
"Please Fae. I know you don't like wearing anything red but please… Just this once for her?"
The green girl's sour expression faced Fiyero's pleading face. Finally she sighed and relented.
"Fine. I'll wear it."
The prince stood up and spoke, "I'm going to change first."
He heads to the bathroom only to come out in his pjs, then Boq goes to put them on, Galinda went next and since Nessa is in a chair, Elphaba went to help change her before putting hers on.
Elphaba wheels her sister out of the bathroom both in pjs rejoining the group while Fiyero adds another piece wood to the fireplace to continue to his suite warm.
"Awwwww look at us," Galinda squeals clapping her hands. "We all match!"
"Remind me to burn it later," Elphaba mutters darkly to her boyfriend once he sat next to her.
"Come on Fae, this is so comfy! I know you can't resist it!"
"Fiyero-"
"You can never resist the comfy. I know you can't!"
The green girl rolls her eyes but admits picking up her THIRD mug of mulled cider, "It does feel soft and warm on me, but I still hate it!"
This chapter took me almost all week to do! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANUKKAH TO EVERYONE OUT THERE! We are almost there guys! One more chapter! I can't wait to have them open gifts!
Anyways please leave positive reviews and PM to me WaitJustAClockTick for more story ideas! Till then, GOODNIGHT! PEACE!