[ open ] for i've grown a little leaner, grown a little colder, grown a little sadder

[holyshihtzu]

Who: Juliet O'Hara + You
Where: Juliet's room
When: December 1st-4th
Rating: PG
Summary: Juliet is getting into the Christmas spirit early by hosting a little get-together at her place. Network video and party post below the cut!
The Story:

[ ✹ .002 [ video ] ]

Happy December, Wonderland!

[ Juliet offers a brilliant, if somewhat strained, smile to the network. The camera isn't directly aimed at her face at first--she's still getting used to video chatting--but she reaches out to adjust it quickly before continuing. ]

I know not everyone here celebrates Christmas or... Even knows what Christmas is, but! In the O'Hara household, Christmas is a big deal. I mean, I really big deal. All my family comes in and there are games, and arts and crafts, and a ton of food...

[ People probably get the idea, Juliet. ]

So! I know things always get really crazy during the holidays anyway and I wanted to get on top of things so I'm having a little pre-Christmas get together at my place. So whether or I know you or not, come by room three on the seventh floor anytime over the next few days and I promise we'll have a lot of fun. Open door policy.

[ She pauses. ]

Not literally. Knock first.

[ room 3, level 7 ]

Juliet has gone all-out for the holidays, as an O'Hara is wont to do. With no financial limits and no job to distract her, she's put everything into decorating her place. Anyone walking past room three on the seventh floor will be greeted immediately with an timely wreath and equally festive doormat.

The decorations don't stop there. Juliet has decked the halls to the point that they are bursting, having even extended her living room quite a bit to accommodate food, fun, and hopefully a lot of guests. Every wall is decorated with some kind of garland, wreath, or lights. She's even got a sprig of mistletoe hanging in the corner for any couples who visit that might be so inclined.

And, of course, there is the the Christmas tree in the corner of the living room.

Anyone who visits will also be greeted by an unimaginable spread of food from cookies, cakes, and various snacks to some traditional Scottish fare like mince pies. There's another corner table dedicated to just Christmas crafts, from cutting out paper snowflakes to sewing Holiday themed pajamas.

Maybe it's a little early to go full out, but Juliet couldn't wait. Christmas is her favorite time of year and she hopes that getting to it early will help her miss her family less - and maybe help her find a new family in Wonderland.

[ This is a party/mingle post! Feel free to top level and tag out with other people, or just thread with Juliet, or just respond to her network post if you so desire. Have fun and get into the holiday spirit before shit goes down! ]

Comments

[captain_america]

Steve takes the ornament from her and leans in to hang it. It’s been a while since he’s decorated a tree. He takes a step back and smile, his cheeks slightly pink from a blush.

“Thanks, you look nice too. It’s a nice thing you’re doing, giving people someplace to celebrate.” Sometimes people need a push, and this is a good push. Sometimes he needed a push- he probably wouldn’t have even realized he was missing Christmas if she hadn’t done this.

[holyshihtzu]

Juliet watches him place the ornament, obviously pleased with his work when he steps back.

"Thanks." She looks up at him, clasping her hands behind her back and rocking slightly on her heels as she offers him a smile. "Christmas is a big deal for us back home. I didn't want to miss it and it seems like we all need a little bit of happiness wherever we can find it."

The process hasn't been easy for her, but making friends certainly helps.

[captain_america]

She’s right, people do need to find happiness where they can, it’s a sentiment that he’s forgotten over the last few years and that hits him hard. He was always the optimistic one, the man with a plan, he’s not sure when that changed. Probably sometime around the Accords.

“Sometimes people need that reminder.” He gives her a smile, because he needed that reminder. “So then, what’s your favorite tradition back home?”

[holyshihtzu]

Juliet is a far cry from someone she might be in the future, someone a little more jaded and hardened by time. For now, she's still young and bright-eyed, willing to take on anything, even if that anything is a place like Wonderland.

"I wouldn't even know where to start," she admits. "In Hogmanay tradition, the first foot--the first visitor of the New Year--is supposed to show up with a gift of food. Since we always had so much of my family visiting, we pretty much lumped Christmas and Hogmanay together, though, so it was the first visitor for the holidays." Juliet has always liked visitors, and food, so she was certainly fond of that tradition in particular. "It's supposed to be good luck if the first foot is a tall man with dark hair but I'll gladly take a tall blond instead."

Wow, that sounded so much smoother in her head.

[captain_america]

Steve smiles a little bashfully, ducking his head. It was smooth enough for him.

"What's Hogmanay?" It wasn't something he had heard of before, but it was clearly an important tradition for her.

[holyshihtzu]

"Well, it's something that's usually celebrated in Scotland. Christmas was basically banned in Scotland for a long time, so they celebrated Hogmanay--the New Year--instead. They still do, and since my family came from Scotland, so do we."

And really, that's what it comes down to. How important her family is to her.

[captain_america]

“So, Scottish Christmas? What does it usually entail? I mean besides tall dark haired men bringing you food.” He’s smiling at that, giving her his full attention because he’s interested in her traditions.

[holyshihtzu]

This time she looks a little bashful, her cheeks flushing slightly. Still, she lights up as she starts to list off everything, ever excited to share things about her life with a new friend.

"Well, there's food, obviously, and lots of it, and songs, and, well, drinking. There are some fire traditions, bonfires and cleaning fireplaces if you have one. I used to always do a little spring cleaning, too - it's good luck to enter the new year with a clean house. Obviously, that isn't really a problem in Wonderland."