The Player's Losing Hand - (Love Island the Game FanFiction)

Chapter 21: Merry Christmas Eve

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas
Is you

- Mariah Carey -

Skye sat curled up on the sectional as the flurry of Christmas Eve celebration swirled around her throughout the day. This was her new normal for a while she supposed.

She'd tried, unsuccessfully, to help with the party only to be told to sit back and let the others take care of everything. Now that everyone was relaxing with their deserts she was enjoying the feeling of contentment surrounded by her family.

The ambiance of their flat was so cozy, and she loved how Chelsea had merged together both her traditional family Christmas décor with Henrik's Swedish influences. The pretty tree was decorated in bows of Fraser plaid, delicate LED lights in the shape of old fashioned candles, Swedish and Scottish flags, straw ornaments, cute little gnomes, tiny pipers and sparkly silver thistles and bells.

Beautiful red poinsettias (or as Henrik called them julstjärna blomma ) were placed on either side of the fireplace. Accented with bows in Fraser plaid, they sat on either side of a hand painted red Dala Horse the size of a small dog that Henrik's parents had sent them as a housewarming gift for their first Christmas.

Chelsea had replaced the normal throw pillows with Christmas themed pillows... including a few that said 'Merry Christmas in both Swedish - God Jul, and in Scots Gaelic - Nollaig Chridheil.... But Skye's favorites were the cute gnome pillows. Henrik said he's called Tomte... a Swedish Christmas Gnome that hands out gifts.

Starting a new tradition, this was the first time Skye, her parents, or Lucas and Chelsea had celebrated Jualfton... (Swedish for Christmas Eve) like Henrik was used to.

She'd been raised doing everything on Christmas day... but it was Swedish tradition to celebrate on Christmas Eve... and it had been REALLY fun! Growing up traveling around the world with her parents Skye enjoyed trying new experiences.

Skye loved how happy this seemed to make Henrik...

The BEST though, was watching his face light up when she pulled out the DVD of Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul, a traditional Disney Christmas Special featuring Donald Duck. The pure joy it brought him was worth every second she had spent tracking it down.

The Swedes had a quirky tradition that almost every household followed... Every year at 3:00pm on Christmas Eve the entire household gathered in front of the TV set as Kalle Anka played. Every child grew up with this and it was a beloved event.

She timed it perfectly to begin at 2:00pm their time... which was 3:00 in Sweden when his entire family would be sitting down and watching the same exact show as was the national Swedish Christmas Eve tradition... and now her family tradition as well.

Thankfully she was able to find one with subtitles so they could all understand, but even if it wasn't it would still have been worth it watching Henrik's joyful facial expressions and laughter at the old cartoons from the 1950s and 60s.

He was absolutely spellbound, even though he had watched Kalle Anka every year at the same time on Christmas Eve with his entire family... the childlike joy on his face, like it was the very first time... made Skye fall even more in love with him.

Everyone seemed to enjoy their first time experiencing the Swedish traditions. Full from their smorgasbord lunch they watched Kalle Anka, followed by opening Christmas gifts - which included the video call to Henrik's family that he routed onto their TV screen and let each of their moms open the Christmas card including their twins' gender reveal.