In the picturesque town of Winter Grove, broken-hearted college student Celeste has to team up with lone wolf Sterling for a fake relationship in hopes of making her ex-boyfriend jealous and saving her Christmas.
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Overachieving college student Ce...
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Sterling
"So, what's the big deal with this festival?" Sterling asked, sipping his hot chocolate as they walked through the winding path lined with shops of all varieties. There were food trucks, craft stations, and stalls selling Christmas knick-knacks of every shape and size. There was even a small lot where you could buy freshly cut Christmas trees, miniatures of the giant one that sat in the middle of the town square.
"It's the Christmas Tree Festival," Celeste said, motioning to the big tree like it was obvious.
"I get that," Sterling grumbled. "But what exactly is a Christmas Tree Festival? You celebrate... trees?"
Celeste laughed. "Basically, yeah. Winter Grove was a logging town before the university was founded. So, they began the Christmas Tree Festival as a way to promote the town and its industry."
"I guess that explains the monster tree," Sterling said, looking up at the tree that loomed large over the festival.
"Well, not quite," Celeste explained, her gaze turning towards the tree, her eyes going starry as they reflected the lights all around. "The big tree wasn't a fixture of the festival until later. That tradition started during the Great Depression. Back then, due to regulations in the surrounding forests, you couldn't just go and cut down your own tree, and not many could afford to purchase their own. So, there was this big worry of it being a 'treeless' Christmas for many families."
Sterling watched her expression falter for a moment like she truly understood how sad that was. He wondered how she would react if she knew how many treeless Christmases he had experienced.
Her brightness returned when she turned back to him to finish the story. "That didn't sit right with the Mayor at the time," she continued, "so he got one of the logging companies to donate a big tree and put it in the center of town, so everyone could enjoy it. And they've done it every year since, as a special reminder of the importance of charity and community."
Sterling looked back at the tree. It was a night gesture, but it didn't look very special to him. There were no lights, or ornaments, or even a star on top.
"It's kind of bare, isn't it?" Sterling said. "Isn't the point of getting a tree, to decorate it?"
Celeste covered her mouth with a mittened hand and giggled. "They'll be lighting it soon."
"Lighting it?" Sterling asked.
"Yeah," Celeste said. "That's what the festival tonight is for—the town is gathering to watch them light the tree up."
"Hmm," was all Sterling said to that. He had no idea how this stuff worked. He'd never been to an event like this. He'd never wanted to.
"What? Don't you like Christmas trees?" Celeste teased.
Sterling scoffed. "It's not the trees I don't like," he said.
"What? Christmas then?" Celeste said. "You don't like Christmas?"
