The States

25 Days of Christmas

~1~

Christmas is a sacred tradition, and preparations begin as soon as Thanksgiving dinner is cleared off the table.

Invitations are written for America's Holiday party (they weren't supposed to call it the Christmahanakwanzika party anymore).

And on the first of December, the invitations are delivered.

Nations wake up on the first to invitations on their doorsteps, neat white envelopes addressed in neatly-printed green ink.

(Several Nations have pondered how exactly America does it- gets the invitations there in perfect condition for all of them. They knew he didn't use the postal system, because they were never postmarked. The theories range from 'assistance' from Tony to bribing messengers.)

None of them will ever guess that all Connie needs is a map and her spellbook to deliver the invitations.

~2~

Alfred doesn't like fake trees. They don't smell nice or look as pretty as real trees.

Callie rolls her eyes at him every year. ("You're just as bad about doing things for the aesthetic as the rest of us.")

So every year, he cuts down a tree and drags it inside.

(And okay, sometimes he overestimates the size of the front door and has to drag the tree around the house to the back door.)

The tree finds its place in the largest living room. 

And that night at dinner, Alfred makes Talia's favorite food, and she laughs when she blows out the candles on her cake. 

Eventually, you'll have to stop putting the number candles on my cake, she says later. It makes me feel old. 

You feel old? I must be ancient then, Alfred replies.

~3~

The job of decorating the tree is typically left for the younger states and territories.

A few of the older states- whichever ones are around- are drafted to make sure the others don't go crazy with the decorations, of course.

The boxes of ornaments are dragged down from the attic- from the little state flags to the assorted state symbols to the random ornaments the states have made or bought over the centuries.

And when the states are done decorating, Alfred places the star on the top of the tree. And eventually removes the items that are not decorations (no Lani, you can not use your sister's scarf as a garland no matter how shiny it is, she'll be upset and it was expensive, no Sasha, you can not borrow the planets from Cordelia's solar system for the tree, no Leo, you can't put Flora's snake on the tree becAUSE IT IS A LIVING CREATURE-)

The Third of December, aside from being the tree-decorating day, is also Cassidy's birthday, and Alfred makes sure to always at least call her if she isn't around.

~4~

Sometimes, the presents are wrapped decently.

Other times, they look like they were wrapped by a blind animal.

America has a weakness for interesting wrapping paper, so usually, the end result- the stacked gifts under the tree- garish and overbearing.

He always keeps separate wrapping paper handy- ones with no Christmas symbols on them. This paper is for the December Birthdays- it seems wrong to use Christmas paper for a birthday gift.