Vlogmas: a YouTube Christmas Special [YouTube]

Day 11

On the eleventh day of Vlogmas, YouTube gave to me:

Loop-de-Loophole and Pull (Zoe Sugg [Zoella])

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You, Heidi, and Zoe sit in a wide circle on the floor in the middle of your lounge. Shiny wrapping paper and brightly coloured bows are strewn about the middle of your little powwow. A Christmas film plays in the background, you're not really paying attention so you don't know which one. All of your focus is being devoted to wrestling this gift box into becoming a decent-looking package.

Heidi throws her half-wrapped, mangled mess of a present into the middle with a dramatic huff. "I'm rubbish at wrapping presents! I need a hot cocoa break!" she declares, standing up and marching off into the kitchen. You catch Zoe's eye and both of you shake your heads at your roommate's antics.

Just then, Ezra walks in. "Jesus, it looks like a tornado blew through a stationary shop!" he exclaims upon seeing the jumble of wrapping materials on the floor. He sits down on the sofa behind Zoe heavily. "It's times like these I'm glad I'm Jewish. You Christians and your consumerist winter holidays. You try too hard."

You roll your eyes and throw an empty cardboard tube at him. "I don't hear you complaining when Heidi and I give you your Christmas gifts."

He shrugs, grinning lamely. "I'm a cultural Jew."

"Yeah, whatever, Mr Loophole." You look back down at the present in your hands. At least it doesn't look as bad as Heidi's, you think. You stick a bow on it to distract from the slight clumsiness of the wrapping, but that only serves to make it look more lopsided. You sneak a peek across the way at Zoe. Of course, she has an exquisitely wrapped gift that looks like it could be a prop in a Christmas photo shoot. You blow a puff of air up your forehead. Your present suddenly seems very mediocre in comparison.

"Jeez, Zo, where'd you learn to wrap gifts?" you ask. "You've got some mad skills."

She laughs. "My dad taught me, actually. Joe got that lesson, too, but he just sticks everything in bags instead. Too impatient."

You show her your parcel with a crooked smile. "Would you mind giving a poor soul some pointers?"

Zoe beams at you, almost as bright as the coloured bows. "I'd love to!"

Heidi shows her face again, just at the right moment as always, and the two of you become obedient pupils under the gentle tutelage of Zoe-sensei. Her dainty little hands make perfect work of the crisp paper, folding in all the right places and making careful creases with the tips of her fingers. The Christmas film ends in the background, and a new one begins. Ezra makes light-hearted jibes and jests from his spot on the couch. The tree sparkles warmly from its proud spot in front of the window. Before the night is over, the pupils have graduated Zoe Sugg's Master Wrapping Class and a small pile of cutely packaged gifts is arranged just so beneath the tree. There are still some presents yet to be wrapped on everyone's part, and still many days left until Christmas... but seeing the presents there, catching the light just so, makes you even more excited for the coming festivities.

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