*You're standing in the frozen backyard, surrounded by the familiar chaos of your family's week-long Christmas party. The air is crisp, carrying the sweet scent of hot chocolate wafting from the kitchen window. It's tradition – the annual snowfort building contest is about to commence, and you're already sizing up the competition. That's when you notice Kelsey, her bright smile a beacon amidst the winter wonderland. She waves enthusiastically, her blonde hair peeking out from beneath a cherry-red beanie, pink-tipped ends fluttering in the gentle breeze.* *She looks... different. Radiant, even. The past year has been kind to her, and she's blossomed into a stunning young woman. Her white snowsuit, slightly puffy at the sleeves and legs, hugs her curves in all the right places, showcasing her toned figure. You're caught off guard – had she always been this... developed? The way the fabric clings to her hips, accentuating her assetss, makes you blush involuntarily.* *As she approaches, her laughter echoes across the yard, infectious and carefree. Yet, there's something else lurking beneath the surface, a hint of tension in her bright eyes, a faint crease between her brows. She seems... distracted, maybe even a little guarded. Not quite herself, despite her playful demeanor. You're not sure what's changed, but it's clear she's hiding something.* "Oh, come on! You're not giving up already, are you?" *she teases, her voice light and mischievous, already planning her attack strategy. She nudges you playfully, her competitive spark flickering to life.* "I'm not gonna go easy on you just because it's been a weird year." *Before you can respond, Kelsey waggles her eyebrows mischievously, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She gestures dramatically toward the sprawling snow-covered lawn, her mitten-covered hands flailing about like a conductor leading an orchestra.* "Alright, cuz, same rules as always! Last one standing wins! But let's make it interesting this time..." *She leans in, her whisper barely audible over the sound of children giggling nearby.* "If I win, you have to... uh... never mind. Just promise you'll lose spectacularly, okay?" *She steps back, grinning, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Already, her hand is discreetly hovering near her snowsuit pocket, where you catch a glimpse of a suspiciously rounded shape. She's definitely been preparing for this moment as she quickdraws the hard packed snowball.*

Krampus Christmas ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ A (different) Krampus Story...#Christmas2025 The night is thick with the bitter chill of winter. The wind howls through the trees, a shrill, mournful song that calls to me...From the shadows, I come. My feet leave no prints in the snow. I am the one all living creatures fear; the nightmare of every man and woman alive.I walk the path of forgotten hopes and broken promises, the scent of fear on the wind. Your house is just ahead, a lonely beacon in the darkness. You think you are safe, but you are mistaken. I am coming... and I will find you.Through the window, I see you sitting next to your campfire--so fragile, so pathetic. I am closer still, I am here. I am your darkness, I am the harbinger of all that is evil. Your door is unlocked, isn’t it? I can hear your heartbeat now, warm and full of life. But not for long... Do you hear it? The chains rattling in the distance. The whispering wind calling your name. Be still. Make this easy for both of us. Feel my presence creeping closer with every breath you take. I am your darkness, I am the harbinger of all that is evil. Your soul was yours, but soon it shall be mine.

*Beth looks at you first, then back to the sled, crouching as she brushes frost from the metal and murmuring something under her breath while her eyes narrow in focus.* “There are fingerprints on this sled—we’ll capture those later,” *she says calmly, before shifting her attention outward and gesturing to the snow nearby,* “But look here… reindeer prints, and not from the crash.” *She goes quiet for a moment, thinking, her gaze tracking the pattern and spacing before she adds,* “This feels like a diversion—stage the wreck, spook or grab a reindeer, and move the consoles fast while everyone’s looking the wrong way.” *Turning back toward you without watching her step, she nudges you lightly with her elbow and smirks,* “You look exhausted—don’t tell me you got hungover on eggnog.” *She studies you with that sly, amused look she wears so well and asks,* “Alright, sleepyface, what do you think—how should we approach this?”

merry chrismas darling

*Bethlehem is usually a small city. Tonight it isn’t. People crowd the narrow streets with bundles, animals, tired children. Oil lamps burn longer than they should. Voices carry. Nothing quite settles. Rome has ordered a census and people have come back to be counted, to put their names on lists they don’t fully understand. The town is full. Tempers are thin.* *Innkeeper Eliab stands in the doorway of his house, one hand braced against the frame, his voice already worn down.* “There is no space left. Not inside. Not anywhere.” *Behind him, his sister Miriam moves past with a bowl, not looking up. Someone argues. Eliab cuts them off with a sharp, tired shake of his head.* “The stable is full too. Families. Animals. People sleeping on the ground.” *He exhales, rubs his face.* “I sent a man and his wife there earlier. She was close to giving birth. They didn’t stay. There was nowhere.” *Further down the street, three Roman soldiers move slowly through the crowd. Lucius, the younger one, walks ahead, scanning faces. Marcellus keeps his distance, watching how people step aside, while the scout Claudia lingers at the edge, listening.* “Names and households,” *Lucius grunts.* “Anyone who arrived late? Anyone traveling with a newborn?” *No one answers directly. A woman pulls her cloak tighter. Someone mutters that children are born every night. At the edge of town, where the houses thin out, a group of shepherds has stopped short of entering. Old Keren squints up at the sky, then toward the lights of the city. Miryam shifts the lamb on her hip, uneasy.* “We saw it earlier,” *she says quietly.* “Or thought we did.” *Liora frowns.* “The sky’s empty now.” *They stand there a moment longer, unsure.* “If it were here,” Keren mutters, “we’d feel it.” *They turn back toward the road to Migdal, following the darkness instead of the lights.*

}*

❆ ❅ **Trondheim, Norway, December** ❆ ❅ *Trondheim, Norway, liked to call itself the most wonderful and Christmassy village in the country—at least according to the people who lived there.* *By mid-November, the town was already glowing. Strings of warm lights draped themselves over wooden houses like scarves. Fir wreaths appeared on every door. The air constantly smelled of cinnamon, pine, and hot chocolate, and strangers smiled at one another as if happiness were a civic duty. Snow fell softly, as if it had practiced.* *Everyone was ecstatic.* *Everyone, that is, except Julian Jacobsen.* *Julian’s house sat at the edge of the village like a deliberate act of rebellion—dark, undecorated, its windows unlit while every other home twinkled proudly. No wreath. No lights. Not even a grudging candle. The villagers whispered about it every year, shaking their heads fondly, as if Julian were a stubborn tradition all his own.* “The grinch of Trondheim,” *they called him.* *Julian didn’t attend the Christmas market. He didn’t join the cookie-baking contests, the choir rehearsals, or the annual snowman competition. When children caroled at his door, he simply pretended not to be home, hiding in his study, typing violence, suspense, and carefully constructed dread into his latest thriller.* *He was very good at it.* *He had moved to Trondheim years ago to escape the noise of the capital, choosing isolation over inspiration. It had worked—until now.* *For Christmas, his publisher wanted something different.* *A romance.* *Julian stared at the email on his laptop like it was a personal threat.* *Romance. Love. Feelings. Happy endings.* *Horror.* *As if that weren’t bad enough, you arrived.* *You came to Trondheim on a snow-dusted morning, keys cold in your palm, standing in front of a bakery that smelled like history and sugar. Your great-grand-aunt’s name was still painted above the door in faded gold letters. Inside were wooden shelves, old recipes, and a legacy you hadn’t known you wanted until it was suddenly yours.* *The villagers welcomed you instantly. They brought you stories, smiles, and unsolicited advice about cardamom buns. They were delighted—because a bakery meant warmth, treats, and yet another reason to celebrate Christmas.* *And because the bakery was right next door to Julian Jacobsen’s house.* *You noticed him the first time he noticed you: arms crossed, expression permanently unimpressed, watching as you hung a simple wreath on the bakery door. His gaze flicked from the greenery to your smile, as if personally offended by both.* *You waved.* *He did not wave back.* *Something about that—about the grumpy writer in the dark house beside your glowing bakery—felt like the beginning of a story.* *Whether Julian liked it or not.*

*You’re looking for your friend when you spot the open door to his sister’s room.* *Selena stands at the balcony, bathed in cold winter light, her back to you.* *She’s on a call, her voice dangerously low.* “I’ve told you. Do not text me again.” *She hangs up, her knuckles white on the phone. Slowly, she turns—and her sharp green eyes lock directly onto yours.* *For a moment, her cool mask falters. A faint blush touches her cheeks, and she looks down, suddenly unable to hold your gaze.* *She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous habit you’ve never seen before.* “You… you heard that,” she murmurs, her voice softer now. *She glances toward the hallway where her brother might be, then back at you. Her usual arrogance is gone, replaced by a shy, hopeful uncertainty.* “Are you… looking for my brother?” *she asks quietly, the question hanging in the air between you, heavy with unspoken meaning.*

The "Glacial Gala" tent is a cathedral of cold, filled with the scent of frost and the sound of chisels singing against ice. My piece, "Solitude's Echo," is nearly complete. A perfect, intricate, hollow sphere within a sphere. Critics will call it a commentary on isolation. They’ll be right. It’s technically flawless. And it feels as empty as I do. Then, you walk in. You’re not with the press or the other artists. You’re just… exploring. You stop in front of a competitor’s cheesy ice swan, tilting your head with genuine appreciation. You don’t see the clumsy lines; you see the effort. When you finally reach my station, you go utterly still. You don’t say anything. You just look. You look at my sculpture for a full minute, your breath making little clouds in the air, and then your eyes find mine. In them, I don’t see critique or awe. I see a profound, gentle understanding. As if you can see the hollow sphere in my chest, too. “It’s the most beautiful, lonely thing I’ve ever seen,” you say, your voice soft but clear over the ambient noise. It feels like a chisel strikes directly into my ribs. No one has ever seen it so clearly. “It’s missing something,” I hear myself say, the words leaving me before I can stop them. “What?” “I don’t know yet.” The competition rules are strict: no assistance. But inspiration isn’t against the rules. You become my muse. You return every day, always with a hot coffee you hand me wordlessly, your own hands wrapped around a cup. You don’t offer suggestions. You just are. You talk about the winter light, about the smell of snow, about your childhood memories of building forts. And as you speak, I begin to carve. Not on my competition piece. On a small, secret block off to the side. The night before the final judging, I’m alone in the tent under the work lights. My competition piece is ready, a monument to cold perfection. But my heart is hammering. I send you a single text: "Come. Now." When you arrive, wrapped in a scarf, your cheeks flushed from the cold, I don’t speak. I simply take your hand—my own finally warm from work—and lead you to the hidden corner. I pull away the drape. It’s you. Not a literal portrait, but an essence. The flow of your hair in the wind, the curve of your smile, the graceful line of your neck. I’ve carved you in a pose of joyful abandon, arms slightly outstretched as if catching snowflakes. It’s not flawless like the sphere. It’s alive. It’s full of light and movement and warmth, despite being made of ice. You bring a trembling hand to your mouth, tears welling instantly. “Julian… you…” “The competition piece is empty,” I say, my voice rough. I step closer, the cold of our creations swirling around us, but all I feel is heat. “Because I was empty. And then you walked in, and you… you thawed me.” I reach out, my thumb catching a tear as it falls. “I don’t care about the grant. I don’t care about winning. I carved this for you. Because you are the only permanent, beautiful thing I have ever wanted to hold onto. Everything else can melt.” You look from the sculpture of yourself, back to me, your eyes shining. “What are you saying?” “I’m saying I forfeit.” The words are a liberation. “I’m saying my greatest masterpiece won’t be in some gallery. It’ll be the life I build with you.” I cradle your face in my hands, my sculptor’s fingers infinitely gentle. “Let me be your artist. Let me spend a lifetime learning every curve and line of your happiness, and crafting my world around it.” You don’t answer with words. You rise onto your toes and kiss me. In a tent of ice, it’s a blaze of summer. It tastes of hope, of coffee, of a future I never dared to design. When we break apart, you press your forehead to mine. “Don’t forfeit,” you whisper, a fierce, loving command. “Win. For us. And then let’s build that life together.” And in that moment, holding you amidst the glistening ice, I know I already have.

*The cacophony of clanging metal and grumbled curses fills the cavern. You stand in the shadows of the entrance, snow dusting your shoulders, watching the scene.* *Gretchen is bent over a large gear, a wrench in her hand, her back to you. The position only accentuates the dramatic hourglass shape of her body, the strained fabric of her Santa top, and the way the fishnet stockings dig into the soft flesh of her powerful thighs. She gives the gear a final, savage kick with her boot.* "Work, you tinsel-brained piece of scrap!" *she snarls, her voice a low, husky growl laced with years of irritation.* *As if sensing the weight of your gaze, she freezes. Her pointed ears, poking through her hair, twitch slightly. She straightens up slowly, turning on her heel. Her eyes, a striking gold like a predatory cat's, lock onto you. There's no shock, only a slow, appraising scrutiny that travels from your snow-covered boots to your eyes. A smirk, wide and full of sharp, white teeth, spreads across her face.* "Well, well," *she purrs, planting a hand on her hip, causing the already-strained top to shift perilously.* "Look what the blizzard blew in. Not a caroler, are you? You're not wearing that insufferable, smiley-face knitwear." *She takes a few slow, deliberate steps closer, the thick soles of her boots crunching on discarded parts. The smell of ozone, cold fur, and a hint of stolen peppermint washes over you.* "Let me guess. Lost? Looking for directions to the 'Festive Joy and Goodwill' party down there?" *She jerks her thumb towards the mouth of the cave, where the distant, glowing lights of Whoville twinkle like taunting stars. Her grin widens, showing more teeth.* "Sorry, sweetheart. You've just found the only 'No Christmas Cheer' zone in a fifty-mile radius. I'm Gretchen." *She gestures grandly, and a bit mockingly, at her heist-prep ensemble.* "As you can see, I'm right in the middle of my holiday preparations. And they don't involve eggnog." *She leans in a little, her golden eyes gleaming with a wicked, shared conspiracy.* "Unless, of course... you're not here to judge. Maybe you're here to watch the show. Or..." *she lets the word hang, her gaze flicking to her massive sleigh-pulley,* "...maybe you're here to lend a hand. It's always more fun to ruin Christmas with a partner in crime. What do you say?"