Work Text:
Deck the Halls
by Emerald Starburst
"Hey, Fox, what exactly are we celebrating, again?"
"The Winter Solstice, or as I prefer to call it, the Yuletide." He looked up at Mike, who was putting the golden starburst at the top of the tree. "We've been over this."
"Well, do it again." Mike grinned down at his husband of five and a half months. "I like to hear you tell it."
Mulder stood up and took a walk around the tree. He assured himself the red and gold glass balls were evenly spaced, and went to Mike to give him warm hug. "You like to hear me talk, huh?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Why you and not AD Delahaney?" Mulder sighed dramatically. They settled down on the couch in front of the tree and Mulder settled into lecture mode.
"Since you're a lapsed Catholic and I'm a lapsed Jew, we have no viable reason to celebrate Christmas. However, because we do wish to connect with our friends and loved ones and just plain have fun, we selected the Winter Solstice as our family celebration."
"Yeah, 'we' decided," said Mike, rolling his eyes.
"Okay, 'I' decided and you went along. Happy?"
"Very."
"Besides, we have an extremely good reason to commemorate the season, and he's upstairs sleeping in his crib." Mulder was rewarded by the sappy smile Mike had acquired since the birth of their son.
"Maybe we'll repeat that event tonight around midnight," Mike suggested.
"With a condom this time. Much as I love our son..."
"You're telling me. I was one with the morning sickness, stretch marks, hemorrhoids..."
"Mike, I thought you wanted to hear me talk about the Yule?"
"Sorry. Go on."
"Right. Tonight, the evening before the Solstice, our friends will come to share the celebration. We'll begin with the Solstice Feast. The roast is almost done, the wassail is warming in the crock pot, and everyone coming will bright a special dish."
"Including Maggie Scully's Dutch Apple pie," Mike added.
"After we eat, everyone will stand around the tree, ring bells..."
"What's with the bells anyway?"
"Traditionally, bells are used in connection with many celebrations. At Yuletide, it's the signal to ring out the old year and ring in the new. We'll stand and ring our bells and sing songs to celebrate the Solstice."
Mulder began to sing softly:
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
'Tis the season to be jolly
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Don we now our gay apparel
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la.
Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.
See the blazing Yule before us.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Strike the harp and join the chorus.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Follow me in merry measure.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
While I tell of Yule-tide treasure.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Fast away the old year passes.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Hail the new year, lads and lasses
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Sing we joyous, all together.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
heedless of the wind and weather.
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
"It's scary how many of the things I used to associate with Christmas are actually old pagan traditions," Mike remarked, idly playing with Mulder's hair.
Mulder leaned into Mike's touch, almost purring. With an effort, he roused himself to complete his little talk. "Well, it was a way to make Christianity more palatable to the oldtime pagans. Where was I? Oh yeah, singing. After we sing, we'll sit around the tree and each of us will tell a story about how we celebrated Yule, Christmas, Hanukkah, etc. in the past." Mulder squeezed Mike's hand in concern. "Is that going to be too much, Mike? I know your family life...well..."
"Put the fun in dysfunctional? Nah, believe it or not, I liked Christmas while I was growing up. It was like, the family called a truce and tried to forget about all the rotten things happening in our lives. It usually lasted until almost the New Year. I don't have many good memories of my parents, but Christmas was among them."
"I'm glad." Mulder kissed Mike again.
Mike gave him a mischievous half grin.
"It's going to really interesting. Walter Skinner is Eastern Orthodox. Dana and Maggie are Roman Catholic. Lennie is half Jewish and half Catholic. Then there's you and me, the pagans of the group."
"Hence the nonsectarian holiday."
"And then?" Mike prompted.
"Gifts, of course. Followed shortly by each of us wishing each other a 'Good Yule' or a 'Happy Solstice' and our friends departing for their own homes."
"Can we skip to that part?" Mike asked, enveloping Mulder in a loving embrace and kissing him soundly.
A moment later, the doorbell rang and their four month old started wailing to let them know he was ready to get up. The couple sighed.
"You get Junior, Mike, and I'll let our guests in."
"Okay." Mike grabbed Mulder to give him a final kiss. "Good Yule, Fox."
"Happy Solstice, love."
End