(open) is everyone enjoying their noel?

[gripper]

WHO: Anyone and everyone!
WHAT: Christmas Party! While originally an excuse for Secret Santas to give or drop off their gifts beneath the tree, anyone can swing by for a little holiday cheer.
WHERE: City Hall
WHEN: December 25th, starting at 10am and ending around 8pm
WARNINGS: N/A, but let me know if anything comes up!

merry christmas!

key notes

It's wintry, it's cold, it's Christmas. Hosted and put together by the mysterious Citynet user "theonewhogifts", (aka Kromer, gripper), this party is first and foremost a way for those participating in their Secret Santa to gather up and give their gifts, or to sneak theirs beneath the tree for the giftee to find if they're feeling a little shy. It'd be a boring Christmas if it were just that, though, so she's gone all-out and set things up to be a little more party-like.

Eat, drink, exchange presents, be merry—and take it easy this holiday season.

tinsel on the tree

On the 24th, the area in front of City Hall looks normal, if dusted in the now-falling snow, but by the time the eve passes, there's a rather large, plastic Christmas tree set up. People who arrive when the sun is just cresting will see Santa(?) decorating it themself, carefully selecting baubles and lights from a veritable treasure trove also taken from various stores in the area... but for most people showing up, it'll have already been decorated in bright white, gold, and silver lights, ornaments, puffballs, and so on. The skirt around it is a deep red, and as the snow continues to fall, the tree too becomes dusted with light flurries.

There's a helpful sign that says Secret Santas— drop gifts off here! to one side of the Christmas tree, while the other just seems to have been set up with the intention of being a gift-giving area, including meticulously wrapped, if empty, boxes for decoration.

Well. Mostly empty. Curious individuals (naughty children) who go shaking the unmarked boxes might find some of them aren't as empty as they seem, but what's inside are clearly meant as pranks for people who like to snoop: jack-in-the-boxes ready to spring, red-green-gold glitterbombs to mark who's been naughty and who's been nice, and those silly toy snakes that make loud rattle noises when they jump out.

cookies for santa

A party isn't a party without something to eat. Make sure you eat breakfast before you show up, because the main meals are full of hearty foods for lunch and dinner. From meals like beef rouladen (prepared beforehand and kept warm all day), paired with a red cabbage salad, to spätzle, roast duck, potato salad, and several bottles of red wine. For dessert, there's custard cake, baumkuchen, and zwetschgenknödel. While none of it looks professionally made by a chef, it's obvious a great deal of thought and care went into the dishes. Hey, it's her new hobby! She's being a proper host, here.

There are regular winter fixings too: inside of City Hall are kettles of hot water and warmed milk for hot chocolate and coffee! There's eggnog, both of the spiked-and-non-spiked variety... which one is which is indicated by little cards in front of them, but they're easy enough to switch if you feel like causing a little mischief. On the other hand, remember this is Santa's big day! Do you really want to out yourself as a bad kid?

a little winter fun

As stated, there's plenty more to enjoy: your very own Junpei Tenmyouji (coolerjunpei) is making smores for all who want a sweet treat without burning their fingers off, but you're welcome to make your own or just have some toasted marshmallows! Chase someone with a burning stick at your own peril.

And what's winter fun without a snowball fight or two? Of course, the mixture of icy rain with the snow the past few days has turned it somewhat dangerous if one were to decide to pack it with the harder stuff, but hey! At least it's just ice and not, you know, a rock or two. While there's no ready-made forts, she's not gonna go that far, there's plenty of snow that's been moved as necessary and a few piles of balls already put together.

You can use them as starters for snow creatures too, if you'd like!

Lastly, there's an area for any last minute gifts someone might need to pick up if they forgot the date! Or just couldn't figure anything out. There's a table for those who like to do a bit of handicrafting, so get your friendship bracelet making on (among other creative delights, glitter included), as well as a station for gift-wrapping itself featuring an assortment of junk from the mall.

To top off the holiday party, there's absolutely a stream of generically mainstream holiday tunes with voices that feel familiar but definitely aren't anyone in particular, like most of the media in the media shop. It's blaring from a stereo, so enjoy it or not, it's here to stay.

ooc notes

⬥ Merry Christmas! Welcome to the party. For people dropping off gifts for their Secret Santa, or who want to thread out giving it to them à la Stardew Valley's little winter festival, mosey on over to the thread for it.

⬥ Go nuts, go crazy, go wild and make your own top levels otherwise! Hell, even do gift giving on your own top level—the above is just there to make things easy. This is a mingle, so have fun with it.

⬥ If anything needs to be warned for, let me know by DMing this journal!

♡

Comments

for netzach

[deathoftheauthor]

( Louis hadn't signed himself up for the gift exchange (thank you, Lestat) but his giftee's list of likes had struck a chord with him, and he found himself having a surprisingly lovely time shopping for someone with vaguely similar tastes to himself. He might have gone a little overboard. Beneath the tree is a collection of presents, each neatly wrapped in green and gold paper and tied with festive ribbons: easels in several sizes, oil and watercolor paints, the best quality brushes he could find at the art supply store near his apartment. Along with that is an assortment of candles, scented and unscented; he had gone into a fugue state when he found the candle store at the mall and desperately wanted an excuse to go back, and this had been perfect. Not knowing what his giftee liked, there's a bit of everything, and the result might be slightly overwhelming to the senses of even an ordinary human. And to top things off: a fine bottle of brandy.

His gifts are left by the tree, but Louis will be watching surreptitiously nearby to make sure he didn't do too terribly. )

[abstractart]

[even the color scheme fits... man, this guy went all out, huh? netzach stops short at the amount of them-- but he at least doesn't feel like he fell too short in comparison, considering his attempts to follow the pretty comprehensive list of 'likes' he'd been following.]

Man... good thing we set up a whole art room. I'm gonna need the space.

[to no one in particular, of course, but he definitely sounds pleased, his smile warm as he looks the unwrapped pile over.

and in turn, in a little pile with louis' name on each gift in a looping, lazy script:

there's a small assortment of books that he tried to pick according to his giftee's tastes. one on mixing drinks, a couple of cooking-related books (both on the higher end, since it sounds to him like the guy has finer tastes. a fancy cookbook, and one on creative plating, decorative dishes, and making things like those fancy carved fruits), a couple about gardening (one is more normal, one is specifically on sustainable gardening in case of less access to supplies); a few candles in assorted scents, mostly plant and floral based but with one or two that have warmer notes instead. mulled spices and the like. and while he figured taste in poetry varies enough that he'd decided not to try-- there are a couple of paintings here, as well. one is of a patio garden, a cozy outdoor space with dappled light filtering through the leaves of trees overhead, an open book lying on a low table; the other is of a library, darker but still warm and inviting thanks to the candles lighting the painted space.

it all includes a note: usually i ask about subjects first, but it was supposed to be a surprise. let me know if you want anything specific painted instead and we'll call it part of this?]