Happy New Year!
1 Away in a Manger - Andy Williams
Gus hoped his mother was recording this.
Of course she would, with the new camera they bought last Christmas. Trying to see past the lights, Gus squinted into the audience to see if Dad was recording in the back. This was an Important Moment, being one of the Wise Men in the Christmas pageant. He clutched the frankincense tightly and remembered to smile down at babydoll Jesus.
At his feet, he heard Shawn baw for the tenth time as the lone sheep. Gus kicked him - Shawn was not about to steal this moment from him. Shawn retaliated by biting his leg before getting yanked off the small stage by one of the adults.
“Take that, Shawn,” Gus thought, and smiled again at Jesus as Shawn tried to talk his way out of trouble.
2 The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) - The Chipmunks
“You don’t even know how to use the camera, Lulu.”
“Yuh-huh.” Lauren stared at the camcorder as if her will alone would make it record. It didn’t work, so she turned pleading eyes to her big brother. “Carlton, make it work.”
Carlton hesitated, trying to find some excuse to get out of this. His kid sister wanted them to sing some stupid kids’ Christmas song that sounded like grown men who’d overdosed on helium. On tape. Tape that people could find and watch.
Lauren pouted and poked him. “Carlton, pleeeeeeeeease?”
Rolling his eyes, he took the camcorder from her to set it up. Lauren flitted around him, giggling and babbling her thank yous. Carlton smiled; her adoring eyes almost made it worth it.
He’d just have to burn the tape later.
3 Christmas Tree - Lady Gaga
Christmas wasn’t exactly Carlton’s favorite holiday.
Last minute shoppers swarmed in droves, leaving him stranded in never-ending lines of traffic that made him late to his weekly appointment at the gun range. His station sparkled with tinsely crap and garish decorations that seemed appropriate only this time of year. This year O’Hara made him waste time and paper on cards destined for the trashcan come the new year. And so help him if Spencer gave him one more snow globe…
Carlton glanced out his window, only to find two kids fondling one another underneath a public tree. Well. He pulled over and got out, pulling his gun to scare them into modesty. Even at Christmas the scum of the Earth still needed someone out there to keep them in line. Christmas wasn’t all bad.