Bringing Christmas to Luminis

[Freezair]

"What's going on down there, Smoothians? Your planet suddenly looks very... strange. It's almost as sparkly as Luminis right now! Are you taking some decorating cues from us?"

"No! Actually, on Earth right now, it's a very special time of year called Christmas. It's a holiday of ours, you see. Easily the biggest one of the year. Christmas is... well, where do I start?"

"Well, people have been celebrating during the middle of winter for a long time on our planet. We need something to liven up the cool days and long nights of the dead of winter. Christmas is the biggest of these celebrations, and it's... well, it's a lot of things. On the surface, it's a religious festival, associated with a religion called Christianity that started being practiced in our Middle East, but it's celebrated even by people who don't follow that religion, and it incorporates traditions from all over the world. I mean, look at me! I'm a Christmas tree. I get all decorated with glass baubles and sparkly garlands at this time of year, but people have been decorating with evergreen trees and pine boughs since the days of our ancient Rome! They had an old holiday called Saturnalia, and some of its traditions still survive in modern Christmas celebrations."

"Wow! A holiday that incorporates aspects of so many of your Earth cultures? Sounds very harmonious."

"Oh, it is! It's renowned the world over as a time of peace on Earth and goodwill towards man. Wars have come to a standstill on Christmas. People all over donate to those less fortunate. People have smiles on their face, and wish people they don't even know 'Happy Holidays'!"

"What a touching display of kindness! You Earthlings have a habit of outdoing yourselves when it comes to kindness."

"Aww, shucks! You're making my sap rise to my bark. And I'm nothing compared to Santa Claus, anyway. Santa's the greatest! He's so nice, people call him Saint Nicholas! He flies on a magic sled pulled by a team of flying reindeer, and brings presents to all the good little children at this time of year--toys, games, sweets, all that good stuff! In Chicken Smoothie, he mostly does the night before Christmas, Christmas Eve, but I hear lots of kids in Europe have already gotten their presents--way back on December 5th. A lot of people ask how Santa delivers gifts all in one night, but they don't realize he divides up his workload over a couple of weeks."

"Wha--every good kid?! That's--millions! Maybe even billions! Is he really that generous?!"

"Of course he is! It's his job! I hear he used to work with a pretty powerful Norse guy called Odin. Maybe that's where he got his power?"

"Erm... does he also deliver presents to good little Luminians? I'm... asking for a friend... a kid I know... of course."

"Well, we also give presents to each other. You don't have to rely on Santa. We exchange gifts with one another. We get together with our friends and our families, and we decorate our homes with bright decorations, and we bake delicious treats like cakes and cookies--and I even like fruitcake, and NOBODY likes that--and we give gifts and watch movies and TV shows and even sing songs about how much we like Christmas! It's the mooooost wonderful tiiiime of the yeaaar!"

"...Jee, Scarab Jr., Christmas sounds really fun. I wouldn't mind having a Christmas on Luminis..."

"Really? Because as it just so happens, I know a big jolly fat guy in a red suit who might be able to help..."