Military Log - 007

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

[Maes appears on the screen. After much searching he has found a Santa hat and is wearing it to be festive. Viewers may notice a slightly burned/used candle on his bedside table and a picture of his family next to it. He even has some wrapped gifts nearby, but Maes quickly pushes them underneath his bed and smiles. This post is not as random as it may first seem.]

Happy Holidays everybody! I was just helping Rarity decorate for the season and we started talking about decorations and traditions and the things that make this holiday, or any holiday, what it is. It got me wondering though what everyone else's favorite traditions are. Even if it's not Christmas you celebrate, but something else, what is something you HAVE to do to make the season feel right?

Personally? I always loved mistletoe. [He holds up a sprig of the plant] It's a classic and romantic tradition that brings together couples and maybe gives courage to those who aren't quite couples. What you do is hang it from a doorway usually and when someone meets you under it you exchange a kiss. Back home, I made sure to get some for the house every Christmas and catch my beautiful wife Gracia by surprise underneath it. She always loved it and I always loved the look on her face when I would sweep her off her feet and give her a big kiss on Christmas Eve. Not that I need an excuse to kiss my wife, but it was always made that much more romantic and special beneath a sprig of mistletoe. [By this point he is totally grinning like an idiot]

[After a minute he remembers why he made this broadcast in the first place] So, what are some of your favorite traditions?

Comments

[eyeofwildtiger.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'd do the same with my Tomoe! Sometimes she'd be the one to catch me, though, heh.

The best part, though, was watching our little Kaede opening her presents Christmas morning. She was always so happy and cute~

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Gracia caught on pretty quickly. She enjoys it though so no trouble there.

Heh, my daughter only just turned three. She just got the hang of opening presents and enjoying it recently. I bet she'll have a ton of fun this Christmas though.

[eyeofwildtiger.livejournal.com]

Ah, so lucky~ Kaede's going on eleven, so she's getting to thinking she's too mature for things like that.

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

That's terrible! You mean she doesn't let you dote on her any more at all? I don't know what I'll do when Elysia get's that age, it's hard NOT to picture her as papa's little girl forever, which even if she denies it one day she will always be that.

[eyeofwildtiger.livejournal.com]

Not much. But... it doesn't help that work keeps me away so much. [Grins at the last part, though.] Too bad they have to grow up, right?

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean.

Ah yes, if only my little Elysia could stay as cute and adorable as she is right now.

[eyeofwildtiger.livejournal.com]

Ah, glad somebody does! Not everybody gets it, you know?

Watching 'em grow up isn't so bad, though. Kaede's becoming such a talented young lady!

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know, but that doesn't usually stop me from bragging on my daughter. I mean, how can I help it when she's just so cute and growing bigger every day? My friend Roy doesn't appreciate it, that's for sure. Then again, he never even understood why I went on about my wife either. I keep telling him he needs to get a woman of his own but he never listens.

You should tell me more about it sometime. I'd love the advice.

[eyeofwildtiger]

Well... gotta admit, I missed a lot of it 'cos of work.

[itsjustamike.livejournal.com]

[Awww, he thinks that's all awful sweet.]

Me? Oh, one of my favorites was always going out to get the tree. It's be at least two hours of my dad haggling with the tree seller, another hour tying it up, getting it home and then another hour haggling with the tree stand as we tried to set it up. Not so fun for my parents, but mom would give us a peppermint chocolate lollipop to keep us kids quiet during all that, and that was great.

That, and nabbing some leftover cheesecake from the office Christmas party.

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

That sounds like fun. Finding the tree was always great because I had Gracia's baking to look forward to, so no matter how long it took I'd have something to look forward to. Oh! But the best part was hanging ornaments on the tree. [getting giddy now] Just last year I picked Elysia up and had her hang the star on top, she was so cute and was lit up about as much as the tree. Ah, I wish I had a picture to show you of it.

[itsjustamike.livejournal.com]

[Wow, this guy can certainly go on and on about his family and how great they are! Definitely not Midwesterners.]

Oop, can't go wrong with some good home cooking. It's always great to see the kids get so excited about hanging ornaments.

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

Have you done any decorating yet?

[itsjustamike.livejournal.com]

Around here? Just a little bit...I'll admit I can kinda get last-minute about decorating when left to my own devices.

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

Well that makes sense. It's hard to motivate to decorate when you're the only one that's going to enjoy them. At least that's how I feel. I didn't decorate much or anything before I met my wife after all.

[itsjustamike.livejournal.com]

Yeah...guess there's something about sharing it with others that makes the special-ness of it come out.

[Mike sounds kind of whistful...missing old girlfriends? Well, maybe.]

[game-over-pal.livejournal.com]

Never cared much for holidays or nothin'.

[Don't mind mister BAH HUMBUG over here]

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

Too bad. Maybe I can change your mind with some ADORABLE HOLIDAY PICTURES OF MY DAUGHTER. [produces one such picture, although it looks like it might just be a picture of his daughter with a santa hat drawn onto her head]

[game-over-pal.livejournal.com]

[JUST BLINKS, DOESN'T GIVE A SINGLE SHIT]

Uh huh. Cute kid.

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

[You'd be surprised how often he gets this reaction, so he just presses on]

She's very cute! And she's getting so big now too! Why, the last time I saw her she was able to ride her tricycle all around the yard and she can almost reach the counters in the kitchen now. I can't believe how big she is growing!

[game-over-pal.livejournal.com]

Yeah. That's fascinating, really.

[sailorlaughter.livejournal.com]

Oh! Every year for Hearth's Warming Eve, right after the pageant, I throw a HUUUUGE holiday party for EVERYPONY in Ponyville! It's the absolute best party all year - well, except maybe for all the welcome parties for all the new ponies, those are great too!

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

I wish I could have you throw my daughter's next birthday party, Pinkie. Gracia would probably love the help and I know Elysia loves ponies.

[sailorgenerous]

[Just as planned! Oh, Maes, you are good at this game.]

Oh, mistletoe is one of my favorite holiday traditions, though I haven't been fortunate enough to have somepony to share it with. I'm sure it's very romantic.

Of course, I always help with Ponyville's decorations, though you may have figured that out from earlier.

[mustbemaes.livejournal.com]

I'm sure the right pony is out there for you somewhere, you just might have to wait until we get off the satellite to find him. Just don't give up, okay?

You're good at decorations so I can see why.