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“You’re Jewish,” House stated, matter-of-factly.
”Well observed,” Wilson commented.
”Then why are you putting up a Christmas tree?” House asked as he watched the man struggle with a large mass of green branches.
”Because I like Christmas,” Wilson explained as he managed to get the tree upright and stepped back to take a look at it.
”You’re Jewish!” House exclaimed.
”So what!” Wilson replied, “I will still celebrate Hanukkah, I just enjoy celebrating Christmas too.”
“Christmas is from a completely different religion!” House protested, “and before that it was stolen from another, completely different, religion!”
”So I like to mix and match,” Wilson shrugged.
“You don’t even have any decorations for the tree,” House commented.
”Well I was hoping we could go and get some,” Wilson said, hopefully.
”So now you want to bring me into this? The guy who doesn’t care for any religion?”
”Look,” Wilson sighed, “when I was a kid I got to watch everyone else get excited over Christmas with their families, sure I had Hanukkah which I celebrated with my family, but almost everyone else was celebrating Christmas. I’d walk through school on the last day before the holidays and everyone would be saying ‘merry Christmas!’ And they’d give presents, decorate trees and everywhere you went there would be tinsel and lights, I loved it but never fully got to experience it like they did until I went to college. My roommate and I would get a small tree to go in our dorm room and we’d also get a menorah, we’d spend the holidays there and celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah. I kept the traditions with all my ex wives,” he told his partner, “and I’m going to keep doing it wether you like it or not.”
“Fine,” House replied after a moment of silence, “but I get to pick some of the decorations, if this tree is staying here then it gets to be a representation of both of us,” Wilson smiled at this before picking up his keys.
”Let’s go then,” he said.
————
“Really?” House questioned, looking at the item on Wilson’s hand, “an angel?”
”What?” Wilson asked, “you have to have an angel on top of the tree.”
”Or how about a star?” House replied, “the you can represent both your actual religion and the one you decide to support once a year.”
”I always have an angel,” Wilson said, “Julie kept the really nice one that I’ve had for years, I’d love to have a new one,” House looked at him before sighing.
”Alright, but no candy cane ornaments, I feel like they mock me,” Wilson laughed at this.
”Fine, no candy canes,” he agreed. House smiled back at him before they went searching for more decorations.
————
When they got back to their apartment they placed the bags down and began to unload the large amount of tinsel, lights and ornaments that they’d acquired. Wilson started to put the lights on the tree as House brought the ornaments over.
”Crap,” Wilson heard House say behind him, he turned and saw the, now headless, angel laying on the floor.
”House,” he sighed.
”It was an accident,” he replied. Wilson raised an eyebrow at him, “I’m serious,” he said, “I got my cane wrapped up in all this tinsel and tripped,” Wilson smirked slightly, before picking the angel, and it’s head, from off the floor.
”I’m sure we could fix it,” he told the older man.
”Why bother?” House asked, taking the body of the angel out of his lover’s hand and placing it on top of the tree, “A headless angel could really spice up the tree,” Wilson chuckled at this.
”It’s definitely different,” he said.
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The two men stood back and looked at the tree when they were done, House wrapped an arm around Wilson’s waist.
“Not sure I like the vast array of snow globes you’ve decorated my piano with,” he commented, looking over at the instrument.
”And I can’t say I really enjoy the little skeletons that are covering the tree,” Wilson replied.
”They have little Santa hats on them,” House told him and Wilson laughed.
”True,” he said, “and they really go with the decapitated angel at the top,” House pulled him closer and placed a kiss on his temple.
”You know, I’m not a Christmassy person but I think I could put up with it if it means I get to see you this happy,” House said, Wilson looked up at him, a smile on his face.
”When did you get so romantic?” He teased, placing a hand on House’s chest.
”Christmas miracle,” House replied, giving Wilson another kiss.
”I think I could get used to these Christmas miracles,” Wilson commented between kisses.
”Merry Christmas James,” House said.
”Merry Christmas Greg,” Wilson replied.