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Before Daniel died, their parents would always buy matching pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve. It stopped the Christmas after Daniel died. Maddie missed Daniel while loving Evan, and wished they could at least try to keep the old tradition alive for him. But her parents didn't. The comfortable matching pajamas were replaced with stuffy coordinating dress clothes for church and the yearly Christmas card, Maddie hated the itchy uncomfortable dresses and Evan loathed the fiddly suits and pinchy shoes.
So she'd saved up her babysitting money when she was thirteen and bought her and Evan matching flannel pajamas, and made them hot chocolate. They would fall asleep in her bed with empty mugs on her nightstand and A Christmas Story playing quietly in the background. That had been her favorite tradition because it was hers and Evan's.
She'd resurrected the tradition her second Christmas in LA, and later they'd brought Chimney and Jee into it.
This Christmas Eve she's so full of joy she could burst. Because it isn't just her and Evan, two sad and lonely kids drinking hot chocolate in bed wishing their parents actually wanted to celebrate the holiday instead of putting on a veneer of perfection.
It's them, with their husbands, Hen and Karen, and all of their kids. Everyone is gathered together wearing almost matching reindeer footie pajamas in the Han family living room under the glow of twinkle lights.
There are mountains of blankets and fuzzy pillows. Jee, Mara, and Denny are in a cozy nest of sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows on top of the mattress that used to live in Evan's loft that Tommy had brought over the morning before for their family Christmas. There is the hot chocolate Howie and Karen made (alcoholic for the adults), and a spread of Christmas cookies, Christmas trail mix, and a charcuterie board of savory treats for when they've had too many sweet treats. There is a plate with cookies and carrots sticks and a Stanley mug full of milk for Santa and his reindeer.
She's on the couch flanked by her two favorite men with Danielle sleeping on her chest in the cutest little reindeer onesie, perfectly matching her little cousin only a handful of weeks between them.
“You'll shoot your eye out!” Every adult in the room recites along with the movie and collapses into a giggle fit when they are shushed by the kids with their tiny glares.
Eventually the kids all fall asleep in their nest, Hen and Karen retreat to the guest room while Tommy takes Odette out to the car.
“Best Christmas ever.” Evan whispers in her ear with the biggest smile. She can't help but agree matching his own smile.
They say it every year. But somehow, it is always true. Every year, every Christmas seems to be better than the last.