Chapter Text
The first morning of December arrived quietly.
Snow had fallen through most of the night, blanketing the countryside in soft white that sparkled beneath the pale morning light. Frost clung to every tree branch, and the frozen lake behind the house reflected the blush of dawn like polished glass. Smoke curled lazily from the chimney as the fire crackled inside, filling the home with warmth that contrasted perfectly with the crisp winter air outside.
It was exactly the kind of morning Hannah had dreamed about all year.
She stirred beneath the heavy quilt, blinking sleepily as pale sunlight slipped through the curtains. Beside her, Garrett was still asleep, one arm stretched across her waist, his breathing slow and even.
She smiled.
December first.
Finally.
Every year they waited until the first of December before decorating the house. It had become one of their favorite traditions—one day completely dedicated to Christmas. No phones. No work. No distractions.
Just family.
Hannah carefully lifted Garrett’s arm away before slipping out of bed. The hardwood floors were cold beneath her feet as she pulled on one of Garrett’s oversized Bruins hoodies and fuzzy socks before padding downstairs.
The house was wonderfully quiet.
Only the gentle hum of the heating and the occasional pop from the fireplace could be heard.
She switched on the coffee machine before wandering over to the living room window.
Outside, the lake had frozen completely.
The smooth sheet of ice stretched across the water, untouched except for a few snowy footprints left by deer during the night.
Perfect.
Garrett would definitely insist they skate later.
A grin spread across her face.
As if on cue, tiny footsteps echoed from upstairs.
“Mama?”
Hannah turned just in time to see two-year-old wyatt appear at the top of the staircase, clutching his stuffed reindeer tightly against her chest. His curls were wonderfully messy, and he rubbed one sleepy eye.
“Mama… snow.”
“It did snow,” Hannah whispered excitedly. “Come look.”
Wyatt hurried down the stairs one careful step at a time before Hannah scooped him into her arms.
The toddler gasped dramatically as he looked out the window.
“It’s white!”
“It is.”
“So much white.”
“So much.”
Wyatt pressed both hands against the glass.
“Santa likes it.”
“I think he does.”
Before another conversation could begin, a much louder voice rang through the hallway.
“Mamaaaaa!”
Little Gigi.
Unlike her twin brother Gigi never woke quietly.
She came barreling around the corner in unicorn pajamas, clutching a tiny hockey stick almost as tall as she was.
“Dada wake?”
“Not yet.”
“Dada hockey?”
Hannah laughed.
“He’ll always say yes to hockey.”
Gigi nodded very seriously.
“Hockey.”
That one word seemed to explain his entire personality.
Just then heavy footsteps sounded upstairs.
Garrett appeared, rubbing the stubble on his Face, his dark curls sticking up in every direction.
He paused at the bottom step.
“Good morning.”
The toddlers exploded.
“DADA!”
Both children sprinted toward him.
Garrett barely had time to brace himself before two tiny bodies collided with his legs.
He laughed, scooping Gigi into one arm while Wyatt insisted on climbing onto the other.
“Morning, my little monsters.”
“No monsters,” Gigi corrected.
“My apologies.”
“We Christmas.”
“You are?”
She nodded confidently.
“We Christmas.”
Garrett looked toward Hannah.
“I don’t know what that means.”
“I don’t think she does either.”
Gigi smiled proudly anyway.
Garrett leaned over and kissed Hannah’s forehead.
“Happy December first.”
“Happy December first.”
“So…”
He lowered his voice dramatically.
“Is today the day?”
“The day.”
“The decorating day?”
“The decorating day.”
“The gingerbread day?”
“Obviously.”
“The skating day?”
“If the ice is thick enough.”
He grinned.
“This is my favorite day of the year.”
“I know.”
He wrapped an arm around her waist while the children wriggled happily between them.
For a few moments they simply stood there watching snowflakes continue to drift from the sky.
Home.
There was nowhere either of them would rather be.
—
Breakfast quickly turned into controlled chaos.
Garrett attempted to make pancakes.
Attempted.
Wyatt proudly dumped an entire cup of flour onto the counter.
Gigi somehow ended up with blueberries mushed inside of her fist.
By the time everyone finally sat down, flour coated nearly every surface in the kitchen.
Hannah laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes.
Garrett held up a pancake.
“It resembles a snowman.”
“It resembles a map.”
“That’s rude.”
“It’s delicious.”
“It better be.”
The toddlers happily devoured anything covered in maple syrup, so no one complained.
Halfway through breakfast Hannah reached beneath the table.
She pulled out a large red storage bin.
Both toddlers immediately squealed.
“Christmas!”
Garrett placed a hand dramatically over his heart.
“It’s time.”
The next hour became a whirlwind of ornaments, tangled lights, ribbons and boxes that had been carefully packed away eleven months earlier.
Christmas music drifted from the speakers in the living room.
Without even thinking, Hannah began singing along softly.
“Have yourself a merry little Christmas…”
Her voice filled the house effortlessly, warm and gentle, wrapping around the family like another blanket.
Garrett paused halfway through untangling lights just to watch her.
He’d seen her perform in college or on a night out if she had too much to drink.
He’d watched people be mesmerised by her voice.
But this…
This was his favorite audience.
Two toddlers dancing in fuzzy socks.
One sleepy golden retriever sprawled by the fire.
And him.
Hannah noticed him staring.
“What?”
“You know.”
“What?”
“My favorite concerts.”
She smiled.
“I’m literally decorating a tree.”
“Exactly.”
Wyatt began spinning in circles with a strand of tinsel around his neck.
“Dancing!”
Gigi joined in, although her version of dancing mostly involved hopping while holding her toy hockey stick.
Garrett couldn’t stop laughing.
“This may be the greatest show you’ve ever played.”
“I think you’re right.”
Together they lifted ornaments onto the tree.
Or rather…
Garrett and Hannah placed ornaments.
Gigi insisted every decoration belonged on exactly the same branch.
Wyatt attempted to hang one but ended up dropping it.
Several ornaments mysteriously disappeared into toy bins.
One candy cane was immediately eaten.
“No eating the decorations,” Hannah reminded gently.
Wyatt looked genuinely confused.
“But candy.”
“Later.”
“Now?”
“No.”
He sighed with the dramatic disappointment only toddlers could manage.
Garrett leaned close.
“I’ll sneak you one after lunch.”
“I heard that.”
“I know.”
Hannah laughed.
“I heard it too!” Gigi announced proudly, despite clearly having no idea what she’d heard.
Garrett shrugged innocently.
“I’ve been outnumbered.”
By midday the tree glowed beautifully.
White lights twinkled softly while red ribbons wound between branches. Handmade ornaments sat beside delicate glass ones collected from vacations over the years.
Near the top hung a tiny hockey skate ornament.
Right beneath it…
A little silver microphone.
Garrett wrapped an arm around Hannah’s shoulders.
“It gets prettier every year.”
“It does.”
“You know why?”
She looked at him.
“Because every year there are more memories hanging on it.”
Neither spoke for a moment.
Instead they watched Gigi carefully placing a paper snowflake she’d made the previous winter onto one of the lowest branches.
“It stays.”
“It absolutely stays,” Hannah whispered.
Garrett kissed the side of her head.
“I love this life.”
“So do I.”
Outside, fresh snow continued falling gently over the frozen lake.
Inside, the scent of pine mixed with cinnamon candles, warm coffee, and pancakes.
Christmas had officially begun.
And the day was only getting started.
After lunch came everyone’s favorite tradition of all—
Making gingerbread together.