5 min read
Yuletide Cheer
December 24, 2016
Yule was always such a huge deal. Snowmen with candy. Santa and his reindeer lurked on every street corner. Everywhere you looked, no matter where you were from, there was some sort of holiday cheer awaiting you. People bustling about getting gifts and wrappings. It was a ton of work for some shop keepers who presented the more high-tech gifts kids wanted.
Sadly, for Reuben, the Mystic Herb wasn't as bustling during this season. The regular clientele would come in, but not as many people as he had expected. People were getting sick, sure, but they weren't wanting the natural remedies. All they wanted were the quick and easy, the simply pill popping that true doctors gave. Reuben hadn't even seen a doctor in years due to his new lifestyle. He was always fairly healthy and even the slight colds and things he did get were easily taken care of by herbal tea and natural remedies he'd create himself.
But, the time had come to close the shop and get ready for the Yule celebration with Calista and a few of her co-workers. He locked up the shop and put up his "Happy Holidays" sign on the front door before returning to his house to ready it for the party that evening.
Within two hours, the entire living room and kitchen was decked out in winter decorations. Snowflake streamers drooped in the entrances to the kitchen. A large Yule tree stood tall in the corner of the living room. Garland was strung up across the entire house. The large chalkboard behind the bar in the kitchen even had a winter flair to it. The drinks and dessert platters were prepped and ready. There was even a fire started in the fireplace. The sound of wood crackling under the heat was so soothing to him. Then, the wait for the guests began.
The large grandfather clock struck 8 o'clock and Reuben sat alone in his living room enjoying a mug of hot, fresh apple cider. Finally, a knock was heard. The first guest had finally arrived. He picked himself up, placed his mug on the coffee table and waltzed over to the front door.
Opening it up, it was none other than Calista. "Hey, girl. About time you showed up. Where is everyone?"
"Ugh, you'll never believe it, Reu," Calista stated as she walked into the room, taking off her large overcoat in the process.
"What is it? Did something happen?" Reuben asked, closing the door, slight worry in his voice.
"Everyone bailed, again. I invited my co-workers for friendsgiving, nobody showed up. I invite them for Yule, again, no-shows. Why do I even bother?" she said, plopping herself down on the couch. "Is this cider?" she asked, picking up Reuben's cup and taking in the aroma.
A sigh of annoyance escaped the alchemists lips. Of course they'd cancel without actually cancelling. "Well, that's just wonderful. A waste of all the decorating I did, not to mention the baking," he mused quietly, more to himself than directing it at Calista. He took a seat on the opposite couch and watched as the witch brought the cup to her own lips. "Can't you just get your own?" he spat, eyes narrowing.
Calista rolled her eyes and sipped the cider once more before putting it down. "Can you stop being a little bitch? I'm just as disappointed as you are."
Reuben's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he leaned back in the seat, resting his head upon the cushion.
Calista stood and made her way into the kitchen, picking at the desserts and grabbing a cup of cider for herself before returned to the couch. "Well, is tonight going to be a Netflix and chill kind of night?" Calista suggested, taking a bite of the delicate vegan cookie.
Reuben looked over at the clock, then to the kitchen. A moment of silence passed and he finally spoke. "Yeah, might as well be.""
Reuben went to the kitchen, filled his cup, and grabbed the plate of goodies before bringing them all back to the living room and setting them on the coffee table. He slipped off his shoes and propped his feet up on the large couch he was sitting on before grabbing the remote and turning on the Smart TV that hung on the wall above the fireplace. He flipped through the apps on the television until he found Netflix. Starting it up, he looked over at Calista who was gobbling down on some homemade carob covered pretzels he made.
A smile grew upon his countenance as the realization of what the holiday season was really about sunk in. It was about spending it with people you care about, people you love, and enjoying their company. Parties don't matter, the perfect plate of desserts doesn't matter, and neither does the hot apple cider. All that truly matters is time spent with loved ones; and with that, Reuben truly did understand the meaning of Yuletide cheer.
Sadly, for Reuben, the Mystic Herb wasn't as bustling during this season. The regular clientele would come in, but not as many people as he had expected. People were getting sick, sure, but they weren't wanting the natural remedies. All they wanted were the quick and easy, the simply pill popping that true doctors gave. Reuben hadn't even seen a doctor in years due to his new lifestyle. He was always fairly healthy and even the slight colds and things he did get were easily taken care of by herbal tea and natural remedies he'd create himself.
But, the time had come to close the shop and get ready for the Yule celebration with Calista and a few of her co-workers. He locked up the shop and put up his "Happy Holidays" sign on the front door before returning to his house to ready it for the party that evening.
Within two hours, the entire living room and kitchen was decked out in winter decorations. Snowflake streamers drooped in the entrances to the kitchen. A large Yule tree stood tall in the corner of the living room. Garland was strung up across the entire house. The large chalkboard behind the bar in the kitchen even had a winter flair to it. The drinks and dessert platters were prepped and ready. There was even a fire started in the fireplace. The sound of wood crackling under the heat was so soothing to him. Then, the wait for the guests began.
The large grandfather clock struck 8 o'clock and Reuben sat alone in his living room enjoying a mug of hot, fresh apple cider. Finally, a knock was heard. The first guest had finally arrived. He picked himself up, placed his mug on the coffee table and waltzed over to the front door.
Opening it up, it was none other than Calista. "Hey, girl. About time you showed up. Where is everyone?"
"Ugh, you'll never believe it, Reu," Calista stated as she walked into the room, taking off her large overcoat in the process.
"What is it? Did something happen?" Reuben asked, closing the door, slight worry in his voice.
"Everyone bailed, again. I invited my co-workers for friendsgiving, nobody showed up. I invite them for Yule, again, no-shows. Why do I even bother?" she said, plopping herself down on the couch. "Is this cider?" she asked, picking up Reuben's cup and taking in the aroma.
A sigh of annoyance escaped the alchemists lips. Of course they'd cancel without actually cancelling. "Well, that's just wonderful. A waste of all the decorating I did, not to mention the baking," he mused quietly, more to himself than directing it at Calista. He took a seat on the opposite couch and watched as the witch brought the cup to her own lips. "Can't you just get your own?" he spat, eyes narrowing.
Calista rolled her eyes and sipped the cider once more before putting it down. "Can you stop being a little bitch? I'm just as disappointed as you are."
Reuben's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he leaned back in the seat, resting his head upon the cushion.
Calista stood and made her way into the kitchen, picking at the desserts and grabbing a cup of cider for herself before returned to the couch. "Well, is tonight going to be a Netflix and chill kind of night?" Calista suggested, taking a bite of the delicate vegan cookie.
Reuben looked over at the clock, then to the kitchen. A moment of silence passed and he finally spoke. "Yeah, might as well be.""
Reuben went to the kitchen, filled his cup, and grabbed the plate of goodies before bringing them all back to the living room and setting them on the coffee table. He slipped off his shoes and propped his feet up on the large couch he was sitting on before grabbing the remote and turning on the Smart TV that hung on the wall above the fireplace. He flipped through the apps on the television until he found Netflix. Starting it up, he looked over at Calista who was gobbling down on some homemade carob covered pretzels he made.
A smile grew upon his countenance as the realization of what the holiday season was really about sunk in. It was about spending it with people you care about, people you love, and enjoying their company. Parties don't matter, the perfect plate of desserts doesn't matter, and neither does the hot apple cider. All that truly matters is time spent with loved ones; and with that, Reuben truly did understand the meaning of Yuletide cheer.