A new tradition

Cherubmas was such an interesting concept. Elvira had listened to the cherubuns talking about it for a few days now, and the idea was just so thrilling. She went with Dove for a short while to see some of the decorations they and some other Cherubuns had. And most of them were so pretty. Why didn’t succubuns ever think of this?

Of course and excuse to get crafty was a good one, and this would be perfect for some of the spare items she had scattered all over her burrow. Though hooves would be hard to work with. Doll form it was. She gently patted Blossom, her beloved imp.

“We’re going to have some fun today, Blossom. I was learning how to make new decorations for the upcoming Cherubmas! Would you like to help supervise?”

The flower like Imp just spun in a small circle, looking quite pleased with the idea. Elvira gently picked her up and brought her to the craft room. Letting the imp rummage around as well to find anything fun, soft, or colorful to use. In the end the two of them found faux feathers, plenty of small decorative balls, and shimmering threads in silvers and golds.

Bringing everything to the table, including some small multicolored stars that Blossom had found, Elvira looked it all over quickly. She wasn’t sure it would be enough, but it was at least a good start. Just as she sat down however, there was a knock on the door. She looked at Blossom.

“Who could be visiting today? I don’t remember having anything planned…”

Heading towards the door, she smiled wide. The blue eared, white haired doll in front of her was bursting with joy, and it looked like her hands were absolutely full. How on earth was she carrying that much? A dark toned Furdin made and appearance from behind the dolls legs.

“Ayabun! What brings you here today?” Elvira opened the door and let them both in.

Ayabun quickly put some of the bags down that she was carrying on a nearby table. Alch the Furdin keeping in perfect step beside her, decided to jump up onto the table and nudge a bag that threatened to tip over, keeping it on the table.

“I heard you spent some time with Dove talking about Cherubmas! I thought maybe we could work on something together. Twice the fun, twice the ideas?” She reached down and gave her imp Alch a quick pat. “Thanks big guy~”

Elvira nodded excitedly. “Oh my goodness yes! That sounds phenomenal! Blossom and I just pulled a bunch of things out in the craft room. We can go in there!”

Ayabun grabbed the bags back up, with Alch in tow not far from her feet, they let Elvira lead the way. The craft room was a little bigger than Ayabun expected, and Elvira was happy to show it off. At least until it was time to start unpacking the bags Ayabun had brought.

Elvira paused however. “Ayabun…What is all this? This looks like Candy and candles…Are these…metal circles?”

Ayabun smiled. “It’s a little idea I had for something different. I brought actual craft items in the blue bags there.” She pointed out to them and her imp Alch gently pawed at them for good measure. Elvira reached out to pat him as thanks, but he hissed at her gently in warning before curling up near Ayabuns feet.

The two buns spent some time making wreaths for the doors to their burrows. Using hundreds of feathers and pom-poms to make the main circle shape ended up taking a lot of glue, but they got it done, some of the pom-poms were tied in place instead so they could hang a little differently.

Elvira smiled and pointed out all the colorful stars. “How about we add some of these for a pop of color? Kinda like the ornaments Dove was showing us?” Ayabun nodded in agreement, and they carefully worked them in. They weren’t perfect but any means, but they looked like wreaths.

Ayabun paused and stared at the other more colorful feathers. While the white ones did kinda help the wreath look like the ones the cherubuns made, they were missing something. “What if we use some green feathers too, to mimic leaves and such?” Elvira thought that was a lovely idea.

With two wreaths made it was time for a break, the girls and their imps stopped for some snacks. It was very much needed, especially since it helped the imps feel full and they both dozed off on opposite ends of the room. The girls smiled and talked a little about work for a few more minutes, and then Ayabun got up and started pulling everything out of the other bags.

“Alright Elvira, time for something else fun.” Elvira carefully copied Ayabun, who had come up with something fun. “Instead of making a wreath for the door, I thought it would be fun if we could make some for our friends' tables.” Not only would they be pretty, but they would also provide a spark of joy.

The girls took the metal circles and placed them down, and then spent some time opening all the bags of candy and separating them. Ayabun pulled out clear plastic to wrap them in, and ribbons.

“Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll wrap all these candies up, a small amount in a pile on the plastic and-” She carefully put 5 small candies on a piece of clear plastic, and then pulled the four corners up like a little pouch. Grabbing a piece of bright red ribbon, she tied it off, the remaining ribbon was a few inches long. Rather than cutting it, she moved on to repeat the process.

The girls were busily wrapping candy for a couple of hours, and ended up having to take a break for dinner. Ayabun ordered in since she was staying so long and it was an unannounced visit. They had a wonderful time, fed the imps, and then sat back at the table. The candies all wrapped up were super colorful, and the different colored ribbons on them all really made quite a festive sight.

Elvira decided to speak up. “So why didn’t we cut the ribbons? And what is everything else for?”

Ayabun smiled. “We’re going to tie them all onto the metal circles now. The candy is going to be our table wreaths’. That way people can come by. Rip off a little treat, and go about their day or night.” Ayabun watched as Elvira’s eyes lit up. “Like this.” Ayabun carefully tied on one thing of candy, and used something flat to curl the ribbon so it looked extra pretty. She then grabbed a second bag, and this time placed it so it was facing the opposite way, tied it, and curled the ribbon.

Elvira did her best to copy the idea, though she didn’t think it looked very pretty at first. As the girls made it about a quarter of the way through however, she was starting to see it all come together. All the plastic looked fluffy in between the bags of candy, the ribbons and candy themselves looked like special decorations, and as the metal circles were slowly filled half way, three quarters of the way, and then eventually finally almost finished, she was in awe.

“Ayabun, these were a wonderful idea!” She exclaimed happily. Even though she was having a hard time fitting anymore candy on the wreath she had. It was still a lot of fun. “I see there are a lot of the metal circles, can we make some more? Since everything is ready anyway?”

Ayabun nodded. “Of course, though it’s going to take time to do them all.”

“That's okay. Why don’t you just stay over tonight and we can finish up more of them tomorrow? Do you need anything from home?” Elvira thought about whether or not she had anything to loan Ayabun that might fit. Probably not, but if she was fine in what she was in for tomorrow, she may have a dress or something she could fit in for the night.

“That’s a lovely idea~” Ayabun chimed. Alch her imp huffed from his spot in the corner. “Oh don’t worry grumpy pants, you can just sleep with me.” Quite frankly, since these two were done anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to take a little break soon.

Elvira was thinking the same thing without knowing it. “Perfect, in that case why don’t I make us some hot cocoa, and we can take a little break for now before working on another?” She watched Ayabun nod, and the girls ended up taking a good long while to stretch out quick, check the time, and fuss over some of the stories they heard the cherubuns talking about.

After their break was done, they worked well into the night, giggling and talking the whole while they made candy wreaths’. It was a lot of fun, especially when they had spare candy on the side to snack on.

After a good night of rest, they had breakfast, fed the imps, and got back to it. By the end of the day, before dinner time came around, they had made about twenty wreaths in total. Ayabun pulled out some boxes, folded them up leaving the tops open, and gently moved one wreath to each box.

Elvira would have to grab a wagon or something if they were going to move all these easily. Who would have thought candy could be so heavy? “Wait, Ayabun, what about the Candles?” She glanced at all the pretty candles in their round glass jars.

“Oh right. I kind of guessed the size but…” Ayabun lifted one up, and carefully set it in the middle of one of the candy wreaths that were still on the table. “I thought it might make the perfect finishing touch.” And it did. As it turned out the candles were a perfect fit.

Both girls finished them up. Ayabun grabbed the door wreath she had made with Elvira, and then they both stopped, and just stared at the stack of boxes.

“I don’t think I thought this through as well as I thought I had.” Ayabun sighed as Alch rubbed against her legs, his own way of reassurance.

Blossom danced atop one of the box stacks as Elvira pouted, thinking it over. “I might have a wagon somewhere out back… We could at least get them around that way maybe, but I don’t know if they will all fit. Maybe we can stack them as long as we’re careful?”

After some more thought, Ayabun called in a favor from a friend instead, asking them if they could borrow their wagon as well for a day. Not only did it help them out with delivering the eighteen wreaths they made for friends, but they also unloaded one leaving only seventeen to bring around. They split everything up between the wagons, and met up later at the end of the day.

Ayabun returned the borrowed wagon, and Elvira thanked her for dropping by and spending the night. They had so much fun together they had to promise each other to do the same thing again next year. Maybe they could make even more by getting an early start. The thought had Elvira making notes on other candies they could use. Maybe a new tradition had started thanks to Ayabun.