Mae and the Longest Night Festival

As you pass through the neighborhood, you notice Mae and her parents are outside the house, looking as if they’re getting ready to leave.

It looks as though they’re packing a Longest Night tree into the car? It looks strangely dark-colored for one, but it’s definitely a conical decorated tree.

Mae doesn’t notice you at first, but she turns around as soon as you get close and say hi.

Mae: Oh hey, (player). What brings you to this neck of the woods, so to speak?

Player: Not much, just looking for something to do.

Mae: Something to do? On Longest Night? Seriously?

Mrs. Borowski seems to sense your despondence.

Candy: Didn’t you have a nice Longest Night morning, sweetie?

Player: Not exactly. I’m living by myself, and I never got around to making any plans.

Candy: Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t know that.

Player: Yeah, so no tree, no phone calls. Nothing like that.

Candy: Oh dear, sounds like nobody got you any presents either? Don’t you have anybody to be with today?

Player: Nope, just me.

Candy: Oh my, you’re all alone on Longest Night?? No one should be alone on Longest Night!

Stan: There are like fifteen different songs about that.

Candy: At least.
Oh Mae, he/she/they should come along, don’t you think?

Mae doesn’t look so sure.

Mae: I guess? It’s just… we’ve always gone to the festival as a family.

Candy: Your friend is a part of our family, Mae. All your friends are.

Mae: Yeah, you’re right.

Stan: And the tamales. Don’t forget the tamales.

Mae: No one should miss out on tamales.

Candy: What do you think? Did you want to join us?

Player: A festival sounds fun, thanks!

-
(if Mae doesn’t like you)
As you pass through the neighborhood, you notice Mae and her parents are outside the house, looking as if they’re getting ready to leave.

Mae doesn’t notice you at first, but she turns around as soon as you get close.

Mae: Oh hey, (player). What brings you here?

Player: Not much, just looking for something to do.

Mae’s expression remains blank.

Mae: Well, we’re gonna be going out today.

You shuffle your feet awkwardly.

Player: …Is there any chance I can come with you?

Mae looks at the car and the tree in the back seat taking up space, while Candy smiles sadly.

Mae: Uhh… I don’t think there’s enough room in the car, sorry.

Player: Oh. Okay.

You continue walking, disappointed.

-
Candy: Wonderful! Hop in the car!

Stan: Lemme just get my keys and my wallet. I’m always forgetting them.

Mae: Oh! My freakin' tree is in the back seat too. Lemme get that out of the way.

As soon as everyone’s ready you take your seat in the back and breathe a sigh of relief. You’re glad that you found *something* to do today, especially with a friend.

You’re beginning to feel like Mae could be your best friend now.

You peer over at the tree next to you, and blink in confusion.

It’s a plastic tree, but not only has it been spray-painted black, it has strange ornaments like plastic eyeballs and thorny plastic brambles.
There were also silver mylar star garlands, opalescent glitter, and an assortment of rubber toy monsters and skulls.

It looks more like something meant for Harfest.

Mae senses your confusion and smirks.

Mae: Ah, lemme unveil the mystery and enlighten you, my friend.
That’s for the festival! The best part is the tree decorating contest, and I’m entering this year!
And it’s maaaayyybe, like 40% done.
It’s gonna be a late entry, but the deadline is at noon, and we’re leaving early. So we should be able to make it.

Mae seems to be loosening up a bit more now that she’s talking about her art.

Player: But why does it look like that? I mean, it’s cool, but it’s kinda weird for a Longest Night tree, isn’t it?

Mae: It’s sort of like some of my paintings, it’s inspired by my dreams.
I don’t really expect it to win- it’s too weird for this town- but I wanna shake things up, y’know?

Candy: Mae likes to make her Longest Night different.

You can’t help but wonder why Mae said that she likes Longest Night “bright and cheery” when she’s made a tree like this, but you shrug it off.

Player: I like it a lot.

Mae seems pleased.

You find yourself leaving the suburbs and buildings slowly disappear behind you as trees and hills begin to surround you.
As it turns out, the festival is taking place in the forest at the edge of town.

As the car drives up to its destination, you see several rows of small tents and stands, with a larger tent in the middle at the far end of it all.
Once you get out of the car, helping Mae carry the tree out, your senses are hit with the smells of the aforementioned tamales.
You can also smell the standard festival fare like kettle corn, hot dogs, and roasted corn.
You’re getting kinda hungry already.

There are bright strands of popcorn lights hung perpendicular to the tents showing you the way.
Small speakers on poles softly playing the Longest Night songs you thought you’d grown tired of.
Walking closer, there’s an oddly pleasant dissonance filling your ears as several different music groups are dotted around playing different songs in different keys.

There’s a shiny brass quartet, a small choir in cheesy Dickensian garb singing carols, a duet comprising of violin and saxophone.
And- most bizarrely of all- a older man playing Jamaican steel drums.

They really went all out, didn’t they?

Player: There’s so many things to do!

Mae: I know, right?
So the contest is in that big tent there. We’ve been going there since I was a kid.

She pulls out a small box of various… things.

Mae: I gotta put the final touches on the tree- everything so far is on there with twist-ties and things.
The bigger stuff won’t stay on if it gets bounced around in the car.

Stan: I can take it there for you, if you want.

Mae: Thanks Dad, that’d be great. ‘Cause I’m getting hungry.

Player: Yeah, when can we eat?

Candy: Hmm, I had only budgeted to buy snacks for the three of us. Can you pay for your own food?

Player: Sure, no problem.
Player: That might limit my options.

(option 1)
Mae: Crap, the tamales have gotten more expensive this year.
Hey (player), do you mind splitting one between the two of us?

(option 2)
Candy: I understand, we can’t splurge today either. Stan and I were going to share a tamale together.

Stan: They are pretty big.

Player: That’s so cute.

Candy: Why don’t you and [player] do the same, Mae?

Mae: Mom! I don’t want to be cute.

Candy: Too late, honey.

Mae: Ugh.

Player: No, that’s okay, sharing sounds good.
Player: Dunno if that’s best idea, actually.

(if you say you don’t want to share)
Mae: I don’t think we have much of a choice, unless you want to get fries.
(lose a point?)

Stan: You two don’t have to wait up for us, so we’ll see you later, alright?

They take off towards the big tent, leaving you and Mae alone.

You and Mae approach the tamale stand, taking in the delicious smell.
You choose the tastiest-sounding option, as well as a soda, and eagerly await it.
Once it arrives Mae grabs the tamale with a gleam in her eye, unwraps the corn husk and reveals it in all its steamy glory.

Mae: Oh yeah, that’s the stuff.

Mae splits the tamale in two with her hands, and hands one half to you.
Taking a bite, it’s as tasty as it smells. You can’t remember the last time you had a tamale, and this one’s better than any you can remember.
The masa is perfectly textured, and the filling is spicy and flavorful.

But as you savor the delicious, piquant filling, you suddenly remember Mae’s strange behavior in the past.
She keeps acting as if she had some dark secret she was hiding this whole time. At least, that’s the theory you had formed in your mind.
It sounded silly, now that you thought about it again. Surely it was just your imagination?

Mae: Doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

You blink for a second before realizing that she’s talking about the tamale.

Your eyes meet hers, but you can’t think of anything to say, so you just stare into her eyes. Why are you feeling a surge of emotion?
Mae’s chewing slows. It seems like a tense moment for the both of you.
You feel like you ought to crack a joke to break the ice, but you draw a blank.

Were you just going to stare at each other? Say something!

Mae: So what do we have here? A couple of guys who like to eat food together?

You swallow your food dryly so you can respond.

Player: I sure hope so!

You wash down the tamale with the soda, surprised by how satisfying the meal was despite having only half of it.

Mae: What’d I tell ya?

Player: Yeah.

Mae: I can spot the best tamales wherever I go. I’m like the Tamale Queen!

You laugh awkwardly, unsure of what she’s saying.

Mae: …But sadly my true love is tacos.

A few seconds of silence and staring pass again before Mae’s eyes light up again.

Mae: Ah! My tree! How could I forget??

Mae suddenly darts off toward the big tent without waiting for you to catch up, so you hurry after her.

Passing through the canvas entrance reveals a display of at least a dozen artificial trees, each one decorated with a unique theme.
One of the trees is covered in toys, another in peacock feathers.
You see circus clowns, teddy bears, dogs and cats, ocean life, all sorts of things you wouldn’t normally expect on a Longest Night tree.

Stan is standing proudly next to Mae’s tree, which is smaller than the others, standing out against everything with its stark black color.

In the back of the tent is a trio of musicians playing tropical island music, with ukulele, steel guitar, and a singer.

Player: Wow, I’ve never seen anything like this!

Mae: Yeah, I’ve always really loved it.

Stan: Your tree is all set up, honey! Did you want to finish it?

Mae: Yeah, right away. Wanna help, (player)?

Player: Sure.

Stan moves aside to give the two of you room, and Mae opens the box.
Inside is mostly an assortment of scrap metal and broken parts like rusty screws and springs, and other random stuff like an old leather glove and a smoking pipe.

Mae: I get these things from the old subway tunnels. You can find all sorts of cool stuff down there.

You resist raising an eyebrow at her strange idea of “cool stuff”.
But you admire her total conviction and her thinking to use objects usually considered to be useless garbage on a Longest Night tree of all things.

Mae: It’s so much better to actually *use* stuff like this instead of just letting lie it around on the ground.
I once made a Thanksgiving turkey out of plastic I scavenged from the streets!
We can decorate with everything in the whole world.
Like even those tamales!

You laugh, more sincerely this time.
She sticks the hunks of metal in between the branches as if they were growing out of the trunk, and places the leather glove on top of the tree in place of a star.
You’re uncertain what you can do to help, so you grab some things and shove them in random places.

Mae: Hmm… could you put that bit over there, actually?

You figure she knows best and comply.
The result looks nightmarish, but in a good way.
You realize, however, that it’s definitely unlikely to win anything.

Mae: I’ll be lucky to even get an honorable mention, I'll admit. But it’s a statement, right? I wanted to do it.

Player: It’s apples and oranges, really.

Mae: Thanks. I love all the other entries.
Didn’t think mine would really compare, but I’m proud of it anyway.

Mae suddenly looks sad.

Mae: …There’s been less and less trees over the years.

You look around and wonder what she means. Over a dozen trees seems like a lot to you.

Mae: Maybe it’s rose-colored glasses, but I could swear there was like thirty of these things when I was a kid.
And there used to be at least five bands playing on the stage over there. There were even little kids in tap shoes.

Player: Oh wow, I had no idea. That’s too bad.
I guess I never went to a festival like this before, it seems a little overwhelming but cool to me, actually.

Mae: That’s perspective for ya, huh? Glad you’re having a good time anyway.

Suddenly a voice is heard coming over a speaker.

PA: Folks, it’s almost time to begin the judging- please put the finishing touches on your trees and be ready.

You hear a loud rustling and shuffling of feet coming from the entrance, and you see a group of four people coming in.
They look cranky and tired, like they wished they didn’t have to be here.

City Council 1: Ugh. This festival is getting way too expensive. We should really think about reducing the number of musicians and trees.

City Council 2: We’ve been cutting corners every year! People are starting to complain!

City Council 3: Oh, that it doesn’t have the same “magic” anymore? Please.

City Council 4: What do we need to cut corners for anyway? The town’s been doing better these past few years.

Mae: Oh God, not those guys. No wonder the festival’s been getting smaller.
Can you believe it? This holiday’s supposed to be all about generosity, and they’re trying to make it about saving a few bucks!!

Mae looks back at you, giving you a slightly embarrassed look.

Mae: Sorry, I don’t mean to dump on you.
It’s just that, y’know, things that you loved as a kid going away or turning into crap is one of my pet peeves.
But now I know for sure my tree won’t win.

Player: Aw, too bad.

Mae: Nah, it’s not a problem. Now I get to freak these losers out! Hee hee.

The group continues grumbling to each other as they begin looking at the trees with squinted eyes.

City Council 1: Doesn’t anybody have any new ideas? I swear, there’s only like ten different themes anybody comes up with.

City Council 2: Seems to me there’s only so many things you can put on a Longest Night tree.

They look closely at all the entries for a few minutes before reaching Mae’s tree.
When they do, they merely stand there in silence, blinking in confusion.

City Council 3: (whispering) …What the hell?

They simply shake their heads as if to wake themselves up and move on.
Mae snorts and snickers once they leave.

Mae: That was great! Totally weirded them out.

Player: Guess that’s better than being mediocre, huh?

Mae: Totally.

Player: Now what?

Mae: Hm. Well, as much as I’d like to watch people behold my tree in all its horrible glory…
I always like to listen to the bands that play here.

She looks around.

Mae: Huh. Mom and Dad must have gone somewhere else. Well, we don’t need ‘em to have fun, right? Let’s go!

You wonder if you can keep up with her like this all the time as you follow her outside.
The closest music group is the brass band. Their music is stately and elegant.

Mae: I feel like seeing a group like this is Longest Night criteria.
Can't have Longest Night without it!

You pause and listen to the music for a moment. You recognize the tune as an old carol, but you’ve never known the title because you’ve never heard the lyrics.

Player: Are there really this many musicians in Possum Springs?

Mae: Uh, I think most of these groups are from Bright Harbor or something.

Mae’s eyes light up when she notices the violin and saxophone duet a few yards away.

Mae: Except those two! Hey guys!

Player: You know them?

Mae: Know them? I’m the reason they play music together!

Mae excitedly runs up to them.
The violinist has a somber expression while the saxophonist wears a pair of cat’s-eye glasses and looks like she’s from the 1950s. They look up but don’t stop playing.

Saleem: Oh hey, I remember you. It’s, uh… Mary, right?

Mae: Mae, actually. Great to see you two still playing together.

The saxophonist doesn’t speak because she still has her instrument’s reed in her mouth.

Saleem: Well when two musicians inspire each other it usually follows that they make music together.

Mae: I know what you mean, my band used to be like that.

Saleem: “Used to be”? Sounds like inspiration petered out.

Mae: Yeah kinda, but it’s not so bad. Bea still writes songs!

The two somehow manage to not break their concentration from playing while he converses with Mae, and finish the song after about a minute.

Sadie: So who’s your new friend? Haven’t seen him/her/them before.

You suddenly feel like a stranger just standing there not saying anything.

Player: Oh! My name’s (player). Mae tells me she helped you get together?

Sadie: She did introduce us to each other, yes. But before you ask, no, we’re not a couple. We just play music together.

Mae: I ship you, you know.

Saleem: Please don’t.

Mae: Aw, but don’t you think you were destined for each other?

Saleem: It really wasn’t destiny when it was your doing, y’know.

Mae: Oh, yeah…

Sadie: Don’t worry too much about it, we appreciate what you did, actually.

Saleem: So (player), how did you meet Mae here?

Player: Oh, uh… it was kind of an accident, really. I just saw her at the bus station when I arrived here.

Mae: Oh yeah, you were there when I met Lori, weren’t you?

Player: And then I ran into her at the Ol’ Pickaxe.

Sadie: I thought maybe you were new in town. You sure it’s not *you two* are destined for each other?

Mae: *embarrassed* Oh, haha.

You’re pretty sure she was just kidding, but now you’re beginning to wonder… it did seem like a lot of coincidences brought you into Mae’s life. What could that mean?

Player: Just lucky to have met her, I guess.

Sadie: Well, let me tell you something, if you both love music, you’ll never be alone.

Player: Do you really think so? I'm not a musician.

Saleem: Sorry, we just thought maybe you were. Well, you can see why we thought so, right? All of Mae's other friends are musicians.
Anybody can be one, if they feel the inclination.

Player: I never thought about it. Dunno if I want to be one, actually.

Saleem: Oh well, music doesn't have to be the way you express yourself. Is there anything else you're into?

Player: I did take an art class with Mae the other day.

Sadie: Well, that's at least something that you use to connect to each other.
Maybe you can inspire each other.

Player: That would be nice.

Mae: He/she/they helped me decorate my tree for the contest just now. And he/she/they did a pretty good job!

Sadie: Ah, you made a tree this year? What's the theme?

Mae: Uh, the weird dreams I've had over the years, I guess? It's "scary", for a lack of a better word.
I remember once having a dream where I was in a forest and there were lots of little people running around chasing me.
They wouldn’t stop following me even when I tried to run away from them!

Sadie: Oh well, that's sounds fascinating, but I think the crowd is waiting for us for play more music now.
Maybe you can tell us about your dreams next time we run into each other?

You look behind you and see a few people standing waiting, probably wondering why the musicians stopped to talk to two random people.

Mae: *embarrassed* Oh sorry, that's what you're actually here for, isn't it?

Sadie: Before you go, (player), the name's Sadie. This here's Saleem.
Look us up when you want to somebody to jam for you, alright?

Player: Sure thing.

Sadie and Saleem return to playing Longest Night songs with a unique twist.

Player: Is there anything else you wanna do?
Are there any rides?

Mae: Well, there used to be more, but my favorite is still there! It's the Tilt-A-Whirl!

You feel your stomach burble at the thought.

Player: You sure? I'm still digesting that tamale.

Mae: Aw, we can handle it!
It's right over here.

She points to a large structure with an old-fashioned sign saying "Tilt-A-Whirl". It looks like it hasn't been touched since the '70s.

You don't want to say no in case you disappoint her, so you reluctantly follow her and climb on board.
Even though you like these sort of rides, you never went to festivals or amusement parks of any kind when you were a kid.
Not unless you managed to get out of the house with some sort of excuse to get away from your mother.
Even nowadays it seemed like forbidden fruit even though nobody could stop you from doing it.
Just some messed up Freudian stuff, you assume.

As soon as the ride starts, you feel your insides lurch. Mae doesn't seem bothered at first.

Mae: WOOHOO!!

You start spinning and turning rapidly.
Mae has fun for about a minute like nothing's wrong, but then she suddenly makes a pained expression.

Mae: Uuugghhh…

She looks like she feels worse than you do.
She clutches her middle for the rest of the ride's duration, occasionally cupping her mouth with obvious restraint.
Which makes you flinch every time and hope she doesn't get anything on you.
The ride suddenly comes to a halt with a nasty metallic screech, and Mae immediately climbs out and rushes to the nearest trash can.
You carefully get off the ride and see a small cloud of smoke.
Your turn to the ride operator, a bored-looking raccoon.

Player: What happened?

Raccoon: The ride broke down. Now we need to have somebody come out and fix it!

Player: Oof.

You approach Mae from behind, who looks to have finished puking.

Mae: …I'm never gonna learn, am I?

Player: Does this happen often?

Mae: …I've got a sensitive stomach.

Player: That sucks. Do you feel any better now?

Mae: A little, but I sure wasted that tamale.
I'm probably gonna be hungry again in a few hours, and I'm out of money.

Player: You'll be alright.

Mae: I'm sorry, (player).

Player: What for?

Mae: You're a good guy/person, (player). I know I have issues that you shouldn't have to deal with.

Player: "Issues”? Having a sensitive stomach isn't an "issue".

Mae: No no, I don't mean that!
*sheepishly* …Nevermind, I'm just rambling.
I'm just glad we seem to be getting along so well, that's all.
Despite... living such different lives, I guess?
Anyway, I'm glad you could come along with me-
us-
whatever-
…today.

She seems to be feeling better so you change the subject.

Player: Hey, did you wanna check up on the contest? Maybe they're done judging.

Mae: Yeah, I'd like to check on that, thanks.

You turn back and return to the tent.
You see that the contestants are all standing around expectantly.
A man standing behind a podium begins an announcement.

Man: The winner of the tree decorating contest and the cash prize is…

Mae: Oh hey, looks like we made it just in time.

Man: …Danny Bailey! Congratulations to Danny Bailey on being winning Best In Show!

Mae: Danny? Is that who I think it is? What's he doing here?

A young cat with green eyes gasps, approaching the stage as if he didn't expect to win at all.
He leans into the mic awkwardly.

Danny: Well, um… thanks, I guess. I'm completely surprised…

He points to the tree he decorated, with is covered with plastic mushrooms and gnomes.

Danny: My dad works at a bakery, and this is all just leftover Yule Log decorations, that's all.

Mae: But you used 'em just right, Danny!

Danny: Oh hey, Mae.

Danny: Um… that's kinda all I have to say. Thanks for choosing my tree, the prize will really help me pay the bills!

And with that, Danny leaves the stage accompanied by light applause.

The ukulele and steel guitar band returns to the stage and resumes playing.
Your mind wanders back to the strange things Mae told you about having "issues".
You figure she'll explain herself when she's ready.

Mae: It's cool that Danny won. Gnomes are cool.

Player: They don't remind you of the little people in your dream?

Mae: Nah, those weren't gnomes. More like goblins or kobolds or something.
Anyhow, I won the Weirdest-in-Show because I’m the best at making trees look scary and sad.
Sad, scary trees.

You laugh.

Player: Do you have to take your tree home now or something?

Mae: What, and take away anyone's chances to bask in it's hideousness?
I'll go get it later.

You and Mae notice that her parents have arrived.

Candy: So who won the contest, sweetie?

Stan: Yeah, did you blow away the competition?

Mae: Nope, Danny did. But that's okay, I didn't expect to win. Danny's tree is pretty cool too.

Stan: That's the spirit, kitten. No sense in being a sore loser.

You reunite with Mae’s family and sit down on the plastic chairs by the stage, listening to the music and looking out over the trees.

Mae: This festival used to be full of so much more cool stuff.
Now it seems like it gets smaller every year. I don't know how much longer this thing will last.

Candy: What little we still have is still special.

Mae: I know, but everything seems so fragile sometimes.
Like the slightest thing can make it all go away.
And you constantly have to fight to keep it alive.

You're somewhat taken aback by this sudden shift in this conversation, and now you feel kind of sad.

Player: Hey now, aren't we here to have fun? Or are we gonna be miserable forever?

Mae: Haha, sorry, I can get like that sometimes.

Candy: Mae was always very passionate about everything.

It suddenly hits you how much you admire Mae for that passion.
That depth of emotion, that seeming vulnerability, her concern that she might hurt your feelings.
You wish you could describe to her how much a lovely person you think she is.
"Be honest!" you silently tell yourself, "Tell her how you feel!"
But no, it'd be best not to do that right in front of her parents.
Especially since you're not sure how she feels about you.

You’re not sure what to make of these thoughts.
It’s almost as if you’re speaking another language.
Do you now love her more than you've loved any other person in your entire life?
Maybe love was too strong a word.

You stare out through the tent entrance and out across the park.
The trees outside sway gently in the wind, and the stars shine brightly in the sky.
There are no other people here except you and Mae’s family and the band behind you.
The four of you simply sit in quiet contemplation, enjoying each other’s company.

There's still plenty of time to think about how you feel, and still time to tell her about it.
The New Year is coming soon- maybe a new year is the time for a major change in your life.
The sun is beginning to set on the horizon, and the last rays of light begin to fade.

Mae: I’m bored now.

You all get up, and decide to wander around.
Since you're out of money, you can only browse the various stands and admire their wares.
There are elderly women selling handcrafted Longest Night decorations, other selling homemade jams, soaps, or incense.
There's even a caricature artist, and you resist the temptation to laugh out loud at the work in progress.
You spend most of your time stopping and listening to the various bands.
As it becomes dark and you start to get hungry again, you decide it's probably time to leave.

Candy: How would you like to join us for dinner? I'm making game hens!

Your stomach growls so you instantly say yes.
You return to the tent and begin to carefully pack up the tree and its decorations.
You enter the car once again and contentedly await joining the Borowski's home.

When you arrive, the first thing you do and take Mae’s tree out of the car, and restore the decorations to their original positions.
You put it in a place of honor next to the regular tree.

The family then gathers around the table. Stan turns to you and speaks.

Stan: We haven't eaten Longest Night with a guest in the house in years.
We didn't know each other until recently, but now that we’re friends, we’re happy celebrate with you.
Come on, let's get ready!

Apparently you've been volunteered to help make dinner.
You're not at all sure what to do, since you've never done anything like this before, but luckily many components have been already prepared ahead of time.
The chicken had been marinating overnight in a mix of paprika and garlic and tomato sauce, and the potatoes had already been washed.
Candy asks you to chop the potatoes while Mae slices the mushrooms for the gravy.
Stan's contribution is a sweet warm beverage he calls "kompot", which he makes by boiling dried fruit in water.
You and Mae take turns mashing the potatoes so you don’t wear out your wrists.
Candy places the chicken in the oven, and Stan makes the gravy, throwing together the butter, flour, and spices on the spot without a recipe.

Once everything’s cooked and placed on the table, he meal begins.
The food tastes good, though you’re not really sure about the kompot.
Dessert arrives soon afterward, a cranberry walnut gelatin salad of some sort that she says her mother made in the 1950s.
When you’re finished, you look for a comfortable place to sit and digest, and find yourself alone in the living room.
Mae’s family seems to be enjoying their conversation too much to notice you’ve left, but you enjoy the quiet.

Mae: Where'd you go, (player)? We were about to make gingerbread!

Player: What, you can still eat? I'm stuffed!

Mae: Well, I'm not hungry either, but we can still have a few, right? It’s Longest Night!
Besides, it just means we'll have some tomorrow morning!

Player: Okay, you've convinced me.

he gingerbread dough is also pre-prepared, having been chilling in the fridge for the last several hours.
The cookie cutters are a variety of shapes, some rather oddball, like a large dodo bird.
You help roll out the dough and cut out the shapes, and pause to taste some of the uncooked dough.
You discover that it's a lot spicier than you expected, having probably twice the amount of ginger and cinnamon that you're used to.
When the cookies are finished baking, you join in on decorating them with a vanilla icing of several festive colors to choose from.
You begin putting on faces and buttons on them like you figure you're supposed to, but to your surprise, Mae doesn't put on simple smiles.
Instead she randomly splatters abstract shapes and patterns on them.

Mae: It's more fun this way.

Once the cookies are finished, it seems almost a shame to eat them, they're so pretty in a bizarre way.
Mae surprises you by taking a photo of them.

Mae: Gotta remember what they looked like, right?

You reach for a small one, are you're pleasantly surprised by its delicious pungency.
You join the family on the couch, volunteering to sit on the floor, and you watch an old favorite Longest Night movie together.
They crack jokes while watching and laugh at what you assume are inside references.

When the movie’s over, you get up to leave, but then you notice how late it is.

Player: Wow, I’ve been with you guys all day.

Mae: Yeah, did you want to stay the night?
You walked all the way here, after all.

Player: Yeah, dunno if I want to walk all the way home this time of night.

Mae: Cool! I think I have a sleeping bag.
Hey Mom, (player)'s gonna stay the night, okay?

Candy: Sure thing, honey.

You head up to her room.

Mae: Just don’t touch my bass, alright?

She pulls a sleeping bag from out of the closet and sets it down on the floor.

Player: Thanks.

You lie down on the floor and close your eyes and begin to drift off.
You think to yourself how this day made up for not getting any presents in spades.
Who needs presents when you've got a family like this?