Pre-Christmas roundup

First of all, a very happy birthday to parasitevenus!

Second, a meme I couldn't resist:

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Imperial Majesty Snorkackcatcher the Innocent of Much Madness upon Avon Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: His Most Serene Highness Lord Maurice the Canine of Old Tonbridge Wafers Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

That sounds about right. :)


Lyrics: The last one was the original Judy Garland version of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas from the film Meet Me in St Louis in 1944. (Oh all right, to be honest until I went Googling for the lyrics I hadn't realised there were different versions of them. :D) sugarannie, lupinslittlesis, maple_clef, 8daze, and golden_d knew it well.

To be a bit more up to date, then, one of this year's Significant Hits:

I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that place ...
Even your emotions had an echo in so much space

And when you're out there, without care
Yeah, I was out of touch
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much (2000s)

Oh, and have yourself a merry little Christmas. :D

A Christmas fic rec

I can't believe I forgot about this one until now, but ... better late than never, eh?

The very first story I ever Niffled at FictionAlley was dink's How It All Began -- A Christmas Story (PG-ish). Unfortunately, by the time the applications process had finished it was January this year, and so I'm not sure it got very many extra readers. :( So I'll repeat the gist of the Niffle post below, and urge you to take a look!

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This fic is a Potterverse interpretation and exploration of the Father Christmas legend, the core of which is a delightful and touching OC-centric story set mainly in the 17th century. It follows one Nicodemus Upnor, his Muggle sweetheart Agnes, and their friend Ralph as they find a new calling in Cromwell's Puritan Britain -- one that eventually brings them into conflict with the wizarding authorities, as a result of the recently-introduced International Statute of Secrecy.

It's interspersed with excellent cameos from many of the 'present-day' canon characters, including the Trio and several more Weasleys, among others. (The one with Arthur and Perkins, and the one featuring Justin Finch-Fletchley, are particular favourites of mine.) These interludes are sometimes hilarious, sometimes moving, and cast sidelights on the main story.

The author makes ingenious and effective use of concepts from the HP canon, and employs her minor characters very well indeed. Although there is plenty of humour in the story, it's by no means pure parody -- there's a serious side to it as well. How It All Began -- A Christmas Story works wonderfully as a charming Christmastime tale, but is a good read at any time of the year!