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ats, jumpers an d bundles of ch eer, Jules, Cee, Soph and Fern are huddled around the Christmas tree, trying to untangle fairy lights and find the br oken bulb. “I di d it!” shouts Fern tri umphantly. “I saved Christmas with my tiny spanne r!” Once the band have decided on who’s wearing which piece of festive headwear, they settle down to exchange gifts .
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your drink. An d Fern always draws elephants, so.” “I do. It’s the on ly thing I can draw. Plus an elepha nt never forget s. I always forget , so we’re the op posite.” “And they’re ve getarians,” adds Soph. “Are they?” sta rts Jules, before answering her own question. “Obviously elep hants don’t ea t animals. Can yo u imagine it pi cking up a monkey an d eating it? It wouldn’t happ en,” she contin ues. “I bet they eat little bugs thou gh. They wouldn’t say no to a lit tle cockroach.” “They’re too ge ntle,” reasons Fern. “They are gent le, right? Wait . I’m not going too off topic, sorry.”
Secret Santa is a Christmas tra dition. You get given the name of so meone, you buy that pe rson a present within the £5 spendi ng limit, someo ne else buys you a present, and you all keep it secret Soph was goin until everyone g to spend he has unwrapped th r £5 on a pint, before eir gift. Happy Jules explains: tidings all around. “I was thinking you co uld buy macar oni cheese.” Jules unwraps “You could!” ex a light-up phot claims Cee. “£ oslash-Christm 4.95 in Pret. Did yo as-card holder u actually go , depending on to any sh ops, Jules? Whe the time of ye n did you com ar. Fern gets a wo e up with that idea oden elephant ?” and a Queen of Aw “She’s very ea esomeness m sy to bu ug y . fo Ce gets a Winnie r, but it was e the first thing The Pooh book I thought of.” of wisdom, and So “I love your br ph spends a go ain ,” says Cee. od ten minutes un “It’s a good br wrapping a sh ain,” agrees Fe oe-box sized present rn. “I just hate wh before finally en you have to getting to a matchboxbuy something ch sized parcel wi ea p, an d you don’t th a folded up £5 no know what yo te inside. Ever u’r e going to get yone is on the floor yet, and the pe in hysterics. rson doesn’t wa nt it. And also, I th ought it would “I’m going to sa be funny. There wa y my present is sn ’t a great thought from Fern,” ventures process behind Jules. “I mean, it,” explains Ju it’s a process of elim les. “Half the joy is ination really,” opening the pr she replies. “We ta esent. I played pass-th lked about ho e-parcel with w Cee got me mine; myself,” starts you got that fo So ph , be r Soph fore Cee adds and Soph said “And us. And th : in the Winnie en yourself ag The Pooh book that ain. So many layers.” it was from he r, so yours probably “I was worried was from me.” it wasn’t goin “Oh, I didn’t ac g to be enough,” admits tually do that. Jules. “But it wa I just know you like s gr ea t. I loved how shopping in Ti you thought th ger.” “If you ever wa gift was a little e nt to find som flannel.” eone a present, just go “And Tupperwa to Tiger,” Fern re,” beams Soph tells us with a know . “But I like Tupp ing nod. “I got erware, and fla that for Jules ‘cos sh nnels are cool for wa e takes good ph sh in g. I got Cee th otos and I thought book ‘cos it’s cu e it would be ni te, and I though ce to put them up. It t Cee would like it be would be nice cause Winnie above your bed. I thou The Pooh is cute. Th ght it would be is isn’t specifica nice and sentim lly ab ou t you Cee, but ental. That’s m it’s e in a good toilet a nutshell. Sent book. One to ke imental. And m ep on the shelf odest.” behind the loo. ” “I was looking Everyone is qu for a nice coffe ick to ask Soph e mug for Fern,” starts if it’s a book from her Cee. “Then I sa own bathroom w the Queen of Awes but no, “I got it from a sh omeness one, op. Plus, it’s ni which isn’t particula ce to get little bits rly nice but sh of wisdom fro e is the Queen of Awes m a bear.” “A fictional be omeness, and ar as we I ll, lik the fact that on which I so e often do,” grin ce you’ve finish s Cee. ed your drink, it sa ys “Yeah” at th e bottom. You wa It’s no surprise ke up; you’ve that The Big M already achieved som oon can turn a silly ething by finish gift exchange ing into something wholesome an d
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