The Enchanted Evergreen/Part 1

Empath's personal journal.

''This Christmas is going to be the first one that Polaris Psyche has ever actually experienced since he has been exiled from Psychelia. This smurf is glad to have Polaris be among us, for he has always wondered what an actual Christmas celebration was like for us, given that the Psyches do not celebrate any holidays due to the Psyche Master's influence over the Psyches. Of course, the Smurfs never really knew anything about Christmas until our first encounter with actual humans outside the forest, when Johan and Peewit introduced the holiday to the Smurfs during one of their encounters. Until that time, the Smurfs have always celebrated the Winter Solstice, which happens about four days before Christmas, but nevertheless the celebrations of the two different holidays aren't all that different from each other. We still decorate an evergreen tree with ornaments, we still sing carols about the holiday season, we still eat festive foods such as candy canes, gingerbread cookies, and fruit cake, the last of which Hefty eats like it's going out of style. And last of all, we still give and receive presents from each other, though there are still a few Smurfs that believe in the legend of Santa Smurf, a Smurf who lives in a mushroom house all by himself to make presents for good little Smurfs to bring them to their houses on the night before the Winter Solstice.''

''This smurf has decided to take Polaris out into the forest with Timber so that we can find a good tree that we can cut down and use for our Christmas tree in the center of the village. Papa Smurf, who is busy with his own things this year, has decided to leave Hefty in charge of the village to keep things going peacefully while Brainy is busy with his studies as a sorcerer's apprentice. This smurf can only hope for the best with Papa Smurf, since this smurf cannot seem to get a grasp of what's going on with him at this time of the year.'' - Empath woke up on a bright snowy December morning, feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day ahead of him. He looked out at the village as it was getting itself ready to celebrate Christmas by putting up decorations and garlands all over. It was a pleasing sight to behold at this time of the year instead of having to see what he normally saw in Psychelia, which was everybody just getting up and going through the motions of the day without much conversation with each other.

He got dressed up in his Psychelian bodysuit, feeling how snug the thin fabric suit was on his body, and then went downstairs to see that Polaris was already awakened from sleep, putting on the same clothes that Empath was wearing. "Salutations, fellow Polaris," Empath greeted pleasantly.

"Salutations, fellow Empath," Polaris greeted back dispassionately. "This one suspects that we will need to wear our bodysuits to go out into this weather again as usual."

"It's not that this smurf has to, Polaris, given how the Smurfs normally dress during the winter," Empath said. "But this smurf just doesn't feel comfortable walking around in only a hat and pants, even if this smurf can't feel much of the cold as it hits this smurf's body."

"So what is our itenerary for the day, Empath?" Polaris asked.

"Well, you and this smurf are supposed to meet up with Timber so we can go out into the forest to cut down a Christmas tree for the holiday season," Empath answered. "Hefty should keep things under control for the day while we go and accomplish this task together."

"So we're cutting down a tree for the sake of celebrating a holiday, and then it will be disposed of when the holiday season is finished," Polaris said. "This one does not see the point in this ritualistic exercise that we're engaging in."

"Winter is usually a time when creatures go to hibernate or fly south to warmer climates, Polaris, and that's when things are lying dormant under the blanket of snow and coldness," Empath explained. "This is where the Smurfs celebrate the meaning of life even when things seem bleak and hopeless in a frozen landscape. Tapper himself says that it's the time when God sent hope into the world through the birth of a Savior, born to a poor couple in a dirty stable on a night that probably wasn't as cold as it is here."

"This one would be interested to know more about what Tapper puts his faith in, Empath," Polaris said. "For now, though, this one would rather focus most of this one's attention on becoming familiar with the everyday activities of the Smurfs, however distasteful some of them might be to this one."

Empath sighed. "That's your choice, Polaris. This smurf will stand by your decisions and let you choose what you want to do here as long as it doesn't hurt anyone."

They both left the house together, only to suddenly run into Smurfette, who was holding Baby Smurf. "Hello, Empath," she said as she greeted him with a kiss. "Hello, Polaris," she said, also greeting Polaris with a kiss.

"Salutations, fellow Smurfette," Polaris greeted back. "It is rather unusual for you to greet this one with a kiss, given who you would normally greet in such fashion."

"Polaris, look up above you," Empath hinted.

Polaris looked and saw a sprig of a plant hanging above their door. "It appears to be some mistletoe that is hanging over us, Empath," he observed.

"Surprise!" Smurfette exclaimed. "I just smurfed it above Empath's door last night while the two of you were sleeping. I hope you didn't mind what I smurfed."

"This smurf isn't offended, Smurfette," Empath said, still smiling. "But this smurf thinks you put some color in Polaris' cheeks when you kissed him."

Polaris looked sideways at Empath. "What do you mean, she 'put color in this one's cheeks', Empath?" Polaris asked.

Empath sighed. "Never mind, this smurf will tell you later."

"So are you boys going to help Timber smurf a very big Christmas tree for our village this year?" Smurfette asked.

"That's what we're planning to do, Smurfette," Empath replied. "You're going to help decorate the tree once we get it set up in place?"

"You bet I will, Empath," Smurfette said. "When we're finished, it's going to smurf like the best Christmas tree that we ever had smurfing in our village since I first helped smurf one years ago."

"This one is honored to help you celebrate the season in a manner that befits how you Smurfs normally celebrate it, Smurfette," Polaris said.

"I'm sure it's going to be a very smurfy first Christmas for you, Polaris," Smurfette said. "I'll smurf the both of you later."

"Bye, Smurfs," Baby Smurf said as both he and Smurfette watched Empath and Polaris walk off together.

To be expanded on.