A Wild Winter Solstice/Part 2

Empath's story began around December 3rd in the year of his first visit to the Smurf Village, when he woke up in the bunk of the house he was sleeping in to find out that his fellow Smurfs were gathered around the window in what he sensed was awestruck wonder. Empath decided to go join them at the window and find out.

Sure enough, he could see for himself that the Smurf Village was now covered in snow and that there was snow falling. It seemed like a very unimpressive sight to him, since he had seen snow fall in Psychelia many times before since his Day of Emergence, but to the Smurfs it was like something totally new and wonderful.

They quickly scrambled to get their scarves and gloves so that they could go outside and play in the snow. Empath, however, went to his bunk and pulled out his Psychelian bodysuit which he had stored up in a drawer and covered himself up in it, feeling that now was the day to start wearing it.

The other Smurfs looked at Empath as he put on the bodysuit. "Hey, Empath, why are you smurfing on that bodysuit?" one of them asked.

"Yeah, you don't need to wear anything but a scarf and gloves," another Smurf said.

"We haven't had to smurf on anything warmer for years during winter," a third Smurf said.

"Are you afraid you're going to smurf your death of cold this year?" a fourth Smurf mocked him.

"Ah, just let Empath be," the first Smurf said. "He wants to be fearful of smurfing outside the way that he is, that's his choice. Come on, let's get smurfing."

The other Smurfs quickly scrambled outside, leaving Empath by himself as he followed them out the door. Soon he could see them playing in the snow, making snow Smurfs and snow angels and even throwing snow balls at each other. Empath himself got hit by a snowball as he stood by the door of his house while the Smurf who threw it laughed at Empath's reaction.

Soon Papa Smurf arrived, wearing just a scarf and gloves. "Good morning, Empath," he greeted. "I see that you're curious about what's smurfing on now that your fellow Smurfs have smurfed our first snowfall of the year."

"That is correct, Papa Smurf," Empath said in a flat tone. "This smurf has seen snowfalls before without ever being really impressed by them, yet these Smurfs react as if they have never seen snow before and were anticipating this day to happen."

"Winter is a time when Smurfs get to enjoy smurfing outside when it's nice and snowy, Empath," Papa Smurf said. "Granted, not every Smurf enjoys winter, but it smurfs out the Smurfling in all of us as we prepare for three months of enduring the cold weather before spring returns. This is also the time of the year when the Smurfs celebrate the Winter Solstice, the shortest day in the year."

"Is there a particular way in which the Smurfs celebrate this Winter Solstice, Papa Smurf?" Empath asked.

"We do prepare for the celebration by smurfing down a big evergreen tree in the forest and decorate it with all smurfs of ornaments that we smurf up, Empath," Papa Smurf answered. "We also smurf gifts for one another to smurf under the tree after it is set up, and we smurf special food such as smurf nog and candy canes and gingersmurf cookies and fruitcake...although the only Smurf that I usually smurf fruitcake this time of year for some reason is Hefty."

"This smurf would be interested to experience his first celebration of the Winter Solstice with you Smurfs, so that this smurf can determine for himself its appropriateness," Empath said.

"You'll experience it firsthand, Empath, believe me," Papa Smurf said. "Right now I need to summon the Smurfs together to smurf their attention so that we can get started on smurfing the decorations for the village during this season."

"This smurf understands and acknowledges, Papa Smurf," Empath said, nodding with acceptance.

To be expanded on.