A Snowball Christmas: Chapter 7
- Henry Livingston
- Nov 23, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: Dec 4, 2025
LET BY-LAWS BE BY-LAWS
Present Day
It’s midday in Christmas Town and a crowd of Ice Elves of different generations surround one of the tables at sELFies to celebrate their loved one's birthday. Laughter, cheer, and presents stacked as high as the ceiling, host a large portion of the North Pole hotspot and sitting in the center is an Ice Elf taking it all in. Suddenly an eight-layer cake arrives with sparkling candles on the top for the number of years he has had around the sun. The laughter from the group lowers a bit, awaiting the next part of the celebration, as onlookers from every angle try to peek at the show yet to come.
Like a growing ensemble ready to perform, a sound begins from far away and grows louder as it comes closer to the table. It is the crew of sELFies gathered for a birthday song:
Hey Nico, it’s Christmas too,
and birthday bells ring just for you!
One-five-zero, you gleam like a light,
but no one’s jealous you’re older and bright!
Mistletoe, sELFies, and cake so sweet,
you outshine every reindeer and treat!
At the North Pole, we all agree,
you’re the brightest elf we’ll ever see!!
Applause erupts and the staff returns to their duties. The Chestnuts follow the crew and gift the birthday elf with a very large Ooey-Gooey Sweet Roll and a sELFies Jingle Hat. Coco smiles and bows to the younger elf, “we thank you for choosing sELFies to celebrate this special day for you. We wish you the happiest of birthdays.” Her husband follows with a bow, “One hundred fifty, I remember those years like they were yesterday,” he chuckles, “Happy birthday, Nico.”
Nico stands and bows back, “thank you both for the wonderful birthday gifts.”
“It is our pleasure,” they say in unison, then continue greeting other guests.
Nico looks around and thinks with a smile, “it feels like everyone in town is here, even Peak Mother Tannenbaum.”
Peak Mother is not there for him, but Elven Etiquette dictates that she recognizes his celebration with the correct greeting, “Happy birthday, Nicodemus.”
“Nico, please,” he says with a partial grin.
“That is what I said,” she insists.
He thinks about it for a moment and figures it best to take the loss and not correct her, “Yes, you did. My mistake. Thank you, Peak Mother.”
“You are welcome,” she says, starting to move forward, “did you get anything special this year? One hundred and fifty is a very significant birthday in a young elf’s life,” she adds, almost walking through their conversation to anywhere else.
Trying to keep up her pace, but not leave his party, Nico opens with a statement of his own, “Peak Mother,” he says lightly grabbing her coat and slowing her down for a moment, “to answer your question…, I did not. I applied to be transferred to the Toy Making Division, and I haven’t heard back from your office yet.”
Peak Mother stops and looks down at his hand touching her garment, “because it is your birthday, I will forget that it sounds like you’re implying something,” she removes his hand from touching her.
“Well,” he returns moving in front of her, “last time I was sent a letter of denial, but this time nothing. It has been five months since I applied for the transfer, and - -”
Peak Mother glares angrily at Nico, “are you saying that my staff is incompetent? That they cannot perform even the simplest of tasks.”
Apologetically Nico states his case, “no, of course not, Peak Mother. I would never do such a thing.”
“Being rude to an elder is one thing, but accusing a whole office of incompetence is where I draw the line,” Peak Mother continues getting louder with every line spoken.
“But I wasn’t saying…,” Nico says slightly embarrassed.
“You would be wise to keep your sayings to yourself,” she continues, “because what I am hearing sounds exactly like that to me,” realizing that her voice is raising higher than the celebration, Peak Mother calms herself down and tries her best to humble her advances toward the birthday elf, “apologies Nicodemus,” she offers slightly flustered, “I will investigate this matter when I am in the office next. Remind me again…, what is your last name?”
“Snowfall. Nico…, I mean Nicodemus Snowfall is my name.”
“Why does that name sound so familiar,” she thinks, turning away from Nico,” I will let you know what I find out, but I expect an apology if you are mistaken, understood?”
“Yes of course, Peak Mother.”
A short distance across from Nico in another part of the famous North Pole coffee shop, sits Nixie, Icelynn, and her parents. Nixie is comfortable and relaxed because he has no idea why they are gathering. He believes it is by a crazy-random-happenstance and that they were all there at the same time by luck. His attention is on multiple things, Icelynn, the party happening around them, a Toy Network tablet, and now the two folks sitting at the table with them.
For Icelynn, it is a tad bit different. She wanted to wait for her parents to meet Nixie, but her parents insisted on meeting the elf she was dating. This worried her a little and she wasn’t quite sure how they would react to his kindness. Would they think he was nice, odd, or pretending with nefarious reasons waiting in the wings. No matter the reason, the two, just after arriving at the table where they were now sitting, waited for something to happen.
A couple minutes of sitting across from Nixie and Icelynn, her mother clears her throat and speaks up, “Icelynn dear, aren’t you going to introduce us?
Icelynn laughs slightly embarrassed, “Apologies mother and father,” she stands and prepares for the most awkward moment of her life… introducing her parents to her boyfriend for the first time.
Nixie hearing the cue from Icelynn halts all other activities and devotes his attention only to the introduction. He turns the pad facedown and puts his phone on vibrate.
Icelynn pauses, giggles a little, then continues, “Nixie Snowball, I’d like you to meet my parents, Sana and Eaton Northbrook”
Nixie stands and bows respectfully, “it is a pleasure to meet you both.”
Eaton stands up and returns a bow for him and his wife, “the pleasure is ours, Nixie. I have never seen Icelynn so happy and it warms my heart. I’m glad she has someone special in her life now.”
“I agree. I am so happy she is finally living a normal life,” Sana adds.
“What do you mean mother? I have always led a normal life.”
“Not normal, dear. All you did was work. Work at work and work at home. In all the time you have worked for HER, she has done nothing but run you into the snow and ice.”
“It wasn’t like that at all, mother,” Icelynn voices adamantly.
“Really?? When was your last day off?”
There is a long pause.
“Exactly,” Sana says backing her question.
“I didn’t have the time to – “
“Live…,” her father chimes in. Eaton stands and walks over to Nixie and shakes his hand, “now you take good care of her and make sure she has a little fun every now and then,” he winks at Nixie and smiles.
Nixie smiles back, “I will do my absolute best, Mr. Northbrook.”
“Call me Eaton.”
“I cannot promise that, but I will try,” Nixie voices with a nod.
Eaton, hugs his daughter, “are you happy now sweetheart?”
Icelynn nods with a big grin, “I am.”
“Good. I’m rooting for you two.”
“Thank you, father.”
Sana stands up and sighs, “how am I supposed to disagree with this relationship if everything is just so perfect,” she merrily walks over to Nixie and gently holds his hand, “now remember…, you don’t always have to be the strong one, make sure you have fun too.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Nixie happily answers.
Sana walks over to Icelynn and softly kisses her forehead, then follows it with a hug, “It’s official, you cannot go back now,” she whispers, “put your worry to the side, child, we like him.”
“Thank you, mother.”
Sana and Eaton hold hands. Eaton opens up with a final few words before they leave, “we formally offer our blessing for you to continue this relationship. Live your best life, make the right choices, and stay cheerful.”
Nixie gently takes Icelynn by the hand, “thank you both for allowing us to do so. We will do our best to love and comfort each other now and forever.”
Icelynn blushingly smiles.
“So, Nixie…,” Sana speaks enthusiastically, “when do we meet your parents?”
“Soon, Mrs. Northbrook. I will arrange it before the Christmas toy rush this year. Please allow us a few days to get all our schedules aligned and I will let Icelynn know when and where we will all meet. I would love for you to come over for dinner.”
“I requested it Nixie, please allow us to host the meal at our home for the introductions,” Sana expresses with joy.
“That would be wonderful,” Nixie answers gladly, “see you both soon.”
Sana and Eaton Northbrook leave.
Icelynn sits down seemingly exhausted, “I am so sorry to spring this on you.”
“I thought it was just by accident, but it seems it was not.”
“Are you upset that I, did it?”
“Not even a little bit,” he looks over to see Icelynn’s parents looking back at them and chuckling, “your parents no doubt initiated it to learn more about me,” he waves at them and they wave back. He turns back to Icelynn, “I was happy to meet them, because you are an important part of my life and they are important in yours. It was bound to happen. I’m glad we were able to do it.”
Icelynn embraces Nixie tightly, “with as wonderful as you are, I cannot wait to meet your parents.”
“Getting our schedules to sync up is the bigger issue, but I cannot wait for you to meet them either.”
They get up, hold hands, and walk out.
Two tables over Minnie shakes her head and speaks the truth to her sister, “you didn’t even stand a chance.”
“Please don’t make it hurt more,” Mara adds eating another bite of her Ooey-Gooey Sweet Roll with tears forming up in her eyes.
Getting up to leave Minnie continues, “there will be others, dear sister. I am sure of it.”
“Oh yeah..., when,” Mara speaks barely understood by Minnie because of the oversized bite of sweet roll in her mouth.
Minnie shakes her head, “okay, I am cutting you off. Let’s retire for the night, there will be more things to do in the morrow.”
Mara wipes her forced tears, swallows her pastry, and nods in agreement as they depart.
The Next Day
Peak Mother opens the door to her office.
Lumi stands just inside with two individuals patiently sitting and waiting for their assessments in the lobby, “good morrow, Peak Mother Tannenbaum.”
“Good morrow, Icelynn.”
There is a long, one-sided uncomfortable pause, “your assessment is ready when you are settled in,” Lumi continues without correcting her boss.
“Good. Send in the first in seven minutes.”
“Yes, Peak Mother.”
“Icelynn? Have you picked a Second Assistant yet?”
“My humble apologies Peak Mother, umm, I’m Lumi. Icelynn was transferred yesterday.”
Peak Mother huffs, “ugh, that’s right. How am I supposed be expected to adjust so quickly to these sudden changes,” she mutters to herself, “besides all you Snow Elves look alike to me,” she adds callously, moving toward her office in a hurry, “did you pick a Second Assistant? Why am I having to repeat myself?”
“I have chosen Figgy as Second Assistant.”
“Pepperfluff,” Peak Mother questions with a laugh.
“Yes, Peak Mother.”
“No, a male elf CANNOT do this job. Choose someone else by end of day.”
“Of course, Peak Mother.”
The office is quiet until their boss goes into her office. Figgy sits down and pretends he is alright hearing the rejection directly from Peak Mother.
Lumi goes over to Figgy’s desk to console him, “I’m sorry Figgy, I tried.”
“I appreciate you trying. Thank you. By the way, your seven minutes is almost up.”
“But…,”
“It started when she mentioned it. Don’t get fired on your first day. I also recommend Sunny Dewdrop as Second Assistant. I trained her, so I know she will be a good fit.”
“Thank you,” Lumi responds with a smile, then turns to the Drift Elf going in next,
“Willow Icelake.”
“Yes.”
“Cycle?”
“Thirty days before one hundred.”
“Is this your first visit with Peak Mother?
“Yes.”
The Lumi smiles and continues, “I am Lumi, First Assistant to Peak Mother Tannenbaum. Please to meet you,” she bows.
Willow returns the bow.
Lumi gestures for Willow to follow her as she talks, “I need to instruct you of a few things Miss Icelake, for when are in the room with Peak Mother Tannenbaum. One, please make sure not to speak until she asks you to. Two, please do not interrupt her while she is assessing you. And finally, this is a very important third thing, please do not question her assessment results for your Placement Occupation Category.”
Willow acknowledges her instructions with a nod.
“You would do well to remember the instructions during your assessment,” she adds opening the door and announcing the first assessment of the day, “Willow Icelake, Peak Mother.”
“Very good. You may leave.”
“Yes, Peak Mother,” Lumi says closing the door behind her.
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