Author Topic: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)  (Read 70806 times)

Offline AndiSue

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #45 on: December 27, 2018, 07:45:52 PM »

  It  is possible that Thomas could be eliminated from the list because I'd think Justine and baby would be with Harry if he was dead, unless both died including baby.

This story takes place six months after Peace Talks. Unless a Whampire fetus requires a shorter gestation or Justine was into her fourth month when Thomas told Harry the news at the start of PT, it's too early for the baby to have been born yet.

Offline Mira

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #46 on: December 27, 2018, 07:56:40 PM »
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I do not think Karen is dead at the moment. I expect them at least to have some happiness together before it is ripped away. Just to make it worse. But Murphy is going to suffer, just to make Harry suffer.

  They will have it for maybe the first twelve chapters of the book or so...  Then hard headed Murphy
I predict will not heed warnings from Harry or anyone else that she isn't physically ready for this fight... Or she is but falls protecting Harry..  She dies and Harry suffers, he is grieving, seriously grieving..  If they were together, Christmas Eve would be at his place or hers, they'd be fighting about how best to put the bike together with Murphy taking over with a wise ass comment...
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As Mab explained it is her duty. Harry is taking part in a winter festivity, he is actually helping fairy that way. Of course Mab wants to keep all the important things of christmass alive like the tree and santa and gift giving. Gift giving is an important ritual.

And Harry is Mab's consort. How can she not give Harry a present at christmass? and how can she miserly about it? She is the liege, she has to give, this is the occasion.

She hasn't before now....  Plus she is giving the gift to Maggie, not Harry, no strings attached..

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Apparently he got a flatpack or something like that. We in Holland just go to the bike shop around the corner and by an assembled one.

It is the same in America, plus if it is a first bike, it won't be very complicated, most likely one speed, brakes, and training wheels..
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This is Maggie's family as well and since small favor it is also Harry's family in a sense. It is quite understandable that Harry and Maggie celebrate christmass there wherever they are living at the moment.

Yes, but not if Harry was with Murphy now...  At the very least, as I said, she'd be beside him telling
how to put the bike together, then taking over and being a bit smug, in a good way because Harry
feels foolish because he failed.
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Not Kringle's fault. As mentioned in Skin Game the island was not an easy place to deliver for Kringle.

And really Kringle just likes Harry. Of course he gives him a gift at the only time he can do so without problems. Harry just has to be nice of course. Being naughty will really bring extra problems from now on....

Not true, if Kringle wanted to give Harry a gift, he could have gotten on the island... Nothing is impossible for Kringle on Christmas.
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Ramirez, Butters, Bill and Georgia, Elaine, ....

I do not think Karen is dead at the moment. I expect them at least to have some happiness together before it is ripped away. Just to make it worse. But Murphy is going to suffer, just to make Harry suffer.

But I do not think he is in mourning for a special person necessarily. I think there were just a lot of casualties. We probably do not know most of them.

Harry would grieve over Butters etc, but not to this extent... This is on par with his grief [some guilt] when he felt Elaine was dead the first time, and his grief over Susan..   
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Eb I can sort of see, but with Murphy I don't think it'd be very relistic for Harry to be able to hide her name from his own thoughts. Mind, if she is dead Jim wouldn't publish this story with her name as one of the casualties as it's a major spoiler rather than the minor spoilers there are... but it seems too unrealistic to fly, to me.

Oh yes it is realistic,  that kind of pain you try to avoid, that is part of the grieving process it is called
denial.   If you've ever lost someone that close you avoid a lot of things, even photos of your loved one, just too painful to view..  Jim didn't publish name, true...  However plenty of hints, lots of death, pain, and blood in Peace Talks, and someone very close to Harry dies...
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This story takes place six months after Peace Talks. Unless a Whampire fetus requires a shorter gestation or Justine was into her fourth month when Thomas told Harry the news at the start of PT, it's too early for the baby to have been born yet.
Nope,  the shock over Thomas, premature birth... Baby is viable at seven months or so.. 

Offline raidem

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #47 on: December 27, 2018, 08:00:51 PM »
My impression from the short story is that there were some people close to Harry that died, that there were lots of casualties, that Winter engaged in killing off many of them maybe.  That would be why Winter Lady Molly paid the weregild to Harry.

I don't think Karen so much as died as she likely went into suspended animation, or a vanishing, or a kidnapping, protective custody, time jump, etc...
I could see Harry understanding that Karen 'died' but no body was found like what happened to him at the end of Changes and we all know how that turned out.  So, I could see Harry realizing that Karen's father is a head of one of Uriel's operations and he/we can expect some divine protective spotlight on her.

As to Harry's father being Kringle, I've before theorized that Harry is descended from some Corwin-like line.  This Corwin being similar to the one found in the Amber Chronicles.  They'd have an ability to jump to wherever their imagination takes them.  I could see Harry's father as being descended from and having some inate ability like this.  For him, it may have been dormant.

As to Mab's interest in Maggie, I like to place it to a present character becoming via time jump into the past Mab.  Then, this same character/Mab having feelings of affection for Harry/Maggie that isn't Mab.  I also like for this underneath identity struggling to reassert herself after 1000+ years of lost love.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2018, 08:09:28 PM by raidem »
"That's it???  It's really that simple? 
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Offline morriswalters

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #48 on: December 27, 2018, 08:16:26 PM »
Oh that one is simple. Uriel and Vadderung know each other.
Sure and every year Santa distributes presents to 40 year old children. ;)
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So shoot me, I'm sentimental.

Offline Arjan

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #49 on: December 27, 2018, 09:19:22 PM »
  They will have it for maybe the first twelve chapters of the book or so...  Then hard headed Murphy
I predict will not heed warnings from Harry or anyone else that she isn't physically ready for this fight... Or she is but falls protecting Harry..  She dies and Harry suffers, he is grieving, seriously grieving..  If they were together, Christmas Eve would be at his place or hers, they'd be fighting about how best to put the bike together with Murphy taking over with a wise ass comment...
With the usual speed of action 12 chapters is just half a day or so, insufficient time to show Harry's happiness.

And Karen is probably not going to be involved in Maggies upbringing anyway, I did not expect her to be there, this is a father daughter thing and she would only make things more complicated. She can not replace the real mother and Maggie already has another set of adoptive parents.

Karen has no place in this celebration.
Quote

She hasn't before now....  Plus she is giving the gift to Maggie, not Harry, no strings attached..
Probably because Harry was not celebrating. No obligation to bring gifts if you are not celebrating. And actually a gift for Maggie is even a better gift for Harry anyway.
Quote
It is the same in America, plus if it is a first bike, it won't be very complicated, most likely one speed, brakes, and training wheels..
Yes, but not if Harry was with Murphy now...  At the very least, as I said, she'd be beside him telling
how to put the bike together, then taking over and being a bit smug, in a good way because Harry
feels foolish because he failed.
Not true, if Kringle wanted to give Harry a gift, he could have gotten on the island... Nothing is impossible for Kringle on Christmas.
Not according to Kringle:

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He waved his other hand negligently. “Consider it a belated holiday gift, free of obligation. That island is a tough delivery.”
“Prove it,” I said. “Say ‘ho, ho, ho.’”
“Ho, ho, ho,” he replied genially.

Quote
Harry would grieve over Butters etc, but not to this extent... This is on par with his grief [some guilt] when he felt Elaine was dead the first time, and his grief over Susan..   
Oh yes it is realistic,  that kind of pain you try to avoid, that is part of the grieving process it is called
denial.   If you've ever lost someone that close you avoid a lot of things, even photos of your loved one, just too painful to view..  Jim didn't publish name, true...  However plenty of hints, lots of death, pain, and blood in Peace Talks, and someone very close to Harry dies...Nope,  the shock over Thomas, premature birth... Baby is viable at seven months or so..
No but there was a big number. And funerals plural. I do not think Harry knew most or not even any of the casualties personally that well. The scale of the action is increasing and I expect a lot of casualties.

Mark that Molly's army is reduced to such an extend that she has to go on a recruitment drive and we do not know when the peace talks started. Not too long before christmass otherwise Molly would have already replaced her casualties.

Harry's guilt is very fresh.
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Offline Mira

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #50 on: December 27, 2018, 09:36:16 PM »
Quote
With the usual speed of action 12 chapters is just half a day or so, insufficient time to show Harry's happiness.

And Karen is probably not going to be involved in Maggies upbringing anyway, I did not expect her to be there, this is a father daughter thing and she would only make things more complicated. She can not replace the real mother and Maggie already has another set of adoptive parents.

Karen has no place in this celebration.

No?  Really?   If Murphy and Harry get as close as you think they are, yes, emphatically, YES, she'd belong there...  She is family or future family..  Why would twelve chapters or even one chapter not be enough to show Harry's happiness with Murphy if they had become a couple?  If they are truly happy together on well written line is all that is needed, even one word is enough...  Happiness in love isn't about quantity, it is about quality....
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Probably because Harry was not celebrating. No obligation to bring gifts if you are not celebrating. And actually a gift for Maggie is even a better gift for Harry anyway.
  A gift that brings joy to the child is a greater gift to the parent than anything that comes in a box... Mab did give a gift to Harry..
Quote
Not according to Kringle:

What Kringle gave to Harry was the last happy Christmas memory he had of his father... Priceless..
Quote
No but there was a big number. And funerals plural. I do not think Harry knew most or not even any of the casualties personally that well. The scale of the action is increasing and I expect a lot of casualties.

Mark that Molly's army is reduced to such an extend that she has to go on a recruitment drive and we do not know when the peace talks started. Not too long before christmass otherwise Molly would have already replaced her casualties.

Harry's guilt is very fresh.

All true, but it ain't about the number, it is about the one...  The blood on the asphalt..

Oh and as far as Maggie being a bit old for her first bike... No, she maybe able to ride, she might have ridden one of the bikes that the Carpenter kids had... But this is for herpicked out in her
favorite color by her loving father... His first Christmas gift to her...

Offline Arjan

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #51 on: December 27, 2018, 10:00:06 PM »
No?  Really?   If Murphy and Harry get as close as you think they are, yes, emphatically, YES, she'd belong there...  She is family or future family..  Why would twelve chapters or even one chapter not be enough to show Harry's happiness with Murphy if they had become a couple?  If they are truly happy together on well written line is all that is needed, even one word is enough...  Happiness in love isn't about quantity, it is about quality.... 
It is not about Harry, it is about Maggie. Sure a parent wants to introduce a new partner and is sometimes so lovesick that it is forced through the childs throat but you do not make the child happy that way. You just lay an extra burden on Maggie and she has enough problems.

My mother divorced when I was fifty or so and she came to visit me some time ago with her new friend. I understand she has a new one but I am not interested. And then they had to leave earlier because they had planned to visit his daughter the same day (they are both living in spain like a lot of north west european pensioners and they always plan too much in too little time even after their pension). It would have been far better for both me and his daughter if they had just split and had visited each child as one parent without attachments.

It is not about Karen and Harry's relationship. It is about Maggie and Harry. Karen should not be there to compete for Harry's attention. I think it is very considerate of Harry not to bring Karen to the party and it would be egoistic to do so and Karen feels that way too I am sure because she more or less said so in changes if I remember correctly.
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Offline Mr. Death

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #52 on: December 27, 2018, 10:24:03 PM »
Remember also that Murphy has a big, Irish, Catholic family of her own. And she's living in the family matriarch's old house.

Dollars to donuts that Murphy is obligated to attend her own family's shindig, and may even be hosting it.
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Offline Arjan

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #53 on: December 27, 2018, 10:49:02 PM »
Remember also that Murphy has a big, Irish, Catholic family of her own. And she's living in the family matriarch's old house.

Dollars to donuts that Murphy is obligated to attend her own family's shindig, and may even be hosting it.
Jim does so like to torture her.
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Offline morriswalters

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #54 on: December 27, 2018, 11:46:55 PM »
If Karin has any sense she would be at home in bed during the story, it happens at night on Christmas Eve.

Meantime, Santa stole Harry's thunder, he got cred for the wheels. Maggie doesn't know how to ride.  And given her emotional issues that isn't all that surprising.




Offline Snark Knight

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #55 on: December 28, 2018, 01:16:46 AM »
  • What's with Mother Winter not giving Harry a gift?
    If it's an obligation, is she not obligated?  Or is her gift to not show up and ruin his night?

Given her limitations on travel in general and visiting earth in particular, perhaps Kringle was representing her?

Offline forumghost

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #56 on: December 28, 2018, 03:25:44 AM »
I mean remember what Harry said to Mab, she "has people for that".

Mab and Molly decided to bring him gifts because they wanted too, Mother Winter probably just isn't that nice.

And tbh the fact that Mab went out of her way to be nice instead of leaving it up to someone else is probably a good indication of exactly how fubar things went for Harry in PT.

Offline peregrine

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #57 on: December 28, 2018, 05:30:21 AM »
Remember also that Murphy has a big, Irish, Catholic family of her own. And she's living in the family matriarch's old house.

Dollars to donuts that Murphy is obligated to attend her own family's shindig, and may even be hosting it.
Also, you know, Midnight Mass.

Offline Dina

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #58 on: December 28, 2018, 07:38:50 AM »
I didn't realize there is a thread here (I've posted in a thread with the same opening in the DF books section)

Someone please could remind me how old would Maggie be at the Christmas' Eve story?

I loved this story even when I am now really worried about PT. Thanks Jim!
Missing you, Md 

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Offline spiritofair

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Re: Christmas Eve from JB's Twitter (no news, just fun)
« Reply #59 on: December 28, 2018, 07:30:42 PM »
What I took away from this story is that Murphy dies during Peace Talks.  Of course, she could just be asleep in another room or at her house, but I think she dies.

Probably others, too.  Eb is likely.  Possibly Elaine.  I'd hate to see Ramirez die, but its possible.  Don't think Thomas will die... I think he'll be around to the end.

Maybe Sanya dies?

I don't think Butters will die.  He just got the sword.

Who knows...