It was December- sorta. And it's Christmas.
Now, I know what you are all thinking and… Yes, I did it. It took very little to gain the Hokage's attention and interest in creating the holiday, but, of course, this wasn't 'Christmas-Christmas'. It didn't have the same name- or religious purpose due to the fact Jesus wasn't a thing in the Elemental Nations. The 'Gift Day' is the day where people would share gifts to their beloved ones and share two days together with their family, close and distant. I couldn't get Santa in this, not without bringing a degree of Christianity on the matter… and let's be honest, I would also need to copy Coca Cola's design for the traditional outfit he got going. No Santa, but more realism in a way. Kids knew that their parents and other adults were meant to give them gifts, thus depriving the 'dreamy fantasy' behind the jolly old man and creating one where the Family always has your back in this matter. Also, a gift-based festivity meant merchants were going to get a few wild days to keep up with the market's demand power.
That, and me actually making some money by 'creating' eggnog. It took me a while to find the best alcoholic solution to implement in the creamy drink, with the solution turning out to be Whiskey. Not only was it easier to produce due to the grain production offered by my farms, but it was also a known product thus making the eggnog a particularly quick hit that seemed to find a comfortably big market filled with intrigued clients that wanted to take a taste at the surprisingly sweet beverage. It was weaker than Sake in terms of alcoholic intensity, but there was a serious effort in having the shop-keeper to warn the clients of the dangers of this being alcohol and that kids weren't meant to drink it because it was still too strong for them. Yes, I tested it but I didn't do it to the point of going full drunk. Kid or not, my body wasn't my mind and I wouldn't say no to a sip of alcohol to celebrate a good holiday.
Still, back on the money-making process, I got the Daimyo on board with this ordeal. The guy had yet to get to the point of challenging the Hokage's dominance in the Land of Fire considering Hashirama's relative power over the region and popularity, but he didn't mind this matter too much. Not when he was still revered as a lord, had a solid income to keep his modestly-rich lifestyle going and he got eggnog to console his nerves when it came to handling civilian villages under his control. All thanks to the Shimura Brewery company.
I swear, at this point I'm going to end up creating a Zaibatsu or something.
And of course, one can't forget one thing about me: how did the holiday go in the Shimura household. The party was interesting. It wasn't one of those chaotic and messy ones, but, even then, the sheer amount of people sure made the house feel comfortably big enough rather than oppressively massive as it would usually feel to any of us. Kids didn't get alcohol, and by kids I mean those that hadn't served in the army. And sure, why the hell were my peers allowed to drink beverages? Maybe it has to do with responsibility. Sure, we were young, but we were stuck in a very deadly job, we had faced a war, we had the maturity to know when to drink and to not drink. Well, most of us. Hirotada learned that day that he was a lightweight just as he took a sip from his cup of Sake. Poor guy was definitely going to get teased for this and, tragically enough, I was going to be the one that spearheaded that initiative. I can be quite the crappy but best friend at times, I know.
Now, the party itself wasn't a full-day one. From morning up to the afternoon, everyone was there to enjoy a good time. Then, it was time for everyone to get in their homes to enjoy 'Gift Day' with their families. Madara was actually the exception since he made quite a fuss to the clan's elders to keep with us. And by 'fuss', I mean he threatened them to replace them with 'better (but definitely more loyal) old fools'. Ah yes, the power of threats… that sure didn't change at all despite this being pseudo-Christmas. Things were still meant to be fine and all, there was no reason to mind Madara being around if we were all there to limit his flirting potential towards mom but...
"Oniichan! Madara is drunk."
Now, that would be terrible news. The infamous Uchiha, the most murderous being in a battlefield close to Hashirama- surely he would be the worst kind of guy to have around when drunk and unable to make proper calls on circumstances that were either A) Irritating and B) frustrating. He was an Uchiha, so there wasn't much of a surprise in that strange synonymous-based distinction. I had taken a moment off to the bathroom and the guy had done it. I was both surprised by the timing, and pissed for the fact he had definitely done that on purpose. Nonetheless, it was bad news. It should have been as such. But it wasn't. Somehow. When I went to check on Madara, thinking he would be starting a fire in the house or something, I came back to find out mom, very drunk and very blushing, was poking at a sleeping Madara.
What Hanzou hadn't told me was that Madara had gotten drunk after bickering for a while with our mother about who held Alcohol the best. Turns out that Madara was weaker than mom in that regard and the giggling woman, clearly intoxicated to the core and ready for some fun she shouldn't be having, looked quite amused by the deep sleep the Uchiha Clan leader had fallen into. Good to know that every hero of this kind had their own weaknesses in that regard. Then again, the amount of empty glasses on the table compared to how empty it was when I left for the bathroom were way more than a normal human being should be able to handle. Especially a civilian like mom.
What ensued was particularly amusing for those not part of it, but deeply intense for those like Hanzou and me. First, I moved Madara to the guest room, and I noticed how limp he was and how heavy he really was even without his armor on. Muscles and that crap. Nonetheless, he was a big 'baby' and created no problems in his slumber. Mom? She was another story. She was cuddly, really so, and to make things even more awkward she was keen to repeat two words that had me really tense for myself and Hanzou.
"Oh my, Oh my~, my two little men taking care of * hic* their lonely mama."
"You're not lonely, mom," I argued flatly, trying to hold back a facepalm as I ignored the way the woman was straddling onto me.
It wasn't anything scandalous, but she was clinging on me a lot and putting all of her weight on me, hers and Hanzou as the poor boy got stuck between my chest and the woman's, huffing as he couldn't get out of that soft prison until I got her to bed. Sadly, the woman had decided that 'tonight was a special night and she would sleep with her cute sons'.
"Ah yes, to be young again. Your papa would scold me for being so drunk. And scandalous… you know, Madara-kun has a nice butt."
I groaned, the woman giggled, Hanzou smiled in pure confusion and…
That was 'Christmas' at the Shimura household.