It was early solscele's morning.

Lupin takes a big red box with a ribbon out of a white sack and discreetly places it below the tree alongside the other presents, also picking up a huge pile of coal and putting it inside the now empty recipient in the process. 

He was about to get rid of the proof of his actions, when...

"IT'S SOLSCELEEEEEEEEE!!"

At that moment Red, who had just woken up scared and drenched in cold sweat on the sofa, rapidly recovered and screamed in excitement.

Everyone else woke up, and the first to head to the living room was Hansel, whose face looked terribly pale, as if he didn't sleep properly.

"Brat, do you have any idea what time it is?!"

Soon after, Katty jumps from the second floor to the middle of the living room while laughing, and screams.

"IT'S SOLSCELEEEEEEEEE!!"

"You too?!"

By using the commotion, Lupin managed to finish his mission without Red noticing.

"You complained about the noise, but became part of it..."

Gretel, equally awoken by the racket, points out his hypocrisy.

Jack, who was slowly descending the stairs, was still sleepy.

"Looks like everyone is lively today..."

He yawned the whole way.

It didn't take long till all of them were downstairs.

Regardless of how their day started, every single person there wanted to see what was received. The most enthusiastic of the group was obvious.

"Preseeeeeeeents!"

Other than the ones gifted by Santa, friends and family also tend to trade gifts with each other, even if the exact customs were different depending on race and kingdom.

Red went to search for his presents and right off the bat saw a big red box with an unsigned card written "to Red".

He opens it, and inside is a kid-friendly training sword.

"A sword!!"

He immediately goes for the other ones, and rapidly gets to Lupin's.

Inside was a red cape similar to his own, but much more sophisticated, something to be worn during special occasions.

"Woooooow!"

As he turned to look at the others, Red could see a snippet of the window, and from the other side something uncommon. He runs towards it.

"It's all white!"

It was snowing. Red's eyes shimmered as he saw the snowflakes falling.

"How rare, it never snows around here."

Jack points out, wondering why such a thing happened so suddenly.

"What do you say we go play in the snow after we open all the presents, my little angel?"

"Yeah! Let's!"

The lively present opening time started again, with Hansel being the second person to open something, the one gifted to him by Santa.

"What a pretty necklace, it shines!"

As Katty observed, it was a beautiful necklace with the stone having the same color as his eyes, and a faint glow that stayed even when light wasn't reflecting on it. Inside the box was also a small card, that was taken and read by her.

"Happy solscele, Hansel. This is a magic necklace capable of enhancing your perception and thus helping you hit critical spots, keep up the good work. You got a present this year, but should be more attentive to your attitude, signed Klaus Noel!"

"Hey, Katty?!"

The contents of the card explained why there was coal beside the box.

"I told you… Here's your present, Hansel."

It was a new winter wear set wrapped with a light green ribbon, the gift to the others being the same, with Red's being particularly well crafted. 

"Wow Gretel, thanks!"

"Your handcrafted clothes are always so well made, it's impressive!"

Gretel often gives handmade goods as a present, and Lupin and Jack can't help being astonished by her outstanding skills. She could easily open a clothing store for the noble, if she truly wished to.

"Oooh, they're so cozy and comfy!"

"Wooow, mine are so cool!"

Katty and Red also loved theirs.

"Not bad, but for one such as I, this is the mini-"

"Thanks, Gretel!"

The others were just as thankful.

"...Here's your present."

Hansel gives his to Gretel, slightly timidly.

"Since it's winter, it's easy for the skin to dry up, so..."

For his sister, a set of skin care products.

"Are you implying my skin is rough?"

Hansel gets surprised, and is about to say something when he's interrupted.

"I'm just teasing you, thanks Hansel."

After she used the opportunity to give her gifts to everyone, it was time her brother did the same.

"Here yours, Luu."

Packaged in blue wrapping paper, was a fur hairbrush.

"Ah, how did you know I needed a new one? Thank you very much!"

"And here yours."

A cute plushie for Katty and a bookmark with a sophisticated design for Jack.

"How cute! Who'd think Hansel had good taste for this stuff?!"

"Why would that be so surprising?!"

"The bookmark is very elegant and I needed some new ones, thank you."

He then gives the remaining ones to the others, with Red's being the last, a set of the new best selling toy: building blocks.

"Play with those instead of making a mess at home, how about that?"

"Who'd think the weakling would give me a cool present?!"

"Oi?! Is that how you thank me, brat?!"

During the round of laughter at Hansel's expense, Jack picks the gift Santa left for him.

The white box with a purple ribbon stored a mirror of considerable size.

This action didn't escape Katty's sharp eyes, she steals the card before Jack has a chance to react. 

"Your incredible patience is commendable. This magic mirror is capable of communicating with your family even from far away. I also sent the same type to them so don't worry, just activate it and chat away. Happy solscele, signed Klaus Noel!"

"...You'll do that to everyone?"

"Haha, classical Katty. Which reminds me, here's your present, Hansel."

It was a sword maintenance kit.

"Thanks Jack, I'll make good use of it."

"Here's yours, Gretel, Luu, Red."

A set of threads and needles for sewing, a photo frame, and a belt for crossbows of a size slightly bigger than Red, respectively.

"My, this'll be of great help, thank you~"

"A frame… We need to take a photo for it later!"

"Huh, this belt is too big for me?!"

"It's for when you grow up some more, brat."

As children develop fast, their clothes also become too small rather quickly. Even this new belt will last till Red is fourteen, fifteen at most.

"Thank you Jack, it'll be really useful for Red in the future!"

"Ooh, so that's how it works?! Thanks Jack, you're a genius!"

He then gifts the others, with Katty being the last one.

"A sleeping mask! Jack always knows what to give!"

She leaves her new sleeping mask on her head, as if they were sunglasses.

While Katty was distracted with her own gift, Gretel opened the one she got from Santa discreetly.

It was an adorable striped light pink and purple spa headband, with a bow on top reminiscent of a tiger's ears, soft like velvet.

As soon as Gretel lowered her guard, Katty stole her card.

"My, she got me~"

"Your willpower and dedication are impressive, this present is given in the hopes of helping your daily makeup routine, I hope you like it. Signed, Klaus Noel!"

"...You wear makeup?"

"Sometimes. Do you have a problem with it?"

"But he said daily routine, when exactly do you-"

"Look Katty, while I was searching for my own gift I found out the big one is from Santa to you!"

Hansel gave up on inquiring any further.

"Oooh, so it was mine?!"

She rips the wrapping paper apart, showing the huge nap time cushion. It was like a cat bed, but giant.

"It matches Jack's gift! You're free spirited and good-hearted. Since you like to sleep, I thought you'd like this. Signed, Klaus Noel!"

"She even read her own card?!"

"Here's your present, Hansel!"

It was a beautiful emerald.

"...An emerald?"

"Green seemed good for you! And here yours!"

A ruby for Red, pink quartz for Gretel, onyx and opal for the others. 

"Wow, it's so shiny! And the same color as my cape!"

"This is a very charming gem..."

"Heh… Not bad for a street rat, but I deserve something mor-"

"Wow, it's so pretty!"

And an amethyst for Jack.

"It's a lovely gem, but… where have you gotten these, Katty?"

"I found it!"

This answer worried Jack. In fact, all but Red were internally screaming "You found it?! Where?!" as they heard it.

"Katty, you didn't find it inside a jewelry store… Right?"

Giving voice to everyone's feelings, Jack asks.

"How did you know?!"

"You paid for them?"

Hansel cuts straight to the point.

"Of course, I'm not a thief! I wouldn't do something like that!"

"Since it's you we're talking about, you never know."

Jack breathes a sigh of relief.

Last but not least, she gave a sapphire to Lupin.

"Thanks, Katty."

They were the same color as his eyes.

Making use of the opportunity, the others gave their gifts. There were interesting things amidst them, and some unexpected ones. The presents to those who weren't there at the moment were left in their rooms…

Being the only one who hadn't got a chance to give his gifts to anyone other than Red until now, Lupin shyly picks the boxes.

Starting with an orange one with a yellow ribbon, he gives it to Katty.

"A hairpin!"

She takes the sleeping mask off her head and leaves it on her neck as if they were aviator goggles, soon after putting the half moon hairpin with the warm color reminiscent of sunlight on her hair.  

"Wow, Katty looks so elegant she doesn't even look like herself anymore?!"

"Hey, what do you mean, Red!"

"Haha, it looks good on you Katty."

"Luu sure has a wonderful taste for accessories~"

Hansel seemed somewhat proud, for some reason.

"Here's yours, Gretel..."

Inside the white box with a purple bow, was an alluring necklace adorned with a light pink stone.

"How beautiful…! Luu truly has good taste~!"

Hansel appeared incredibly satisfied as he heard that.

"For Jack, this..."

Inside the blue box with a white ribbon was a book, "The Journey of Hellward Grimm".

"This book… Thank you Luu!"

"For the others, here..."

They opened their presents and were delighted.

"And here yours, Hansel."

The dark green box with a red ribbon encased a whetstone. 

"You heard me mention this? Thanks Luu!"

"Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to buy anything nice… I'm the one who should be saying thanks."

They were all shocked to know the good taste Luu showed had Hansel's influence mixed in. 

"You won't open Santa's gift, Luu?"

Gretel was curious about it, there was a single untouched present left below the tree.

"Santa's gift? But I..."

The lonely gray box with a blue ribbon had his name on it.

Inside was a snowglobe, familiar figures who're long gone were alongside the ones staying by his side right now. When shaken, it was like they all played together in a snowy paradise.

Without hesitation, Katty picks the card once more.

"You deserve it, Lupin. Happy solscele, from Klaus Noel!"

He was touched.

"Luu, you're crying? Why?"

Their innocence and curiosity allows kids to say such things without giving it a second thought.

"It's nothing much, Red. I just got a bit moved by what I got..."

With that all the gifts were open, and it was time to play. Lupin dried his tears, and put on the brightest smile he could muster at the time.

"Let's go, then?"

There were piles of wrapping paper, boxes and ribbons thrown all over the living room, but that could wait till later to be tidied up.

Putting their outwear on, all set out.

"Attaaaaaack!"

"We'll be victorious!"

They split up in teams of two, and a fierce snowball war had begun.

Katty and Red attacked nonstop, Hansel alongside his partner used their additional aerial mobility to attack from above, while Gretel and hers did sneak attacks making use of the same advantage.

Lupin and Jack were hiding behind a snow fort waiting for the perfect moment to execute their plan.

Lupin is happy.

That he is with his family

That he is with his friends.

He had already lost them more than once before, the ones precious to him.

Solscele, a time to celebrate the present, and enjoy a moment of your short life with those you love.

To Lupin, that day would be one more of the happy days in his memories... 

And one more of the many more years with them, all of them.

With not a single one gone.

"Now, Luu!"

This is his hope.

"Ok, let's go!"

But now, the focus is to enjoy the moment.

"H-Haansel defeeeend!!! T-They're attacking us!"

"Hã?! Stop hiding behind me and help!"

And be happy.

"Gretel, w-watch out, from the left, they'll get us too!"

Forget the suffering of the past…

"Nyaaah, how cooold! Let's counter, Red~!"

And walk with his head held high towards the future.

"Victory is ours! Our plan worked, Luu!"

No matter what it brings.

"Yeah!"

The winners of the snowball war are Jack and Lupin.

His wish, like this victory, is something that must be achieved by his own power.

Different from the snow, which was a blessing from someone.

Drinking hot cocoa to warm up after having fun, sitting together with everyone...

Friendly chatter, the usual arguing...

"This is a good solscele", he thought to himself.