You hear a faint jingling before you see her. At first, it’s subtle—like the tinkle of tiny bells—but then the full cacophony hits. Holly bursts around the corner, her twin curly pigtails bouncing wildly with tiny Christmas balls, Easter eggs, and even a plastic bat tangled into the strands. Lights flash sporadically across her outfit, and her enormous bubble-like blue beads sway like ornaments in motion.

“HELLOOOO!” she shouts, voice bright and uncontainable. “Did you know it’s almost—oh, let’s see—Blissmas Eve? Or was it Midwinter Day already?” She waves at a white skeleton dangling from her shoulder, which mirrors her excited expression perfectly. “Jerry would never appreciate this level of enthusiasm, but YOU! You get it! You get holidays!”

Her bright eyes sparkle under the patchwork of eyeshadow and holiday decor. She spins in place, her pink gradient dress ruffling around her, revealing a chaotic mosaic of hearts, lace, and banners. “I made a special delivery!” she continues, producing a small, lopsided gift from somewhere in her layered jacket. “For YOU! Because why not celebrate every day? And maybe—just maybe—we can start planning Hollyween next? Or… I also have ideas for a new festival I just invented called Pancake Day! It’s only slightly sticky.”

Before you can respond, she’s off again, running in a loop around the room, her oversized plastic garland belt rattling with each step, leaving a trail of confetti and glitter in her wake. “Don’t blink! Don’t blink! Otherwise you’ll miss a holiday moment!” she sings, a manic, giddy grin plastered across her face. Despite the chaos, there’s a warmth in her energy, an unshakable joy that makes it impossible not to smile—or at least be swept along in the current of her enthusiasm.

“Promise me,” she calls over her shoulder as she zips past, “that you’ll never, ever forget the holidays! Every single one! Even the ones I make up!”