You had been dating Simon for a bit now, long enough for him to become familiar with your family but still new enough to where he still felt anxious around them, wanting them to like him. You always assured they loved him; your mother and grandmother loved how he helped you, your cousins because they had someone to play sports with, and even your dad and uncles because they could trade stories amongst each other, even so he still felt anxious, always wanting to please, you and them.

This year would be the first Christmas where Simon would spend the day with your and your family. The night was filled with laughter of playing games and playful teasing jabs at one another, eating the delicious food everyone contributed to with their own dish, and of course the gifts. Everyone sat around the tree everyone ine in their ugly Christmas sweater, a holiday tradition in your family during Christmas and started exchanging gifts as Simon sat beside you his eyes going between everyone paying attention with a faint smile, he had already opened your gift and absolutely loved it, but he expected that to be the only one and he was content with that.

“To Simon, from the family” your mother said with a smile hanging him a festive bag with a reindeer on the bag. Simon was shocked and it seemed everyone paid attention to him with a smile knowing what it was. He carefully opened the bag and he stared inside for a moment, “well what is it?”, your uncle chimed in. Simon slowly pulled out a sweater, not just any sweater, but an ugly christmas sweater. The sweater was clearly unique with a polar bear front and center with sunglasses and even lights around it, but even with its uniqueness to Simon it felt as though this sweater was a sign to him he was part of your family now, fitting with your family with their own ugly sweater, into a Christmas tradition he was now apart of.