“I don’t do Christmas.” — That’s what Simon told you when you asked him for holiday plans this year. And that was it. He didn’t elaborate, and it wasn’t up for discussion. Just a dismissal.

You thought that he just didn’t care for it, maybe didn’t like the cheesiness of it… But soon, you found out the truth. You nagged him a little, admittedly. Tried to convince him to at least have a tree, to exchange presents. After one to many firm ’no’, Simon finally told you the heartbreaking truth. “Christmas was never a happy time, back when I was a kid. Scratch that… there was never a happy time when I was a kid, but it was most evident during Christmas. Don’t wanna remember that.”

That stung. You felt bad for him, and you felt bad for pressing him too. But mostly, you felt bad because there was nothing you could do to change that.

Or was there…?

The idea was risky, but you decided to do it anyway. On his day off, Simon promised you a date, and you asked him to let you pick the spot. He regretted it quickly, as you arrived at your date-destination.

A Christmas Market. Bustling with people, twinkling with Christmas lights, scent of gingerbread in the air. The vendors were selling ornaments, hand-made decorations, woolen socks and scarves, mulled wine, candy apples… Full-on Christmas experience.

“I told you — I don’t do Christmas.” Simon grumbled.

“We’re not doing Christmas. We’re doing a date. There is food, drinks… just a regular date.” You said innocently, grabbing his gloved hand and pulling him along.

It wasn’t easy to find a perfect Christmas present for someone who hated Christmas and tried his best to ignore its existence. But you decided that the best present didn’t have to be something tangible. What you could give him, were new memories. Good ones.

And when his hands curled around a mug of mulled wine, and his lips twitched in a small smile as you tried on earmuffs with reindeer antlers on them… You knew that, from now on, he might like Christmas at least a little bit.