Twas the Sparkle before Christmas
Eclipse's first Hearths Warming
Snow was falling overnight at the Sparkle house; nothing was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the fireplace with care in hopes that tomorrow would race to be there.
All the foals were nestled snug in their beds, visions of gifts and family danced around in their heads.
And Twilight with her ‘kerchief, and Eclipse with her cap had settled their brains for a long winter’s nap.
“Okay, just put the presents down, wake Eclipse up, put her back to sleep, then go to sleep myself” Nyx said… Twilight had told her that since this was going to be Eclipse’s first Hearths warming, she should dress up as Saint Nyx.
It fit her since her name was Nyx, but like our Santa Claus, their present giver was Saint Nyx; Celestia’s and Luna’s mother.
She was so elusive that when presents appeared under the tree, the foals thought it was her, and that’s how it all started.
Nyx was wearing a fluffy red coat with white trim; she carried a red sack with the family’s presents.
Eclipse was sleeping on the couch next to the fire place; she waited for her presents and fell asleep.
“I hope you like this Eclipse” Nyx then set the presents up by the tree and lit her horn.
Twilight also told her to make herself grown up; there was a poof and little Eclipse woke up with a start.
“Myx”
For being only one year old, Eclipse had surpassed every other foal in terms of development; she is completely potty trained and can walk and talk, although not like an expert yet.
“Oh little one, you should be asleep right now” Big Nyx said nuzzling her sister.
Little Eclipse’s eyes were filled with shock and happiness; “MOMMY! Sanf Myx isf herm”
“No little one, don’t wake your parents, only ponies who believe in me can see me” Nyx said, making up a quick lie so her parents didn’t see her like this.
Little Eclipse got the message “Is something wrong Eclipse” Twilight said in the background; “Noopf mommy I’mf fime”
“Okay, go back to sleep then, Saint Nyx doesn’t leave presents for naughty little fillies who aren’t asleep”
Eclipse looked back at Nyx, joy in her eyes as in her mind, her mother just lied.
“Well I have to go send happiness to other fillies and colts across Equestria so listen to your mommy and go back to sleep, I promise that your presents aren’t going anywhere” Nyx said and tucked her little sister back in and nuzzled her.
She sat down and waited for her sister to fall asleep, then she walked up the stairs and dissipated her spell, letting little Nyx come back.
Yawning Nyx trotted into her parent’s room, feeling love and warmth hit her like the heat from a flame.
“Did I ever tell you how cute you look wearing that?” Twilight said nudging Orion so he could see their little Saint Nyx.
“No, how ’yawn’ cute do I look”
She then hopped up onto the bed and snuggled herself between her parents; as part of their plan, Nyx was going to sleep with them so there would be no way for Eclipse to think it was her.
“You look so cute that it’s a shame that I have to take you out of your costume” Twilight said, unhooking the straps.
“Meh” Nyx said and cuddled up to her mother and fell asleep.
The next day
“Come on mommy wake up it’s hearths warming, come onnn, I wanna open my presents” Nyx whined.
Twilight shuffled in her bed before waking up “Okay Nyx, but you can only open one present before gram gram and pop pop come over”
Nyx was already out of the room rushing to wake Eclipse up and pick her present.
“She really is a ball of energy isn’t she Orion”
“Yeah but she’s one of our balls of energy”
Twilight and Orion got ready and went downstairs to two hyper little fillies
“Come on mommy”
“Yeph comf onm”
Both Nyx and Eclipse were on the floor by the tree with a present in between their legs. Eclipse had her blue knit cap on her head as she wordlessly stared at her mother to hurry up.
The duo sat down next to their kids and said they can start.
What followed next could have been considered a crime against wrapping paper; Eclipse ripped at the present with her teeth, being unable to control her magic fully yet, tearing it to ribbons. Nyx did it faster as she simply lit her horn and disintegrated the wrapping paper.
“Awesomf” Eclipse got a dragon stuffed animal “I’ll call you shparks”
Nyx was hugging her mother; she had gotten a book that she’d wanted since she heard about it two years ago.
“Thamks Saimt Myx” Eclipse said staring dreamily into space.
“There is no Saint Nyx, Eclipse; she’s just a fairy tale”
Eclipse looked at her sister with an ace up her non-existent sleeve.
“I sawm herm lastph might… wif my owm eyes” she said
“No you didn’t” Nyx crossed her arms and pouted, after winking at her mother for a job well done.
“Yes I dibd”
“Okay let’s agree to disagree, now why don’t you two play with your new toys before gram gram and pop pop come” Twilight said, before the situation got too out of hand.
Eclipse was outside in her coat playing in the snow with sparks while Nyx flew up to her favorite nook reading her new book and watching her sister play.
Eclipse was running around holding sparks in her mouth and pretending he was flying, when she slipped on a slippery patch of ice and fell.
“Whaaa” she cried, waiting helplessly for her mother to come and help her.
“You poor thing, here let grandma help you inside”
Eclipse looked up and sniffed when she was picked up and placed on her grandmothers back where it felt warmer.
“Nyx come down and give your grandma a hug”
But Nyx saw Eclipse fall and was already flying to her, ready to hug the new arrival.
There was a bit of a bonk sound as Nyx collided with her grandparents
“Hi grandma hi grandpa, mommy got me a new book” she squeaked getting a hug in return.
“NO she didn’t Saint Nyx did, I saw her last night” Eclipse said as she stopped crying.
“Eclipse are you okay, I heard you cry… oh hi mom and dad, I see you’ve taken care of my daughter, how kind” Twilight said inviting her parents into her home.
With everyone in, they gathered around the tree. Everyone had a gift as they took turns opening them.
“Oh this is exactly what I wanted mom, thanks” Twilight said as she opened a cook book that she had her eye on for a while. “Okay your turn Nyx”
After she disintegrated more wrapping paper, Nyx found that she got a little treasure box with lock and key.
“Oh this is so cool, now I can keep my books away from Eclipse”
“Nyx that’s not very nice”
“I never said it was nice, she can’t read yet and all she does is drool on them”
Eclipse heard her sister’s hurtful comment and began to tear up “I’mf sorby Myx, I domph meam to” she then ran to her mother and began to cry.
“Nyx say sorry to your sister, this is supposed to be a happy time”
Nyx rubbed her back looking at the baby of a sister she had “Sorry Eclipse… anyway it’s your turn”
Eclipse sniffed her last sniff before returning to her gift
“Ohtay, I womder whaf Saimt Myx got me?”
She had a bit of a hard time opening it with her mouth when Nyx help her by disintegrating it.
“Thamks Myx”
It was a stack of six books, the first of which was ‘My first day of school’
“Oh what a great idea mom, see Nyx now she has her own books and won’t bother you” Twilight said
They were thin books that a lot of pictures and big words, but Eclipse seemed happy.
“Thamk you gram gram”
For the next hour the family opened their gifts and played with toys till the cows came home. Eclipse kept pestering Nyx about how Saint Nyx really did come.
Twilight didn’t even need to put Eclipse down for her nap; she tired herself out and fell asleep on the ground using sparks as a pillow.
“This has been a great, Eclipse didn’t make a fuss when she had to take a nap and Nyx is away in her nook reading leaving us adults to play” Twilight said as she picked up the last scrap of paper and threw it in the trash. “Wait why is Nyx in her nook and not here spending time with her family”
Twilight’s mother tucked Eclipse into the couch by the fireplace while Twilight went out to bring her other daughter back inside
“Nyx, come inside and spend time with your family”
There was a gasp and Nyx fell out of the sky after being rudely awoken from her own nap, and landed into the thankfully soft snow with a jolt.
“Mooom” she whined poking her head out of the snow.
“Sorry Nyx I didn’t know you were asleep, come inside and I’ll make you some hot coco”
Nyx smiled and shivered, the snow getting under her fur and freezing her body. With a shake she got out of the heat sucking snow and went inside.
“I guess the little pipsqueak couldn’t go without her nappy by” she teased after passing Eclipse.
“Nyx, you shouldn’t be hypocritical like that, if I recall you too were asleep before you fell into the snow”
“Right, sorry”
After her nap Eclipse enjoyed some hot coco like her sister; she looks up to Nyx as a playmate and friend, they fight a lot but it’s what kids do.
Throughout Equestria foals enjoyed time spent with family and presents, there was happiness everywhere and it was all thanks to Ole Saint Nyx
