Authors Note: This was written for 'Have Yourself A Very Spanky Christmas' and my prompt was 'snow'. I found it a little harder than I expected but I hope I did it justice and that you guys enjoy it, let me know what you think.

Christmas comes but once a year

By Hannah554

Teyla smiled as she walked through the small village. The whole area had been covered in seasonal snow and it made everything look so beautiful. She'd always loved snow, ever since she was a little girl and her father had taken her for walks late at night, on those walks none of the problems they faced had existed. The Atlantians seemed to love it even more than she did, John had even managed to convince Elizabeth to come out of her office and join them for this mission since it was just a celebration of their new trade agreement.

Rodney and John were building a 'snow man', she hadn't been entirely sure what that meant until now and she could kind of see the resemblance to a man, she supposed the two larger balls represented the body in some way and the smaller one was the head. John was sticking stones in to the smaller ball where the eyes, nose and mouth would usually be and Rodney had found some large sticks that he seemed to be using as hands of some kind.

She'd heard them all talk about snow at Christmas but in their years in Atlantis so far they had yet to encounter snow, at least in a way that they could stop to 'play' with it, as John had put it. Elizabeth was stood close by, watching the two men get excited as they almost finished with the snowman.

"I don't think I've ever seen them enjoy themselves so much," Ronon stated as he appeared by her side sounding a little perplexed as he watched the three Atlantians.

"I have always noticed that very little things always give them great amounts of pleasure," Teyla told him, turning to face him. "You do not enjoy the little things in life?"

"Sure I do," Ronon replied. "They just don't turn me into a kid."

Teyla raised an eyebrow at him; there were moments over the last few years where that statement was completely untrue. He stared back at her, waiting for her to disagree but she kept it to herself knowing that he knew he could be as much of a child sometimes as John and Rodney.

"They do seem to love this Christmas celebration," Teyla stated. "And after celebrating it with them since they came to Atlantis I can understand why. It is a wonderful... family occasion."

"You just like getting presents," Ronon teased and Teyla laughed, while that was true it wasn't the only reason she'd come to enjoy celebrating Christmas.

"Maybe," she replied. "I also enjoy giving them, I have already wrapped all the presents I have to give this year... including yours."

Ronon smiled. "You got me a present?"

"As I did last year, no I'm not telling you what it is," she laughed as she turned her attention back to John and Rodney who were staring proudly at their snowman while Elizabeth inspected it. She could practically feel Ronon's curiosity coming from him and she knew he would not let the issue go, not until he unwrapped the present and knew what it was. Like last year though she would endure the constant questioning, not just from him but from John and Rodney as well.

"Come on Teyla, tell me what it is," Ronon said after a few moments when he could no longer hold it in.

"No," Teyla replied simply, looking at him again with a stern expression that told him she would not give in.

"Please," he continued and she laughed and shook her head.

"This did not work last year Ronon and it will not work this year either," Teyla told him and smiled as he narrowed his eyes at her, trying to figure out what she might have gotten for him but even if he did guess and guessed right she would not tell him.

"I don't like surprises," he complained.

"You say that but I remember your excitement last year as you opened your gifts, besides, it is a good surprise, nothing to be fearful of," Teyla told him recalling the small smile on his face he hadn't quite managed to hide as he unwrapped the colourful, shiny wrapping paper on his gifts. Ronon frowned at the implication that he got excited over Christmas presents. "Christmas comes once a year Ronon, you should enjoy it while you can, it will be over before you know it."

"Sheppard tried to make me wear a Santa hat," Ronon muttered as though that would explain his reluctance to get too involved in Christmas.

Teyla tried not to laugh, tried and failed, the mental image of Ronon in that red and white hat was a little too much for even her composure. Even the glare he sent her did nothing to help stop the laughter and she took a couple of minutes to compose herself again, unable to get rid of the grin. "I am sorry Ronon," she tried to say without laughing again.

"It's not funny," he told her seriously which was almost enough to break her composure again. His look softened though as he stared at her and then a small smile lit his face. "Maybe I should keep your present."

"You got something for me," she smiled.

"If you can't beat them join them, I think that's what Sheppard says," Ronon replied and Teyla nodded at the strange earth saying, they seemed to have many of them.

"I will not ask you what it is," she said.

"But you want to know," he teased and she nodded.

"Yes, but I will wait until Christmas day, as I said, it comes once a year, it should not be spoiled," she told him and he frowned again as though he'd been hoping to make some kind of deal and find out what she had got for him.

"Fine," he sulked just as a lump of snow hit him in the side of the head. Teyla looked over to where a slightly terrified Rodney was stood and once again burst into laughter.

"No, it wasn't supposed to hit you, Sheppard moved, it wasn't my fault," Rodney stuttered as Ronon advanced on him and the terrified scientist took off, heading for the trees nearby as Ronon went after him. Elizabeth came to stand by Teyla as John went after the two men, probably to make sure Rodney came back in one piece.

"I do enjoy Christmas," Teyla said as she watched the three men disappear into the trees.

"So do I," Elizabeth replied. "It really brings out the best in people."

"And the children in them," Teyla added with a laugh. "It is a wonderful occasion though, I may not truly understand the religion behind it but the way it brings people together is enough of a reason to celebrate it. Even Ronon enjoys it, though I doubt he will ever admit to it."

"Not if John keeps trying to get him to wear the Santa hat," Elizabeth stated and the two women laughed once again at the mental image.