I know, I know…The last thing I need to be doing is starting another story but I swear this one is short and I've already got about three and a half chapters typed out. I actually started this last summer, I just never posted it. Although this story line has probably been done before, I'm going to try and take a stab at it. I also know that this probably wouldn't happen at schools due to the concept of holidays but lets pretend that it would.

I'm not going to bother my beta to edit this for me so I apologize beforehand for any grammar/spelling/punctuation mistakes I've made. There shouldn't be too many.

Background: It's pretty simple. Dean is gone, Jess and Rory are simply friends and Tristan went away for military school but came back for senior year. You can choose whoever you want to be with Lorelai because her romantic life won't be brought up in this story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"Class, it's Christmas time and none of you seem to be in the holiday spirit." Mrs. Toll said to her twelfth grade English class. "It's as if none of you care what this season is truly about."

"I care! It's two weeks of no school, skiing with hot girls and tons of gifts." Tristan DuGrey smirked causing the rest of the class to laugh.

"Mr. DuGrey, that is exactly what a superficial Christmas sounds like. Which is why I've decided that I have a week to turn you Grinches into a bunch of Whos."

Louise Grant raised her hand. "Do I have to wear my hair like the Whos? Because I am willing to take a failing grade if that's the case."

"No, Louise. No physical changes will be required but hopefully there will be some inside changes."

"So…What's the actual assignment?"

"You will all pick a name out of a hat and spend the next five days anonymously showing your partner the holiday spirit."

"You mean like buy them a gift for everyday because that sounds more like a secret Santa." Tristan questioned.

"No necessarily buying them things. You've all seen the cheesy holiday movies; How The Grinch Stole Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol. They all have the hidden message of appreciating this time of year. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa."

Mrs. Toll then walked around the room with a hat while everyone pulled a slip of paper out. Rory opened the small slip of paper and knew that she should be annoyed but she wasn't. This was her chance to take the most jaded person she's met and show them what her favorite season was really about.

"The assignment begins tomorrow and I will know if you participate!" The teacher said right as the bell rang.

Yes, Tristan DuGrey will learn to appreciate Christmas.

Picking up her books Rory filed out of the room with the rest of the students making her way towards her locker. "Who'd you get, Mary?"

"None of your business."

"Oh come on! You're really going to follow the rule of not telling anyone who you picked?"

Rory nodded as she reached her locker. "I am."

"Why?" Tristan never understood, nor did he follow rules like that. He always wanted to find out who had him.

"I happen to like this time of year, I think it's a good assignment and I am going to follow the rules of it." She told him, "Who'd you get?"

"If you're not telling me why would I tell you?"

"Fine." Rory said casually, knowing by the look on Tristan's face it was truly bugging him that he didn't know who she had picked.

"Fine." Tristan told her as he began to walk away but turned back and leaned closer to her. "You know…If you got me all I'd want is you wearing nothing but a Santa hat."

"I can relay that message to Brad, who I'm pretty sure picked your name."

Tristan shuttered slightly and walked away not bothering to think of a retort.

Smirking at her ability to render Tristan speechless she placed books that she didn't need into her locker. Turning slightly, she saw Paris standing next to her causing her to jump. "Make some noise!"

"Who'd you get?" Paris asked ignoring Rory's remark.

"If I didn't tell Tristan why would I tell you?"

"You seriously did not just compare me to him."

"Sorry, I'm not telling but is there another reason you're here?"

"To complain about this ridiculous project." Paris whined, "Nothing about holiday cheer will get me into Harvard."

"The people at Harvard might appreciate some type of human compassion."

"Screw human compassion, like I'll ever need that."

"Says the women who wants to be a doctor." Rory muttered, then turned to face Paris "It's no so bad."

"Not so bad? Maybe not for you because you won't open your locker to find dollar store dreidels and plastic menorahs."

"On the bright side, if that happens you can always appreciate that they know you're Jewish."

Scoffing Paris walked away, not wanting to dignify Rory with an answer.

----------------------

That night Rory walked into her house to find Lorelai sitting at the kitchen table cutting pieces of white paper up. "What are you doing, Mom?"

Lorelai glanced up and gave her daughter a 'duh' look "Paper snowflakes!"

Sitting down at the table next to her, Rory observed as her mother folded the paper then cut random shapes and patterns into them "Those are really pretty." she complimented as Lorelai unfolded the finished product.

"We used to make them all the time when you were little."

"Really? I don't remember that."

"It's how we decorated the potting shed because I couldn't afford decorations."

"Oh yeah!" Rory said remembering, "and Mia wanted us to decorate the front desk with them."

"People always used to ask where we'd bought them."

"Can you make me a few extras, I need them for a school project."

"A project involving paper snowflakes? What kind of school am I sending you to?"

"Our English teacher wants us to teach each other how to appreciate the holiday season. For the next five days we have to anonymously leave little things to brighten our partners spirits."

"Who'd you get? Paris? I hope not because I imagine that brightening her spirits would take longer than five days…Longer than five years."

"That's not nice and I got Tristan."

"Bible boy?"

"Yeah, he's seemed to calm down since he spent some time at military school so it's not all bad."

"You've got your work cut out for you, I grew up in Hartford and as a teenager all they really appreciate is gifts and time off from school."

"I know. So, you'll make me some extras?"

"I'll even use glitter!"

"Thanks Mom." Rory smiled as she got up and walked into her room to begin doing the rest of her homework.

I'd love to know what you think!