Santa. It wasn't that they ever blatantly discussed not giving Lian presents from Santa, it was just mutually and silently agreed on that Santa does not exist and they were not going to bother with that silly part of the holiday with Lian. Jade never actually said "Don't label it from Santa", but her "Santa Claus is a stupid creation from parents who promote lying to their children" made it quite clear that all presents were from Mommy or Daddy.

It was funny, really, when Roy thought about it. Jade was so concerned about lying with Lian when her entire life was based on lies and deceit. He slept on the couch the night he brought that up and made the decision to never mention it again after that.

Christmas movies, however, were acceptable in the Harper household although they mainly consisted of the Muppet's Christmas Carol and Lifetime movies about wives killing their husbands on Christmas that freaked Roy out more than he wanted to be freaked out. He used to tease Jade about her interesting television choices until he actually sat down and watched a movie with her. 90% of the time the husband dies. He wished he was kidding.

The night in question happened on Christmas Eve. Jade was curled up on the couch reading a book and drinking tea, Roy was watching football and trying to steal the blanket from his wife who had it so well wrapped around her that he only could manage to get a corner. Lian walked out of her bedroom during halftime, her eyes glancing over to the conservatively dressed tree.

"Daddy, how come Santy Claus doesn't like me?"

The question brought raised eyebrows from both of her parents. Jade shut her book and placed it on the table beside her while Roy turned down the volume on the game.

"What do you mean, etai yazi?" Lian looked up at her father, and then back down at her shoes pretending they were far more interesting.

"Aiden and Cecilia at school said that Santy Claus comes to their homes and gives them presents…but he doesn't come to our house and give me any presents," Lian replied after a pause. Roy looked over at Jade, trying to see how she wanted to handle this.

The Navajo didn't have Santa Claus. He vaguely remembered some form of Christmas before his father died, and he was pretty sure Santa must have been part of their celebrations. Ollie tried to do it when he adopted him, but by then Roy was much older and the thought of Santa Claus was not believable in the slightest. Jade's eyes reflected much of the same thought he was having and he doubted she ever celebrated Santa Claus. If she did, he could imagine how dysfunctional it was.

"Well did you write him a letter?" The words surprised Jade as much as it surprised him. His wife peered at him curiously before glancing back to their daughter.

"No…" Lian's voice sounded small, and her eyes were filled of wonder and distrust.

"Well you have to write him a letter, otherwise he won't know how to get inside," Roy replied, getting up off the couch and grabbing a crayon and paper from her art box. Lian took the crayon hesitantly, looking between her parents.

"Aiden said that bad children don't get presents from Santy Claus," Her words were slow and careful, and Roy could see how much the thought was bothering her. Roy glanced back up at Jade, whose eyes were fixated on their daughter, an emotion he couldn't detect reflecting on her face.

"Hmmm and Santa does know when you don't clean up your room or brush your teeth," Roy's voice was mostly teasing, but it did little to calm Lian. Roy was hopeless, Jade thought.

"But daddy's right, baby," Jade's own voice shocked her. "You need to write a letter so he can see where you live and so he knows that a good child lives there," It was stupid and Jade didn't know why on Earth she was going along with it. Actually, that was a lie. She knew exactly why she was going along with it. "And Santa and his reindeer like cookies, so you're going to have to help Mommy make them," Roy sent Jade an amused look. Every year they got a stupid note from Wally saying 'What the hell, where are the cookies?' on the mantle. He did it just for a joke, since parents never ate all the cookies their kids would put out in hopes of Santa coming. Alfred's cookies were apparently the best.

Lian's eyes widened at her mother's suggestion and instantly knelt down to the floor, her crayon in hand. "Daddy can you help me write the letter?" Her voice was filled with excitement, and both parents couldn't help smile as they got up off the couch. Jade headed to the kitchen and began taking out ingredients. If Wally was going to come by and steal their cookies, she was going to make them well. Though the thought of putting laxatives in them were tempting.

"Jade," Roy seemed to know what her small smile was for as he crawled down next to Lian. "Okay well you have to start it Dear Santa. That's S-A-N-T-A," he spelled out.

The cookies were cooling by the time Lian finished her letter. She had written it three times, wanting to make it perfect. Roy pulled her up into his lap on the couch, her mother on her left as she read it aloud.

"Dear Santa,

My name is Lian and I really really want you to know where my house is. I am a good girl. My daddy said that I should write you a letter and tell you Merry Christmas so you can bring me presents. Please put them under the tree but leave some cookies for Uncle Wally since Mommy said he comes over and eats them.

P.S. My mommy used to be bad but I think you can give her presents too. She only killed one person this year.

Love,

Lian"

Roy sealed the letter and placed it on the mantle next to the cookies. The next morning, after a night of changing all the 'From Mommy and Daddy' or 'From Grandpa' tags, Lian was first to wake up her parents. The excitement radiated after her as they sleepily followed her down the hall to the tree.

The look in her eyes as she carefully read each package was worth it in her parents eyes. Maybe Santa wasn't just an imaginary fat man who ate all the cookies. Maybe he stood for more. For Jade and Roy, the evidence of Santa was right there in their young daughter's eyes.