1 [Report This]Date: December 21, 2020 11:47 pm Title: Memories fill my heart and I can barely keep my tears from falling- Kelly Clarkson, Underneath the Mistletoe
I *do* appreciate those details. And I for one would love a novelty fire extinguisher as a housewarming gift. One of those things you know will be unique AND is something you can guarantee they can use.
Ha! That's awesome! You read their minds! Also, for all of Kelly's Kellyness, I suspect that's a gift Jan might enjoy, perhaps in spite of herself.
That tree is gorgeous.
Author's Response:
Ooo bonus review...always so great to get them -and yours are always a treat.
For as much as I love mushy stuff it's the quirky little details that I am most excited by to write and read.
It's incredible what you can do with paper - hey's how's that for a DM slogan?
Would make a good title for a fic that featured Oscar's Origami - plot bunny - wink wink.
Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday - however you celebrate!!!!!!!!
1 [Report This]Date: December 17, 2020 08:38 pm Title: All of your traditions, I want to know them all - Dan + Shay, Take Me Home for Christmas
This was a perfect button for this fic - their history becomes their family's history becomes part of their kids' history.
Author's Response:
Thanks - glad you liked this second jump into the future.
Wishing you a very happy holiday season and a happy 2021.
1 [Report This]Date: December 17, 2020 08:37 pm Title: It barely took a breath to realize, We're gonna be a classic for all time -Gwen Stefani You Make it Feel like Christmas
This prank was well worth Pam’s week of wondering – he decorated a Christmas tree with their history! It’s incredibly cute. And the fact that it began a holiday tradition is wonderful – them making their history a part of their family’s future, acknowledging the road it took to get them there. Certainly something you want to remember when things get tough – and having Pam thinking about that history during the post-AARM Christmas as she starts to plan where the road takes them next is a lovely bit of icing on the cake.
I love the details you threw in here – Pam planning to troll him with the tuna, the callback to Michael’s birthday, Michael’s horrible (although hilarious) gift idea for Ryan. And bringing in Oscar’s origami skills was great. At least *someone* appreciated them, documentary crew.
The challenge of writing Christmas fic while making sure the menorah gets lit every night is REAL.
Author's Response:
The struggle IS real. But my lights got lit every night and I hope I did Christmas true.
So you were on to it early but hopefully there were still a few surprises for you in the end.
Writing this story had me all warm and fuzzy as I thought back on all the things I could include on the tree and all the ways Jim would have to hide them from Pam.
Sorry they had to watch Frequency - but I did think your idea was hysterical. I'd love to see how often that movie can be tied into a fic - it'll be one of those inside jokes I've always wanted to be part of - wink wink.
I knew you would appreciate the details:
The gift idea for Michael had me deep diving on Internet and the next time I need a housewarming gift I know what I'm getting. Also - I had another Office Ladies moment. The Juicy Couture sweatsuit idea from Kelly was written BEFORE they talked about it on the podcast but you should have seen my smile when they talked about it.
The origami was inspired by Oscar but also by the tree at the Museum of Natural History - living in the city with young kids we were always there and I remember how in awe I was of the three when it went up each year. It really is magnificent. I put this link up after you read the story but in case you are interested in seeing the inspiration:
https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/origami-holiday-tree
I'm glad you enjoyed the first jump to the future.
Thanks as always for being a great reviewer - it's always such fun to read them.
1 [Report This]Date: December 17, 2020 06:47 pm Title: All of your traditions, I want to know them all - Dan + Shay, Take Me Home for Christmas
Lovely epilogue. Feels like the start of handing down the tradition. I remember the first holidays I had with my in-laws had similar feel. They knew I was pretty serious about my future wife and so they all welcomed me with open arms into the family traditions. It was and still is a lot of fun. Same kind of vibe here.
This was a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing it. I'm glad I was able to help out.
Fortes Fortuna Adiuvat
Author's Response:
I'm so glad you liked it and it brought some memories of sharing holiday traditions.
I got the warm and fuzzies writing this one and hope it brings that to anyone who reads it.
Wishing you and your family a warm and fuzzy holiday - best wishes for a wonderful season and a happy new year.
1 [Report This]Date: December 17, 2020 05:49 pm Title: It barely took a breath to realize, We're gonna be a classic for all time -Gwen Stefani You Make it Feel like Christmas
Lovely as always. Again I really like all the little details you put in. Oscar's origami, the shag carpet of Jim's parents house, and of course everything on the tree itself.
The perfect way to wash away the fears and doubt Pam had over the course of the week. Especially with the flash forward there and Pam starting to consider her own big Jim gesture.
Author's Response:
Thank you and thanks again for the early beta review.
Another inspiration came from a tree I saw at the Museum of Natural History (living in NYC with kids was a wonderful thing - we went there a lot - my son even did a sleepover there when he was young) they had a tree in lobby with all origami and it was so cool. In fact I think I may add a photo to my story notes.
1 [Report This]Date: December 17, 2020 07:21 am Title: In my Heart is a Christmas Tree Farm - Taylor Swift
Max, I love this story! It’s so sweet and true to their characters. I (obviously, and as we all do) always wanted to see their first thanksgiving and Christmas as a couple. I actually like the take of them needed to spend it with their individual families that first year, because it makes their reunion that much sweeter when Jim can swoop in and cheer her up. Can’t wait to see his plans with the lids! Keep it coming! :)
Author's Response:
Thanks WW
I too love writing the missing firsts.
Jim's birthday and now Christmas - since my mom's gave them such a hard time I guess their first Thanksgiving in my universe will be next year but it will be hard to do justice to how you wrote their first turkey day.
Thanks for reading and reviewing. We both are all about the big Jim gestures so always nice to hear what you think.
1 [Report This]Date: December 17, 2020 01:35 am Title: In my Heart is a Christmas Tree Farm - Taylor Swift
The details woven throughout this are just enchanting. Like Jim knowing Pam likes a sprinkle of cinnamon in her coffee. The description of the tree farm was wonderful as well. Growing up and even today, we've always had an artificial tree. One day my wife says she'll drag me out to a tree farm to get a real tree, but until then there are stories like this one for me to get a sense of the experience. It all seemed very fun and the perfect way to start out creating new Christmas memories between Jim and Pam.
Loved how quick on his feet Jim is going to be. Pam's a smart cookie with an eye for detail. However the fact that they're so well matched, especially in this story, is just part of the charm of JAM.
Lovely.
Author's Response:
I imagine - as you see - it's all part of the experience and a lot of fun to get the tree. I spent many years in NYC where 1. you walk a lot and 2. in season, every other corner has mini lots of trees set up - walking through them the smell is just well no other way to describe it but Christmas. I imagined that smell as I wrote. Between the tree lots and the amazing windows and decor in the city, well you can't help but feel the spirit.
Pam almost stumped him but good thing for Dwight's Recyclopse - he was able to pull off an excuse - although I'm not sure Pam is buying it. But she's just so excited to go tree shopping and get started on celebrating the season with JIM she's not going to make more of it.
Thanks for all the insight - as a beta and now.
1 [Report This]Date: December 17, 2020 01:21 am Title: Memories fill my heart and I can barely keep my tears from falling- Kelly Clarkson, Underneath the Mistletoe
The fun thing is now I get to comment on really specific things rather than just general things.
Still a lovely story to get into. Thanksgiving seems to ring true. Granted by now it's been almost half a year since Jim and Pam got together, but family pressure knows no bounds it seems. And besides, it seems like Pam really enjoyed herself with her parents and Penny this year as opposed to last year. Loved the images of early Pam and why Christmas is so important to her. Little five year old Pam drawing on the wall is just adorable.
I get the recollections with Roy. As an audience we only saw the last part of that relationship. Where it was moving steadily to its eventual demise. However they were together for a long time so they must have had plenty of good times too. It feels very bittersweet for Pam to think back about those times.
However this is Fancy New Beesly. Rather than worry about getting the old things out, she embraces new decorations and I love that. New boyfriend, new traditions, new ornaments, all setting the stage for forever. Beautiful.
Author's Response:
Yeah, I still get a review. Bonus for me! You might have noticed some little changes mostly to fix little writing issues and the songs.
Remember early in season 1 or 2, when Pam's mom was coming in she said she lived like 2 hours away. I figured that would make it hard to do both. Always a challenge for new couples to make the switch from making it to the family events to choosing to be with each other over all else. And I picture both moms laying it on.
I myself loved writing about Pam's first mural - even though I wrote it I wonder if she got into any trouble or if it was forgiven because of the reason.
Yes, I feel like all we ever hear/read/see is the bad stuff with Roy - but there had to be some good times. She couldn't have stayed with him soooo long if there weren't some. And if they weren't happy over holidays I can't imagine when they would be. But even so he's still Roy.
In my head all the really special ornaments are still back at her parents or not so special anymore because they represented her life with Roy. So out with the Old and in with the New!
Thanks for the extra insights. Love to hear them from you.
Date: December 17, 2020 12:35 am Title: In my Heart is a Christmas Tree Farm - Taylor Swift
More, more! This is so cute!
I say “no” on the Jim/yoghurt combo (certainly on-screen), though what he does with Pam and yoghurt in the privacy off their own home is entirely their business! ;)
Author's Response:
Cheeky! I can only imagine.
More is coming - I'm so glad you are enjoying it. This was another one of those stories that just snowballed once I started writing and what's coming is like a snow day - you have to shovel through it but in the end you get a white Christmas and all the season's spirit.
THANKS so much for the review.
Date: December 17, 2020 12:30 am Title: Memories fill my heart and I can barely keep my tears from falling- Kelly Clarkson, Underneath the Mistletoe
I absolutely love this. My favourite thing of yours to date.
Author's Response:
Well thanks so much. I wanted to do something holiday for the new couple.
I picture Pam as really loving the season and Jim, coming from a big family would be very much a holiday guy too.
It fills me with that same holiday cheer to get your review.
Thanks so much for letting me know you're enjoying.
1 [Report This]Date: December 16, 2020 07:49 pm Title: In my Heart is a Christmas Tree Farm - Taylor Swift
Oh, man – not sure how Pam will feel about Jim picking up the tree without her, but the contrast between Roy being kinda forced by circumstance to spend time with her over the holidays and Jim desperately longing to spend time with her when they’re separated for just a night or two is pretty darn sharp.
Is Jim going for a yogurt-lids-as-affordable-ornaments sort of thing? Because if so, that’s far too cute, and I would like to request some sort of warning label so that I can mentally prepare myself for it. Those two and their faux metals…
Jeez. Jim’s really having to do a lot of scrambling to make this plan work. He’d better be careful, Pam knows his tricks.
(I’m now kinda rooting for it to be a running gag throughout this series that they keep trying to watch Frequency and not being able to for some reason.)
I am actually not sure if we’ve ever seen Jim eating yogurt. But I’m sure he has, just to tease Pam.
Author's Response:
You Sleigh Me! I love the idea that they would never get to watch Frequency - but they would miss out on a really good movie! But that is a great running gag!
Now I did warn about the fluff up front. Like how this is almost all fluff and it's about to get fluffier but not before some more mystery...l'm all mum on what's to come but will be posting it soon.
Loving the reviews - thanks for the cheer!
1 [Report This]Date: December 16, 2020 07:28 pm Title: Memories fill my heart and I can barely keep my tears from falling- Kelly Clarkson, Underneath the Mistletoe
As you will hopefully get an illustration of within the next few weeks, I really like the idea of using this big milestone holidays as a chance to have characters reflect back on what those holidays have looked like in years past, and with Pam (and Jim) having gone through such titanic changes over the last few years S4 seems like a particularly strong opportunity for it.
I love you working in Helene’s perspective on Season 3 Pam as a mom, and what Pam might have looked like away from work and the cameras and the need to care about appearances. I thought the note that Pam thought her S3 Christmas was worse than S2 was pretty striking, although fair and reasonable – for all the growth she did that year, the process of doing so must have felt pretty awful. (Pam wearing the merger day sweater to an ugly sweater party is a good detail and stings like heck.)
I like that you gave her some semi-pleasant associations with Roy, but it’s hard to read this ultimate triumph of low expectations and have Pam view it as a happy memory. It sounds on point that she might just enjoy Christmas with Roy because he can’t find any excuses to not spend time with her. Here’s hoping you’re about to write her a merry little Christmas with Jim.
“But this year, this year was like finding out Santa was real after all” is the most Christmas fic line to ever appear in a Christmas fic, I love it. And their matching Christmas sweaters!!!! I have no words.
And I’m very much looking forward to seeing what Jim is up to that he doesn’t want Pam to swing by. That’s right, Halpert. I’m on to you.
Author's Response:
I am enjoying the holiday fics and hoping you are going to be sharing too. I'm excited for your holiday tales.
Now I feel I must defend the Pam Roy part. I can't imagine Pam and Roy didn't have some happy times together even if they were fleeting. And if they weren't able to have good times during even the holidays I can't imagine she would have stayed with him as long as she did. So holidays alone, feeling hurt watching Jim and Karen maybe made those times feel more happy than they were. Remember they even get back together for a spell right after Christmas in season 3. I like to think it all started as she thought about missing their Christmas experience. And like you said she had low expectations. So even little experiences would have brought her joy.
As someone who has more experience with Bar and Bat Mitzvahs than decorating Christmas trees it's great to hear I had a very Christmas line and you liked the sweaters detail. I love this season of year and while I don't have a tree I very much get into the spirit, for starters I've been overdosing on holiday songs.
Yup he is up to typical Halpert stuff. You'll see soon enough.
Thanks for reading and reviewing. I always enjoy hearing what you think.