It’s the first Christmas since Joyce’s death and Spike can’t help but make sure those Summers sisters have a merry ol’ time despite it all. Dawn, however, is determined to spread her own bit of festive cheer - and she ain’t subtle.
A festive SAD gift for Marinaeulalia.
I’ve been a bit loose and free with the timeline of Season 5 here, but this is set post-Joyce’s death and pre-Buffy’s. Imagine a Spike who has not commissioned a creepy sexbot and still has his invite to Revello Drive. Dawn is just as perceptive, and Spike is tolerated by the Scoobies more than he was at this point in the show. Those are my conditions, accept them or be a grinch ;)
I mean this to be fun and lighthearted, but it takes seriously the reality of grief and loss and the special intensity those things take during the holiday. For anyone who’s ever lost someone, I hope you have a good festive season x.
I was inspired to write this as a gift for Marinaeulalia because she was an early commenter and supporter of my first stories on SAD, and I know BtVS has meant a lot to her and her family after loss, as it has for me too.
Huge thanks to the amazing Dynamite for their work on the banner, we share a mutual love of Dawn :)
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
1. Unwrapped by Alyot - Likes: 11 
Comments: 17 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 119 Published: 12/01/23
I'm using the 'tis the season prompts posted by Grief Counselling for each of these wee drabbles, and I'm going to be posting every day until 20th December (maybe I'll add an additional four for an epilogue? WHO KNOWS?!)
2. Festival of Lights by Alyot - Likes: 11 Comments: 7 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 81 Published: 12/02/23
3. Down My Chimney by Alyot - Likes: 9 Comments: 5 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 96 Published: 12/03/23
Enter stage left: BUFFY
4. Stockings by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 8 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 76 Published: 12/04/23
5. Under the Mistletoe by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 6 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 64 Published: 12/05/23
6. Last-minute Shopping by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 10 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 82 Published: 12/06/23
7. Mittens Mittens Mittens by Alyot - Likes: 11 Comments: 5 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 58 Published: 12/07/23
8. Red-nosed by Alyot - Likes: 11 Comments: 8 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 73 Published: 12/08/23
9. Holiday Hell by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 6 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 59 Published: 12/09/23
10. Nine Candles by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 4 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 55 Published: 12/10/23
11. Blanket of Snow by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 4 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 59 Published: 12/11/23
12. Crackling Fireplace by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 10 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 58 Published: 12/12/23
13. Winter SOULstice by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 6 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 60 Published: 12/13/23
14. Spike the Eggnog by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 4 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 50 Published: 12/14/23
15. Ugly Sweater by Alyot - Likes: 11 Comments: 8 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 55 Published: 12/15/23
16. I Saw Buffy Kissing Santa Claus by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 6 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 53 Published: 12/16/23
Some dialogue from The Body.
17. Sleigh Ride by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 5 Word Count: 200 Hit Count: 51 Published: 12/17/23
I cheated my own rules and made today’s a double drabble ;)
18. The Gift that Keeps on Giving by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 4 Word Count: 200 Hit Count: 57 Published: 12/18/23
Another double header.
19. Bah humbug by Alyot - Likes: 9 Comments: 7 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 57 Published: 12/19/23
20. Baby it's Cold Outside by Alyot - Likes: 10 Comments: 11 Word Count: 100 Hit Count: 51 Published: 12/20/23
