Onto the description winners! I have to say, the description entries impressed me the most, because not once did I encounter a story that wasn't to my taste. Each one had perfect grammar and unique plot lines. Although the tone of the stories ranged from cheerful to tragic, they're all gems to me.

Another massive shoutout to everyone who entered: pinhead_larry_02, WinterRD, winterwicks, geek_girl_writer, clato_maroondiamonds, evanescentdaydream, brokenidjit, and AislingIontach16!

Anywho, I present to you the wonderful winners of the description contest!

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3rd place | Bittersweet Tragedy by evanescentdaydream

I was honestly in tears by the end of this story. It's unique way of showing that there is a dark side to everything. No matter how cheesy and cute Waffle Cones is, there's still room for tragedy. It was an interesting concept, diagnosing Emily with schizophrenia, since she's usually so put together. It shows a different side of her, and how even the infamously joyous Fletcher can grow weary from it. This was truly a bittersweet tragedy, and I loved it.

Prizes: A shoutout on my message board + one day of account and story promotion on all my social media accounts.

2nd place | White Out by clato_maroondiamonds

I just have to say that you dominate in the description department! I love how you weave words together and create beautiful analogies. Also, I was pleasantly surprised that this was set in a store other than Waffle Cones, since it gave the story another dimension. I enjoyed how Fletcher was the one who was losing hope, showing that even the most bubbly of people can be pushed to their limit. Well done!

Prizes: A shoutout on my message board + a follow from my main account + votes and comments on one story of your choosing.

1st place | Secret Santa by AislingIontach16

This had me laughing and crying with mirth the entire time! I just love how this story was based around Erin and Alex, since they're both underrated characters. Plus, I was so impressed at how extensive your research was. Anywho, it was so cute to see Alex and Erin's blossoming romance, and how they both changed each other for the better. Plus, Fletcher's Christmas jingles are goals. Congrats, Sparky! You deserve first place.

Prizes: A shoutout on my message board + votes and comments on two stories of your choosing + your contest entry being featured on this story for one month.

Check out the winning entry!

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"JINGLE BELLS, SEVERUS SMELLS, WORMTAIL RAN AWAY. MYRTLE CRIES, VOLDY DIES, POTTER ALL THE WAY! HEY, JING-"

"FLETCHER PARKER, IF YOU DO NOT SHUT YOUR TRAP RIGHT THIS INSTANT, I SWEAR I WILL CUT YOUR BALLS OFF AND USE THEM TO DECORATE THIS GODDAMN TREE."

"Sashimi rollin', she hatin'. "

"I'm sorry, do you want to be strangled with these fairy lights?"

"You're a hoe."

"I know, the Santa at the front of the mall told me. I think he thought I was deaf because he screamed it in my face three times as I walked past."

"Aw, Erin, do you have to be such a grinch? It's called Christmas, not Bitchmas. "

Well that's what it should be called, thought Erin sourly as she stuck her tongue out at her co-worker and handed him another holly wreath. An eternal pessimist and hardcore hater of all things cheery and sweet, the season of laughter and merrymaking, love and generosity, and cookies and candy canes was the stuff her nightmares were made of.

As far as Erin Johnson was concerned, Christmas sucked, and having to spend it in this poky little town sucked even more. She had only moved to Westerden a couple of months ago and had taken an instant dislike to the town and all its people. She hated school and spurned the advances of anyone there who tried to befriend her, spending every Friday night with her trusty companions Netflix and pizza.

And just when things seemed like they couldn't get any worse, her parents had announced over Winter Break that if she didn't get her life together and go out and get a job or a hobby, they would be shipping her off to a Swiss boarding school in the new year. Which was precisely the reason why she was stuck here on Christmas Eve, decorating the Waffle Cones storefront with Fletcher the demented elf boy.

Erin wasn't the biggest fan of Waffle Cones, but she had to admit, albeit grudgingly, that working there wasn't the worst thing she could have ended up doing. And coming from her, that was like high praise. Although she definitely hated Melanie, owner extraordinaire and Maleficent incarnate, with a burning passion. Scarlett, the little Disney Princess wannabe, annoyed her immensely. Fletcher... well, she actually did have a soft spot for ickle Fletchy-poo. He was never offended by her insults and always sassed her right back. Erin secretly enjoyed their verbal sparrings, and he was definitely her favourite in the store.

Was she forgetting anyone? Oh yes, there was Alex Hamilton. Erin glanced at him now, as he stood quietly, hanging ornaments on the little Christmas tree in the shop window, a small smile playing on his lips and the corners of his ocean blue eyes crinkling as he listened in on Fletcher and Erin's conversation. A man of a few words, Alex hadn't said much to her in the few weeks she had been working at Waffle Cones, but she found him the most infuriating of the lot of them. He was just so good. It was sickening. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the secret lovechild of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, thought Erin dryly. Alex loved everything about the holiday season. Running his hand through his dark blonde curls, he looked up and caught her staring at him, and gave her a shy smile.

She looked away, her brows knitting together in annoyance. Jeepers, Erin, she scolded herself, what's gotten into you? What are you doing gawking gooey-eyed at Alex Goody-Two-Shoes Hamilton? With a toss of her head, she picked up an empty box of Christmas decorations and carried it into the back room, wondering absently if she would be greeted with what she thought she would find when she got there.

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Setting the box down on a dusty shelf, Erin crept stealthily to her locker where she stowed her belongings at work, glancing around to make sure no one else was in the room. She slid the door open and voila, there it was. A little envelope with the words 'To Erin Johnson, with regards from your Secret Santa', on it. She tore it open, and out fell a voucher for drinks at Coffee Scents, a lovely little coffee shop not too far away. Erin loved her coffee like she loved herself- dark, bitter and way too hot to handle. She couldn't help smiling.

For the last week, she had been receiving little anonymous gifts every day, and she had soon realised that she was the only one getting them. Ever the suspicious pessimist, she hadn't breathed a word about it to anybody and was determined to figure out who it was herself. She prided herself on her sneaky ninja skills, and she was sure she would get to the bottom of it. But after a week of surreptitious hunting, she had to grudgingly admit that she had no clue who her mysterious Secret Santa was. But tomorrow was Christmas Day, and she was hoping that he-or she- would finally reveal his or her identity before then.

"ERIN! IS THAT YOU?" Jolted out of her reverie by the sound of Fletcher's voice, Erin hastily stuffed the envelope into her locker, just as he came bounding into the room.

"No, it's Dumbledore in a bikini," she huffed, reverting back to her default setting of snarky and annoyed, " What do you want now?"

"Aw, are you still mad at me about earlier? "

"Fletcher, honey, I'm always mad at you."

"Aw, come on Erin! Forgive and forget?"

"I'm not Jesus nor do I have Alzheimer's. How about shut up and fuck off?"

"Well damn, we've got a sassy one over hear. Anyway, what I came to say was Mrs Bitchflakes-er, I mean, Melanie, wants you out front right now. We're out of ice cream so we're closing the store for the afternoon while I run out and stock up at the supermarket. Meanwhile, she wants you and Alex to give the inside of the store a new coat of paint and jazz it up before our grand Christmas party tomorrow."

"Ugh, do I have to? Why don't you swap jobs with me? You can have some quality bro-bonding time with Alex, and I might be only five foot four, but we both know I'll be better at fighting off desperate last-minute Christmas shoppers for the last tub of caramel fudge."

"Sorry, my lovely, but no can do. I break out in hives if I'm anywhere closer than five feet to an open tub of wall paint, and we can't have our ninja waiter covered in ugly red welts on Christmas day, now can we? The only reason ladies even show up at this place is because I'm such a sexy beast."

"Cool story bro. What about Scarlett?"

"She's taken the afternoon off to go on a romantic getaway to the Westerden Ski Lodge with her latest fling."

"Just my fucking luck. I'm stuck here painting on the 24th of December. Happy freakin' Christmas to me."

"Aw, come on, my little jingle bunny. Look on the bright side. You'll be spending a whole afternoon alone with the glorious golden-haired Alex Hamilton. Who, by the way, you have been making gooey-eyes at all month, so don't tell me I'm crazy for thinking there's something going on there." said Fletcher, wiggling his eyebrows up and down, so they looked like two furry caterpillars writhing in pain.

"Me and Alex? Really, Fletcher, that's the best you could come up with? You must be mistaking real life for those cheesy chick flicks you watch obsessively. We need to get you a psychiatrist before you turn into a big roll of cheddar." scoffed Erin.

"Now, now, my child. Cheese is good for health and the soul, besides being completely delicious. Deny it all you like, but you are pleased to be spending all afternoon with Alex and take it from the captain of this ship, sparks will damn well fly. Winky face."

And with that, Fletcher dashed out of the room, leaving Erin rolling her eyes, although a tiny part of her knew he was right.

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"Hey, Erin," Alex smiled sweetly at her as she walked out of the storeroom. Even with her resting bitch face, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on. She was one of those girls who looked gorgeous without even trying, with a pretty, intelligent face, wavy chestnut brown hair that fell to her shoulders and speckled hazel eyes brimming with mischief and wit. "Melanie actually picked out a really nice mint green colour. I've already started this end of the wall, just grab a brush and you're all set. Thanks for agreeing to help me out."

"You're welcome, although it wasn't actually a choice I made happily." she said with a wry smile, picking up a paintbrush.

"Ah well, at least you're here." he continued beaming at her cheerfully.

"You are so sweet."

"I try my best."

"So sickly sweet you make me want to puke."

"Err...thanks?"

"That wasn't a compliment. You certainly are very odd."

"You've got to be odd if you want to be number one."

"Ugh, enough with the Maths puns! I get enough of that from Fletcher."

"Well, I thought you liked them. You do seem to like him better than the rest of us."

The reproachful tone in his voice made Erin look at him. The poor boy looked genuinely sad. With the face and demeanour of an angel, he was probably used to being adored by everyone he met, and just couldn't understand why this strange new girl hadn't warmed up to him yet. Her face softened and she replied, " No I don't. I like you way better than that annoying little dingbat. He's the human embodiment of a Christmas elf on a sugar high."

"Really?" His whole face lit up like a Christmas tree, making Erin's heart melt even more.

"Really. Hey, why don't you and I grab a cup of coffee after work together? I have a voucher to this great place called Coffee Scents, not too far from here."

"It's a date!" Alex exclaimed. "Er, not that sort of date," he added in a hurry, blushing furiously as he realised how his words sounded.

Erin couldn't help smiling. He was such a precious little love muffin. The moment those words entered her mind, she cringed. It must be all this Chritsmassy holiday nonsense, she told herself, it's wrinkling your brain.

Alex, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear like all his Christmases had come at once. There was something almost suspicious about it, thought Erin, but she dismissed that thought as ridiculous. Surely Alex Goody-Two-Shoes Hamilton didn't have a deceitful bone in his body.

"This paint looks great. This place really needs a revamp." Erin remarked as they continued with their task.

"Does it ever. You know, before you started working here, the sign on the storefront read 'Falafel Cones' for nearly a whole year." Alex reminisced with a grin.

"Seriously? Holy mother of mozzarella sticks, that's hilarious." Erin burst into a fit of giggles.

"Seriously. No wonder business was even more terrible then than it is now." said Alex, cocking his head to one side and surveying her. She was even cuter when she laughed, he decided.

"Why don't we put little chocolate chip stickers all over the walls when they're dry? Then the walls would look like mint chocolate chip ice cream." Erin suggested.

"That's a stupendous idea! This place is going to be so lit when we're done with it." Alex rubbed his hands together in glee. " So is mint chocolate chip your favourite ice cream flavour?"

"Nuh uh. I don't like ice cream. Too sweet and sticky."

"Erin Coraline Johnson, are you telling me you don't like ice cream?!" Alex gasped in horror.

"Ice cream, cookies, cakes, chocolate, sweet stuff in general. And by the way, I didn't know you knew my middle name. Stalker, much? "

"I-I, erm-", Alex spluttered, going beet red. But he soon recovered from his fit of embarrassment. "Never mind that. YOU CAN'T NOT LIKE SWEET STUFF. YOU WORK IN AN ICE CREAM STORE, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE."

"DON'T YELL AT ME. I CAN DO WHAT I DAMN WELL PLEASE."

"But it's unnatural!"

"Fight me."

"Bring it on!" With a mischievous grin, Alex swiped his paintbrush across her face.

Erin's mouth fell open in shock. Did Mr Goody-Two-Shoes really just splatter her with paint?!

This was a side of Alex she had never seen before. "Oh, it's on now." She spat out, attacking him with her own brush.

The paint fight lasted ten minutes, leaving the pair of them giggling messes covered in paint from head to toe. "You look like a minty mini Hulk," Alex grinned.

"Same to you, seaweed brain. And now we have this huge mess to clean up," retorted Erin, washing the paint off herself at the sink.

When she was done, Alex took her place at the sink. "You can grab a clean towel from my locker to dry off."

"Thanks." Erin yanked his locker door open, causing something to fall out. She bent to pick it up, but froze when she saw what it was.

Alex cursed under his breath, mentally kicking himself as he realised belatedly what he had done.

"Alex, " said Erin softly, straightening up with the envelope clutched in her hand, "Are you my secret Santa?"

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"It wasn't supposed to go like this," said Alex miserably. He and Erin were now sitting on the couch in the storeroom. "We were supposed to go to Coffee Scents together, and I was going to give you the last envelope and you were going to be blown away like those girls in the cheesy chick flicks Fletcher is always raving about. But I guess life never works out like it does in movies," he trailed off gloomily.

"Oh, Alex. It's fine, really. I'm blown away enough as it is. I can't believe you actually went through this whole charade...for me. " said Erin, still a little stupefied.

"Look, I know you hate Christmas, " said Alex quietly, " and I wanted to do something about that. Try to, I don't know, change your mind. Make you love it the way I do, even though I don't know you that well. Was that presumptuous of me?"

"Not at all. I'm so touched. I'm always so prickly and I've been nothing but rotten and snarky to all of you since the day I joined here. Why would you go through all this trouble for me?"

"Why wouldn't I go through all this trouble for you? I'm not saying you aren't snarky, Erin, but that's just who you are. It doesn't make you an unlovable person. You're hard-headed, not hard-hearted. You might be rude and sarcastic most of the time, but I can tell you would do anything for the people you truly care about. And I wanted to be one of those people. Because you're smart, pretty, funny, and like no girl I've ever met before. And this might sound stupid and desperate, but I've been crushing on you since the week you started working here." Alex said in a rush, his face flushing, "Don't worry. You don't need to say anything. I know it's ridiculous."

"Oh no, Alex. It isn't ridiculous at all." Erin spoke up after a moment of silence, smiling slightly, " This might seem cheesy as fuck, but I like you too. I've been too stubborn to admit it so far, even to myself, but I've only just realised how silly that it."

"You...you like me too?" Alex stared at her wide-eyed.

"Yeah. It just crept up on me. Kind of like a snowstorm. At first it's just a few flakes drifting to the ground and then the next time you look out of the window, bam! Your whole lawn is covered in snow. You're my snowstorm, Alex. I always knew I kind of had a little thing for you, but right at this moment, after that speech of yours, I'm absolutely smitten. "

" Wow. That was so poetic, Erin. Like something straight out of a chick flick."

"Okay, so I enjoy the occasional chick flick now and then. But if you tell anybody, I will stuff your head up a Christmas turkey's ass and stick it in the oven. "

"Aaaaaand she's back, ladies and gentlemen." Alex laughed teasingly.

Erin couldn't hold back her own giggles. She grabbed both sides of his head, running her fingers though his dark blonde curls, and brought his mouth down to meet hers. But Alex jerked his head back at the last second.

"There's just one thing."

"What is it?" she said, perplexed.

"I can't kiss you unless you promise you will at least try to like ice cream. And chocolate. And other sweet things."

"You scheming son of a sparkly sloth. You can't give me ultimatums like that!" cried Erin indignantly.

"I can and I will. I can't have a girlfriend who hates ice cream."

"Girlfriend? Moving a little fast, aren't we?" It was Erin's turn to flash a teasing smile.

"I-I mean,do you, er, will you- " Alex stammered. Smiling smugly, Erin thought to herself that while tomato red wasn't exactly the most attractive skin colour, Alex looked very adorkable when he was flustered.

"Oh, just shut and kiss me, you little twat. I promise I'll eat whatever disgusti- er, delightful goodies you want me to."

"Excellent. Operation Kissmas commences now" Alex grinned, leaning down till their noses touched, their lips only a few inches apart.

"All we need now is mistletoe." smiled Erin, and then cringed as she realised how sickly sweet she sounded.

"Who needs mistletoe when you look this cute." And before Erin could make any snarky comments about how cheesy that line was, he pressed his lips against hers.

Being kissed by Alex was like bathing in a hot tub filled with warm sweet cocoa. And if drinking cocoa was anything like it, Erin had no qualms about trading up her precious black coffee for it.

They snogged for a good ten minutes, unable to break away even when they heard Fletcher walk in, singing at the top of his voice.

"YOU BETTER WATCH OUT, AND HIDE IN A HOLE, HE'LL REACH DOWN YOUR THROAT AND SWALLOW YOUR SOUL, VOLDEMORT IS COMING TO TOWN. HE'S MAKING A LIST, OF PEOPLE HE HATES, WHEN DUMBLEDORE DIED HE THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT, VOLDEMORT IS COMING TO TOWN. HE SNEAKS IN WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPING, AND DRAWS DICKS ON YOUR FACE, AND IF YOU SAY HIS NAME OUT LOUD, HE'LL- AHHHHHHHHH, MY EYES, MY EYES, MY POOR VIRGIN EYES! DID I JUST WALK ONTO THE SETS OF A CHRISTMAS PORNO? "

But Erin and Alex were oblivious to his histrionics.

Erin and Alex, so startlingly different and yet together, the perfect blend.

He, the boy who handed out candy canes to little kids at Christmastime.

She, the girl who used candy canes to smack annoying little kids round the head at Christmastime.

But hey, it was Christmas Eve. With the air ripe with the spirit of festivity and the magic of the holiday season all around, anything was possible.

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A huge congrats to Sparky and her amazing story, and a shoutout to everyone else who entered my contests! They were stupendous and unique, every single one of them. I'm so proud of you guys for taking my characters and creating masterpieces with them. Also, make sure to check out Eye Drops and Snow Boots if you haven't already. Thanks loves!

P.S. I will be messaging the winners about their prizes soon.

P.P.S. Thanks so much for #1 in Short Story again!

Chocolate kisses and infinite wishes,

~ Yilei xx