Many ponies leave out cookies on the night of Hearth's Warming Eve. It's tradition, after all.

It's been a tradition for a very long time.

Sunset Shimmer encounters Santa Claus in Pinkie's living room and they have a short chat.

Cover art belongs to Astral Sketch.

Now with YouTube reading by kingfish!

Second reading by ObabScribbler!

Third reading by AliCentaur Br0ny!

...and a fourth reading by LoneWriter1800!

Wow, guys. That's a lot of readings.

This story is a sequel to In the Moon’s Platinum Glow

A special moment between sisters happened that first Hearth's Warming Eve. Star Swirl the Bearded saw the significance, but too late. Another will happen this year, and with his guidance, maybe Twilight Sparkle can make this the best Hearth's Warming Rarity ever had.

Featured on Equestria Daily!

Cover art by stabzor

Stress levels were already high, with Twilight directing her first royal Hearth's Warming pageant and unexpected snowstorms escaping the Everfree. Then the changeling army arrived.

Now, with Queen Chrysalis holding Ponyville hostage and the clock ticking on suspiciously pointless negotiations, it's up to Rarity to match wits with the invaders and save the holiday. However, as she digs ever deeper into the queen's tangled plot, what she learns could force her to choose between her friendships and her conscience.

Off-season note: This is a Hearth's Warming story like Die Hard is a Christmas movie (but with espionage instead of explosions). Don't skip it just because the holiday's over.

Critical praise:

"A high-tension thriller where nothing is what it seems." — Titanium Dragon (rating: "Highly Recommended")

"An entertaining ride from start to finish … watching all the pieces fall into place is fantastic." — Present Perfect (rating: "Highly Recommended")

"Props to horizon for an intricate web of deception. Most writers have difficulty with crafting mysteries … this one, however, had me completely fooled from beginning to end." — PaulAsaran (rating: "Why Haven't You Read This Yet?")

"It’s a rare mystery and thriller that can keep things tense and make the mystery actually tough to guess as you go along, while still feeling like a natural conclusion. ... The end result of layers unveiled and red herrings contradicted makes it sing." — Ghost Mike (rating: "Really Good")

Second-place winner in the "Behind Closed Doors" December writeoff, now expanded and revised! Featured on EqD! Rated "Recommended" by MLPmatthewl419!

Big thanks to Titanium Dragon for post-Writeoff editing assistance.

Comments contain spoilers!

You know that feeling? You know, the feeling that you get when you realize you've forgotten something that is very, very important? It is 10:32 p.m. on Hearth's Warming Eve, and Twilight Sparkle has just gotten that feeling...

Alicorn Night is the last day of Hearth’s Warming; a time of friendship, family, and forgiveness. So why wasn’t the whole family invited to share it with the Seeds? Babs loves Hearth’s Warming, and she wants to know why. The answer is a sweet but sad chapter of family history she will never forget—but that perhaps she can re-write.

The cover image is by DaughterofFantasy on DeviantArt.

Rarity normally sees Hearth's Warming Eve as a pretty simple holiday. Eat cookies, put up with family, make Sweetie Belle a nice dress. But when all of Sweetie's other presents turn out to be clothes, Rarity can't bear the disappointment in her sister's cute little eyes. After finding an old Dress Me Daisy doll in her childhood bedroom, Rarity decides to make the doll into a perfect present.

Cover Image by 1Trick:
http://1trickpone.tumblr.com/

The business of government never stops, and paperwork never rests, even on Hearthwarming. But this particular Hearthwarming, Cabinet Secretary and tea enthusiast Dotted Line plans to do his level best to see it, at least, take a break. His ponies need to go home to their families, and he, well, he has plans this Hearthwarming.

It's winter in Ponyville, and Diamond Tiara is queen of the Hill. Can the Cutie-Mark Crusaders cast her from her snowy fortress?

"Dear Santa Hooves. My name is Apple Bloom, and I don't want presents for Hearth's Warming this year. I just want my cutie mark..."

Featured on Equestria Daily -- January 18th 2013
Fanfic reading by Scribbler
Reddit page
Download link for the 'FROM THE DESK OF TWILIGHT SPARKLE' paper