Snow fell from the sky above Sugarcube Corner, blanketing the streets of Ponyville in a thin layer of pristine white. The warm, cozy atmosphere within the shop was none diminished by the frequent bursts of chill wind that snuck inside with every opening and closing of the front door. Every time a pony passed in or out, the air was momentarily filled with the jingling of bells, adding to the lively din created by those within. The long line that stretched away from the sales counter was filled with warmly and festively dressed ponies, each one seeming to have something to say, whether it be discussions of fruit cake recipes, worried mutterings about holiday shopping, or merely warm greetings of "Happy Hearth's Warming". Of course, none of those ponies' voices could rival the sheer energy and warmth projected by that of the bubbly pink mare standing behind the counter.
"Here's your order, Cheerilee!" proclaimed Pinkie Pie. "One jumbo-sized box of gingerbread ponies, baked fresh this morning, and decorated by yours truly."
Pinkie smiled proudly as she placed a large box on the counter and lifted the lid, allowing the mare standing before her to gaze upon the small army of festively decorated desserts that sat within.
"Oh, my!" said Cheerilee, her smile mirroring those of the cookies within the box. "These are lovely! Why, they're almost too adorable to eat!"
"Thanks!" said Pinkie. "I wanted your students to have the best Hearth's Warming party ever, so I made sure to give these ones the extra-special Pinkie touch!"
Cheerilee chuckled as she closed the box and carefully put it into her saddlebags. "Well, I certainly appreciate it," she said, "and when the fillies and colts see these, I'm sure they will too."
"You just let me know if you need a refill!" said Pinkie. "I can whip you up another batch lickety-split if you run out."
"Oh, I'm sure this will be enough," Cheerilee chuckled, "but I'll let you know." Her package secured, she stepped away from the counter, making way for the next pony in line. "Thanks, Pinkie, and have a happy Hearth's Warming," she said as she turned and walked away.
"Happy Hearth's Warming!" Pinkie enthusiastically echoed, giving Cheerilee a parting wave as the schoolteacher made her way to the exit.
Sitting statuesquely upon the counter just a short distance away, watching over the proceedings like a silent sentinel, was a small, green alligator known to his friends as "Gummy". While his gummy mouth might have been empty of teeth, his contemplative mind was not empty of thoughts as he sat there, unblinking and unmoving, taking in the sights and sounds around him.
Hearth's Warming. What is Hearth's Warming? Is it merely a thinly veiled excuse for ponies to eat foods they would never normally eat, to wear clothing they would never normally wear, and to purchase things they would never normally purchase? Is it indulgence made manifest? Extravagance? Hedonism? Or is it, perhaps, the product of the malicious machinations of some enigmatic cabal of greeting card salesponies and toymakers? Such a puzzle.
"Hi, Derpy!" said Pinkie to the bubble-butted mare who stepped up to the counter. "Happy Hearth's Warming!"
And why do we say it is a "happy" Hearth's Warming? Is it because we wish it to be happy, or that it is happy whether we wish it or not, or is it because we feel happy on Hearth's Warming, or maybe because it is a Hearth's Warming worth being happy on? Perhaps it is all of those at once? Or none? Such an elusive answer.
While Pinkie still boasted a wide, welcoming grin, Derpy's lips were bent in the shape of a worried frown as she moved to take Cheerilee's place. As Pinkie's warm greeting reached her ears, however, and her peculiar eyes fell upon Pinkie's infectiously happy face, Derpy's own expression softened, and the mare managed to conjure a little smile of her own.
"Oh...hello, Pinkie," said Derpy. "I'm here to pick up an order. I have the receipt here...somewhere..." She reached into her saddlebags, searching for the aforementioned receipt, but her search initially proved fruitless. Her frown returned as the searched more deeply and more desperately into her bags, grumbling in anxious frustration. As she rooted through her belongings, she accidentally spilled a number of objects onto the floor: a pen, some empty candy wrappers, a hairbrush, and other little articles of the sort one would expect to find in a mare's bags. As the klutzy mare realized what a mess she was making, she hung her head in embarrassment. "Oh, fiddlesticks."
"Oh, it's okay!" said Pinkie as she hopped over the counter. In the blink of an eye, she collected up Derpy's scattered possessions and carefully deposited them back into her bags. "See? No harm done!" She bounded back over the counter. "Oh, and don't worry about the receipt. I remember what you ordered."
Derpy breathed a sigh of relief, and her smile quickly returned. "Oh, thank you, Pinkie!" she said. "I'm sorry I'm so scatterbrained today. We've just been so busy at the post office recently and...and I still need to buy Dinky a present and...and go grocery shopping and..."
Or perhaps it is not happy at all? Perhaps such happiness, if it exists, is merely a fleeting, ephemeral thing...a snowflake caught in a winter breeze...something to be ever pursued, but never obtained...an illusion...a fantasy...one wrapped in colored paper and tied with a bow. Perhaps a different descriptor would be more appropriate. Frustrated Hearth's Warming? Overwhelming Hearth's Warming? How befuddling.
Pinkie reached across the counter and placed a comforting hoof on Derpy's shoulder. Derpy looked up at her, seeing the unusually calm smile upon her face.
"Hey," said Pinkie. "Everything's gonna be alright. Everypony gets a little nutty around Hearth's Warming...even me! Heck, you should see how frazzled my sister Maud gets this time of year! Talk about crazy!"
Derpy didn't know whether it was Pinkie's comforting words or her joking ones that got to her. Regardless, she felt her holiday stress momentarily melt away, and she chuckled softly.
"Now, let's get you your order!" said Pinkie, before zipping away from the counter. Mere moments later, the speedy mare returned, bearing two boxes, one large and one small, which she set down on the counter. "Here you go! One cake for the Ponyville post office Hearth's Warming party!" She lifted the lid of the larger box, revealing a large cake covered with snow-white icing. Additional icing had been used to draw out a festive scene upon that canvas: a number of happy, smiling mailmares surrounded by presents, candy canes, and big, bold letters that spelled out "Happy Hearth's Warming".
"Oooh," said Derpy, her eyes sparkling with awe as she looked upon the dessert. "It's perfect! The girls will love this!" Her eyes then wandered over to the smaller box, her brows furrowing in confusion. "But...what's this?"
Pinkie smiled as she opened the smaller box, revealing the most delectable-looking muffin, still warm from the oven, and filled with juicy cranberries as big and red as the ornaments of a Hearth's Warming tree.
Derpy felt her mouth water at the sight of the scrumptious snack, and felt her belly grumble in anticipation, but her confusion remained. "But...this isn't part of the order," she said, despite wishing dearly that it had been.
"Oh, I know," said Pinkie with a smile. "It's for you." She closed the muffin's box and pushed it towards Derpy. "On the house."
It took a moment for the words to filter through Derpy's mind, but as they did, her smile returned, bigger and brighter than it had been all day. "I...I don't know what to say!" she said. "Thank you, Pinkie!"
"Aww, don't mention it," said Pinkie. "But don't let me catch you looking all down-in-the-dumps again! Hearth's Warming isn't the time for frowny faces!" She spoke in a mock-lecturing tone, which had the intended humorous effect.
The wonky Derpy giggled a fittingly wonky giggle, and allowed herself a wide smile.
The frustration and the chaos...perhaps those are the fleeting things. Perhaps those are the trifles that serve to distract us from that which is truly meaningful. When the winter snow melts away, what is left behind but the bright, green grass beneath? And when the seemingly endless vexations of Hearth's Warming, too, disappear, fading into distant memory, what is left behind then?
"Happy Hearth's Warming, Derpy," said Pinkie.
"Happy Hearth's Warming, Pinkie," said Derpy.
Pinkie helped Derpy assemble her small collection of confections and store them safely in her bags. With a smile and a wave, she sent Derpy on her way, watching as the mailmare made for the door, moving with a joyous spring in her step.
Friendship? Caring? Love? Are these the things that remain with us, even when the cookies have been eaten and the presents unwrapped? Are these the wheat that we so painstakingly separate from the chaff? Perhaps so. That is the perception that so many seem to share. The stresses...the aggravation...the heartache...is that why we suffer them? For love? To give it, and to receive it? To feel that comforting sensation of knowing that one exists in the mind of another? I think, therefore I am, but to be loved...is that an even greater testament to one's existence?
Behind the counter, the door that led back into the kitchen opened, and through it walked the adorably plump proprietor of the establishment: Mrs. Cake. The mare smiled as she approached the counter, stepping up beside Pinkie. "Everything alright out here?" she asked.
"Absotutely!" said Pinkie as she finished selling a bundle of cookies to the pair of fillies standing at the counter.
Mrs. Cake chuckled warmly. "I can take over now, dear," she said. "The twins are asleep."
"You sure?" said Pinkie. "I don't mind manning the front!"
"I know, but...don't you have to get ready for your Hearth's Warming party?" said Mrs. Cake.
Pinkie froze in place for a few seconds, then gasped a comically deep gasp. "You're right!" she said. "Twilight and the girls will be here before too long, and I still have a whole lot of decorating to do!"
"Well, you'd better get to it then!" said Mrs. Cake with a smile.
"You bet I will!" said Pinkie, a determined smile on her lips. She dashed away, but stopped and dashed back just as quickly. "Thanks, Mrs. Cake!" She gave her boss a quick hug, squeezing her lovingly, before dashing away again.
Mrs. Cake chuckled. "You're welcome, Pinkie," she said. "Happy Hearth's Warming."
"Happy Hearth's Warming!" said Pinkie.
Love. Is that why we do it? Is that why we suffer the slings and arrows of this season, and indeed, of every season? To relish the love and companionship of those whom we share this universe with? Is that why I do it? Is that why I tolerate this meager existence? And if so, is it worth it? The candies and the carols...the presents and the performances...is the love that lies buried beneath, invisible, yet ever-present...is it worth all of that?
Before she made her way out of the shop and up into the living area directly above it, Pinkie stopped before the little gator still sitting silently on the counter. "Thanks for keeping me company while I worked, Gummy," she said. She quickly leaned down, puckered her lips, and planted a great big kiss on the gator's little green head. "Now, come on! You and I have a date with a party cannon!" She took the gator in her hooves, carefully placing him on her head and nestling him into the plush cushion of her mane. With her pet secure, Pinkie made her way to the stairs, bounding up them towards her bedroom.
For a long moment, Gummy was silent, both inside and without, but eventually, words came to him once more.
Yes. It is worth it. For all of the countless eons I have spent pondering the great mysteries of the cosmos, fruitlessly pursuing the answers to unfathomable quandaries beyond mortal comprehension...nothing has been more rewarding than the simple pleasures of the here and now. This little pink creature and her kind...the love they have given me...what is the word they have for it? Contentment? Yes...that's it. I am...content. As are they. They are content...with loving and being loved. Despite all of their suffering and grief...they are content. Perhaps they understand this better than even I do. Perhaps they have understood it all along.
Pinkie perked up her ears. "What's that, Gummy?" she said, listening intently for a moment. "Oh, don't worry! We'll have plenty of egg nog! I made extra this year, so you drink as much as you want!"
Curiouser and curiouser. Further observation is required.