[text / action for Goldenrod / go ahead and make mingley top levels if you want]

[meteorman]

A. Text

To whom it may concern,

This is an invitation to a casual Hanukkah celebration to be held tonight at the Skellington House in north Goldenrod. Food will be provided, though if you wish to bring some to share I'm certain that no one will object.

No RSVP necessary. Anyone who would like to is welcome to stop by*. In strange times and places it pays to be able to find common ground in what little may be familiar.

- Dr. Stanford Pines

*Except for Rick Sanchez, unless he promises to behave himself. There will be children in attendance.

B. Action

[The mansion is hard to miss, partially because it's awfully large and partially because beneath the Christmas decorations the Halloween ones still appear to be up. Add the menorah in the window and the combined light the place gives off is probably visible from space.

As promised there is food: it's not a proper sit-down dinner, considering he figures people will keep trickling in as they have the time, but there are latkes and sufganiyot (he may have asked for Mabel's help with those) along with more Johto-appropriate foods and some things that fall squarely in-between. There are also driedels available, with markings that appear to be painted on in glitter, for people who would like to play or at the very least learn how.

It ought to be a nice night.]

Comments

ITS YA BOY STANFORD

[meteorman]

A. OTA

[It's been a long time since Ford did this and even longer since he did it what someone might call 'properly'. He was never all that faithful, he fell out of being particularly observant when he left home (hell, he started eating bacon just to spite his father), and then when he left his dimension it became incredibly difficult to find universes that even knew what Judaism was. It's not like riding a bike or firing a crossbow or hotwiring a Xorxian spacecraft; he's rusty.

He's managed the basics at least. Really he's just excited to celebrate a holiday, any holiday, with other people instead of alone in a cave on an off-map asteroid. It is undeniably a step up. He can be found hovering around, greeting people as they arrive, and in general soaking up the cozy atmosphere while at the same time pretending he totally isn't. He's a rational adult man and not a man who spent thirty years more or less completely isolated from meaningful interpersonal relationships and community, what are you talking about?]

B. For Dipper and, later, Mabel

[At some point during the night Ford takes the kids aside, each on their own. They've been largely traveling apart despite showing up nearly all at the same time, and while that suits him just fine it does not escape him that this is his first real holiday spent with a family in a very long time.]

I have something to give you, if you have a moment.

B

[sneezelikeakitten]

[As long as Ford doesn't mind a Cleffa following Dipper around, then yes, Dipper doesn't mind.]

Yeah, what's up?

[meteorman]

[How could he ever mind a Cleffa? Cleffa is delightful.]

I admit gift-giving is not my strong suit, but I have quite a few holidays to make up for.

[He pulls a package from his coat. It's wrapped in simple blue paper and he didn't bother to write a name on it considering he planning to give it to Dipper directly. It's about the size of a paperback book, but it's more rounded around the edges than a book might be.]

[sneezelikeakitten]

[She is very delightful if a bit shy. Dipper takes the package and looks down at it.]

Thanks! Is it okay to open it?

[meteorman]

By all means, go ahead!

[Inside is a cloth case complete with pencils, pens, and even a couple of different erasers.

He looks at Dipper with that particular Ford-brand smile. Did he do good?]

[sneezelikeakitten]

[................................................]

This is amazing!

[You get a hug, Ford!]

Thanks! I love it!

HEY NERD GRANDPA

[schachmeister]

[Armin only has a tentative grasp of what Hanukkah is. Church had explained some of it to him, but clearly actually experiencing it will be the best way of finding out more about the holiday. Plus, it is a chance to actually meet Mr Pines face to face. So far they've only been able to speak via their gear.

Oh look, there is Mr Pines now.]

Ah, Mr Pines. Thank you for inviting us.

[Yeah, his friends are around somewhere. Like they could resist the lure of fried foods!

Armin glances down on the bag he's carrying. It's just donuts, but those are fried and delicious, right? Still, he hopes it is the right thing to bring.]

Um, It was fried foods, right? That you eat during Hanukkah, I mean.

[meteorman]

[He is probably both taller and wider in person than he appears on a tiny screen. Whoops. He smiles brightly when he sees Armin -- for a man who likes to think he's mysterious and reserved, Ford Pines tends to wear his emotions on his sleeves.]

Quite correct! Go ahead and put them with the others. Anywhere is fine.

[schachmeister]

[Armin searches for an empty spot on one of the laden food tables, setting down the bag when he finds one.]

I didn't know you also celebrated this Hanukkah.

[meteorman]

Ah, well. I'm not the most observant member of my faith.

[Which is perhaps putting it lightly, what with all the bacon he eats, but he has to stick it to his dad's lingering memory somehow.]

[schachmeister]

We don't really have any of these religious celebrations where I am from. It's interesting to learn about what sort of religions are out there in different worlds.

B

[meowbel]

[At the same time, should Ford look at Mabel, one could see her being covered in nothing but yarn. Does he want to get any guesses on what she's doing?]

Of course I do! What's up?

[meteorman]

[Now, see, a man who didn't know Mabel Pines would guess 'sweaters'. Ford does know Mabel Pines, and he knows not to assume. For all he knows she yarnbomed the main staircase or knit two-hundred unique snowflakes or something else equally ridiculous. He's learned to roll with it.]

Considering I'm not certain when we'll be in the same city again, I thought it prudent to give you your gift now.

[meowbel]

[It's definitely best to roll with whatever Mabel has in mind. There are just some things that are left best unanswered and this is one of them.

Although, once she heard what Ford said, that's when her eyes widen with glee!]

Awww, you really shouldn't have! You know you didn't have to, Grunkle Ford!

[meteorman]

Nonsense! I have years and years of gifts to make up for.

[He turns and pulls a package from beneath a nearby table. He would have kept it in his coat like he did with Dipper's but it's simply too large -- about 12 x 12 inches, it looks like.]

You're welcome to open it now if you like.

[meowbel]

[Now Mabel couldn't help but be curious. With a raised eyebrow, the girl simply just kept on staring at the package. What it could be, she wasn't sure but!]

Then don't mind if I do! Let's see here...!

[As she got a hold of the present, she'll just open it up and...!]

[motherfucking_ghosttype]

[The holidays seemed like a good excuse to stay in town. Even if he did miss...everybody, seriously, did everyone from his world up and disappear? Church has never been the most meticulous with the holy days, either. It's hard, being shipped around and stuck in places filled with fucking stupidity. (Among other reasons he's not going to name.)

So it's kind of weird getting in to a stranger's home and seeing all the sights of...well, all of the holidays, really, but especially Hanukkah. Hell yes he's going to have a latke, thank you. The whole gang isn't with him this time, opting only to bring Osiris the Yamask, as an excuse to get him out of his shell a little more. There might in fact be a yarmulke on Osiris' head. And Church's! Three guesses as to who probably helped with that.]

Uh, sup. You must be Stanford? This is...a real nice thing you got going on here, man.

[meteorman]

For something short-notice it came together well, yes.

[Is that... is that a shiny Yamask wearing a yarmulke. Holy shit. That's like three different things he is absolutely all about, all in one place. More importantly, though--]

We spoke over the gear, I believe? I recognize your voice.

[motherfucking_ghosttype]

[Nonono, the shiny Yamask waearing a yarmulke is definitely way more important, let's be honest here.]

Yeah! Yeah, I'm Church. And this here's Osiris. [The Yamask looks away shyly but gives a feeble wave.] And I'm also pretty impressed by how many people around here either are here to celebrate or here to learn. Or...here just to crash an extra holiday party, which, y'know, is also really likely.

[meteorman]

From my observations it appears to be a nearly even mix of all three. I was surprised at how many people were genuinely interested in learning despite having no frame of reference whatsoever, to tell you the truth. I have explained to at least two separate people what 'a Hanukkah' is.

[motherfucking_ghosttype]

Do you go in-depth or do you do the really short version? Because even the short version is pretty wordy. I mean, we could do a boring little sit-down sometime tonight and regale people with the actual story. I mean...end of the day, it's mostly about oil. Can't hurt, though; who doesn't like stories?

[notvaljean]

[Jean got dragged to this thing by Armin, so he's been slinking around the edges of the festivities like a semi-feral cat, watching everything and not quite interacting with a whole lot of it. He recognizes Ford, though, from their conversations on the network, and creeps up next to him.]

Uh, hello, sir.

[Please recognize him, or this is going to be so, so awkward.]

Thanks for throwing this thing.

[meteorman]

[He does, in fact, recognize Jean. A man with a brain like his has a certain knack for recalling things, thank goodness.]

Don't mention it! I haven't had a proper Hanukkah celebration in over thirty years now. It was high time that changed.

[notvaljean]

Is this what celebrating Hanukkah is usually like?

[If it is, Jean digs it, since it mostly seems like people hanging out and eating and talking to each other. This is a religion he can get behind.]

[meteorman]

Oh, that varies highly by family and region and what interpretation of the faith you follow. So the short answer is yes, with the long answer being yes, for my little corner of Judaism in particular.