HowLovelyAreThyBranches

Disclaimer: Xander, Anya and the rest of the characters and situations relating to �Buffy the Vampire Slayer� are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and the WB Network. No ownership by the author is either intended or implied.

Notes on �How Lovely Are Thy Branches�: Suggested Soundtrack- A Charlie Brown Christmas, by the Vince Guaraldi Trio .

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Christmastime is here,
Happiness and cheer,
Time for all that children call
Their favorite time of year.
Snowflakes in the air,
Carols everywhere,
Olden times and ancient rhymes
Of love and dreams to share.
Sleighbells in the air,
Beauty everywhere,
Yuletide by the fireside
And joyful memories there.
Christmastime is here,
Families drawing near,
O that we could always see
Such spirit through the year.
-"Christmastime is Here" (V. Guaraldi)

�So what are we watching tonight?� Anya asked as Xander put the bowl of popcorn on the living room coffe table and picked up the VCR remote.

�A Christmas classic,� Xander said.

Anya rolled her eyes. �Not that stupid movie about that kid wanting a BB gun again?�

�First of all,� Xander said, �that happens to be great movie. Second of all, no, we�re not.�

The tape started and the gentle notes of a piano began to play.

�A cartoon?� Anya said. �A Christmas cartoon? Really, Xander.�

�Just watch it, Anya,� Xander said with a sigh. �Please? For me?�

Anya looked at her boyfriend out of the corner of her eye. �Oh. All right.�

�Thank you.�

Anya rested her chin against her hand and managed not to comment for nearly thirty seconds. �Is that supposed to be a dog ice skating?�

�Yes.�

�That�s just ridiculous. Dogs don�t have the motor co-ordination��

�It�s a very special dog,� Xander said evenly. �And it�s a cartoon.�

Anya went back to watching. On the screen a black-haired cartoon girl explained December was too early to catch snowflakes, she always waited until January, and Anya gave a little chuckle.

�Now what?� the ex-demon said a moment later. �Isn�t she supposed to be a little girl? How can she have a psychiatrist�s license?�

�It�s just a joke,� Xander explained.

�I�m not sure I get it,� Anya said. �And now look at that! The ice-skating dog is using a hammer.�

�He has to. How else can he expect to win the neighborhood house decorating contest?�

Anya gave an exasperated sigh. Now a blonde little girl was dictating her letter to Santa Claus. When she suggested he bring her tens and twenties Anya nodded in agreement.

The scene then switched to a dance number accompanied by enthusiastic jazz music.

�Watch this,� Xander said, getting to his feet. He held his arms straight at his sides, turned his face up with a delighted grin, and began pumping his feet like mad.

Anya stared, trying to comprehend the latest bizarre human ritual.

�It�s the Snoopy dance,� Xander exclaimed when she gave no reaction.

Anya blinked, still too confused by the boy�s behavior to comment.

�The dog,� he said. �His name is Snoopy. Watch when he dances.�

Anya turned back to the TV, and Xander slumped beside her, suddenly depressed to realize his girlfriend didn�t have the memory of yearly Christmas specials in common with, well, everyone, but especially him.

Charlie Brown and Linus were looking at trees, now. Xander looked around his own still-Spartan apartment and realized he had yet to purchase one. He waited uneasily for Anya to comment, but she didn�t.

Xander�s heart sank. She hates it, he thought. My happiest Christmas memory, and she thinks it�s stupid.

�They shouldn�t be so mean to him,� she said suddenly, startling Xander out of his mood.

On screen, the peanuts gang was laughing loud and long at Charlie Brown�s pathetic twig. �What?� Xander said.

�I mean, they railroaded him into directing their little play,� Anya said, �and then they don�t even listen to him. He�s just trying his best.�

Oh, wow, Xander thought. She�s actually identifying with Charlie Brown. She�s getting it. He held his breath, afraid of breaking the moment�s spell.

Charlie Brown hung a mirrored ball on his tiny tree, and with a discordant jumble of notes on the soundtrack�s piano, it bent nearly double. �I�ve killed it,� the cartoon boy exclaimed, his voice thick with anguish.

Beside him, Xander heard Anya gasp. It took all his control not to put an arm around her shoulders and re-assure her all would be well.

�That poor little boy,� she said softly, as Charlie Brown ran off wailing.

Now Linus was wrapping his beloved blanket around the tree, and the rest of the children lavished it with decorations and love. Magically, the tree blossomed, transformed.

As the strains of �Hark! The Herald Angels Sing� echoed through his apartment, Anya turned to Xander with tears in her eyes.

Man, he thought, the Grinch cartoon is gonna kill her.

�Rewind it,� Anya said. �I want to see you do the Swoopy dance again.�

�Snoopy,� Xander corrected her gently, crossing the room to his stereo. �And I don�t have to rewind the tape, because I have the music on CD.� He extracted the disc and slipped it in the player, selecting track four.

The sound of Vince Guaraldi�s energetic piano filled the apartment as �Linus and Lucy� began to play. Xander held out his hand to Anya.

The girl stood and joined him as once again the boy began dancing frenetically around the living room. Uncertainly, she raised her arms in an arc and bounced from one foot to the other, bobbing her head left and right in imitation of the cartoon girl in the purple dress.

�That�s it,� Xander shouted. �You�re doing it!�

Bolstered by his enthusiasm, Anya loosened up and the two danced wildly around the apartment until the song ended, and they collapsed, breathless.

And Xander started the song again.

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