Today was Christmas Eve. Manny, Jay and I were sat on the sofa, watching a movie. "No, no," The woman in the movie began, " it isn't that kind of a trial. It's just because he says he's Santa Clause."

"But I've got a feeling he is Santa Clause, Mother." A little girl said in the movie.

"Some people don't believe that. That's why—"

"Are you crying?" Manny suddenly asked Jay.

"What are you, a robot? It's s deeply emotional movie." Jay said, his eyes were watery. Gloria walked into the living.

"Manny, Y/N, mi amor" Gloria began as she wakes into the living room, " I need you to help me in the kitchen." Jay turned off the movie.

"We gotta finish this first, Gloria. The kids  have never seen Miracle on 34th Street." Jay told her.

"That's because they always spent Christmas in Colombia with my family. And all we see there is Salazar and El Oso Save Christmas." Gloria told him.

"Sounds like a classic." Jay said in his grumpy tone.

"It is." Gloria smiled with a nod.

"Mum," Manny began, looking up at her, "can we finish the movie?"

"Okay." She said, attempting to hide her smile. Gloria, Manny, and I had found a joke copy from the internet, which had a jump-scare during one of the scenes. The jump-scare would happen in about 10-20 seconds. The movie continued playing and I looked over at Jay. Manny did the same thing.

"I think perhaps you're right, Susie." The woman said then the jump-scare happened. Jay practically jumped out of his seat.

"What the hell is that?" Jay asked. Gloria, Manny and I were laughing.

"Inocente!" Manny And I shout.

"What the hell?" Jay's eyebrows furrowed.

"When you told me we were going to watch this movie, I got a joke copy from the internet." Manny told him. "You are the inocente!" Manny And I said, pointing at Jay. Jay turned off the TV.

"Well, Maybe I'm a little confused right now. What is this 'inocente' stuff?" Jay asked.

"In Colombia, practical jokes are a Christmas tradition. The one that is fooled is the inocente!" Gloria told him.

"We tell practical jokes on April Fools Day, So do not do that again." Jay said.
Gloria, Manny And I got up and left the room, the three of us still laughing.
"Does it do it again?" Jay shouted. "Ah, it's ruined." He frowned, throwing the Tv remote onto the sofa.

——

Manny, Gloria and I were in the kitchen. There were four presents on the kitchen counter. "Okay." Jay began, "Tonight, 9:00 sharp, we open one present each. Pajamas — which we sleep in. Tomorrow morning, 7:00 am, Manny, Y/N, on the stairs for the Christmas picture. Then we open presents." Jay said, then walked into the kitchen.

"In Colombia, they open presents at midnight and stay up till morning." Manny told him.

"I'm sure that they do, but as you'll notice from the absence of goats in the street, we are not in Colombia." Jay said, faking a Colombian accent. The three of us share looks of offence. "Come on! I'm kidding."

"Why can't we mix a couple of Colombian traditions in?" Gloria asked.

"Like what?"

"Like fireworks." Manny And I said in unison.

"Come on. You don't have fireworks in Colombia. You're trying to make me the inocente again." Jay said.

"No, we do. At night the sky is beautiful — very Christmassy." Gloria told him.

"That doesn't make any sense." Jay shook his head.

"Look," Gloria began, "every country has their own traditions. In our culture, for example, the baby Jesus is the one that billings the gifts, not the Santa Clause." Manny and I nodded.

"But that doesn't make sense. How could a newborn baby carry all those presents? They don't even know where their hands are."

"At least a baby can fit through a chimney." Manny said.

"How would you sit on the baby Jesus's lap? You'd squish it." Jay said, getting a bit closer to Manny and I. "Manny, Y/N, next year we'll talk about some of your little Colombian traditions. Okay? Maybe."

"We know what 'Maybe' means." We tell him.

"Maybe means no." I say getting up.

"It's like you're trying to take away our whole Christmas." Manny says following me. As we walk up the stairs we hear Jay and Gloria start taking. We walk into our bedroom.

"It's so unfair. Ever since we moved here we've done only what Jay wants. Now we've lost Christmas." Manny said sitting down.

"Maybe he'll change his mind." I said.

"Do you know Jay? He doesn't do stuff like that. He'll keep it How he wants it."

"Yes, But, Aunt Gloria might be able to change his mind." I told him, "She has done before, you know, with Haley's party."

"You really think he'll change his mind?" Manny asks, a bit of hope now in his voice.

"Yeah. If Gloria talks to him then there's a good chance it'll happen." I said. Manny smiled. After about a minute of talking I got up and left. I walked downstairs but Jay wasn't there.

"Where's Jay?" I asked.

"I don't know." Gloria shrugged, sipping her coffee. "He just left — didn't say anything." She told me.

——

"Okay, now remind me first thing tomorrow 'Cause Jay wants to eat at 3:00." Gloria said to us, she was holding a turkey. "Ay, Y/N, Manny! Did you put this spider in the fridge?" Gloria asked taking the rubber spider out of the fridge.

"Oh, Yeah." Manny said. He seemed upset. "Inocente."

"Ay, papi, what's wrong?" Gloria asked him.

"I want to have Christmas like they do in Columbia. Jay is messing everything up. Y/N said you'd probably convince him to have at least one Colombian tradition. But you didn't." Manny said.

"Manny, try to understand. Jay has great memories with his kids when they were young. And he just wants to recreate them with you."

"So, maybe the best gift I could give Jay would be Christmas like he used to have it?" Manny said.

"Ay, you're such a beautiful boy!" Gloria said to him. "One day you're gonna grow up, and I'm gonna miss all the things that you used to do as a little boy. And I'll miss all that you do, Y/N." She said, kissing us on our foreheads.

"Okay. But if this so-called Santa Clause doesn't bring me a burgundy dinner-jacket, we're going to have a problem." Manny says, putting the rubber spider in a jar and walked away.

——

Manny and I were drinking hot chocolate as Gloria carried a tray. The front door opened and Jay walked inside. "Where were you for so long?" Gloria asked Jay.

"Just a little last-minute shopping." Jay told her.

"Ah." Gloria nodded.

"What's this?" Jay asked, referring to the tray which had Buñuelos on it.

"Buñuelos." Manny told him.

"Who? What?" Jay asked.

"Cheese fritters." Gloria told him. "Its a Colombian traditional Christmas food."

"Okay, new rule: From now on we do Colombian things when we're in Colombia. We do American things when we're in America. That means no more of your food, no more of your music, and especially no more of your crazy holidays!" Jay said. I rolled my eyes as he unplugged the stereo.

"Inocente!" Jay shouted.

"Ay, Jay!" Gloria shouted.

"What? Did I say it wrong? You three are total Inocentes! You should see the look on your faces. And by the way— you know how hard it is to get fireworks on Christmas Eve?" Jay said, holding up a bag.

"Go, Manny, And Y/N. Thank you." Gloria laughed. Manny and I got up and ran to Jay, then hugged him. Jay chuckled.

"Thank you, Jay." Manny And I said.

——

On Christmas Day we do the usual. Later in the day the whole family came round. We all had dinner then we'd sing Silent Night. Just before bed, Manny, Jay, And I all watched the video of us singing. I had done some editing so it had a jump scare halfway through.

"All is calm. All is bright. Sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace"
The jump-scare came up, making Jay scream. "Ah, you didn't." Jay said then laughed. "You got me again." Manny and I both laughed.

"Inocente." I said.

"How'd you do that?" Jay asked.

"Just some editing. I did it while you were cleaning the table, and plates." I said, still laughing.