A/N: Sooooo I wrote and posted this way back in 2017 and believe me, it shows! It's been in my drafts the past couple of years so I thought I'd put it back up just for fun!

Enjoy my teenage cringy writing! :D

"What are you getting Aragorn and Arwen for Christmas?" Gimli asked Legolas one evening. They had traveled to Minas Tirith for Christmas that year to attend the yearly celebration.

It was something of a tradition, for it had started many many years ago before Aragorn was ever crowned King. Everyone in the city would set up their tree and prepare everything to decorate. Then, that afternoon, feasts and contest and thing of that sort would be held throughout the entire city. During this time, some would decorate and while others participated in the other things. It was the biggest celebration of the year. Everyone looked forward to it, from the smallest child to the oldest women in her rocking chair.

"I don't know yet," Legolas answered his friend. "What are you getting them?"

"I don't know either. I was hoping you could give me some ideas."

Legolas laughed. "If I come up with an idea, I will be using it myself. Sorry."

They rounded the corner were they saw Aragorn and Arwen talking.

"Quick! Hide!" Legolas whispered, pulling Gimli out of their line of sight.

"Why are we hiding?" Gimli asked.

"Shhh! Listen!"

"Why don't you let the servants pick the tree?" They heard Aragorn asked Arwen.

"Because they are busy enough and you've seen the other ones! They said themselves they aren't very good at picking them out."

Aragorn laughed. "I'm sorry, but I simply don't have the time to pick one out before the celebration tonight."

An idea dawned on Legolas and he motioned for Gimli to follow him.

"Aren't we a little too old to eavesdrop?" Gimli said once they were out of earshot.

"You might be, but I am not. Compared to my kin, I'm not that old."

"Elves and their immortal lives!" Gimli complained. "You can claim to be older and wiser than the rest of us, or say that you are as young as a mere child."

Legolas laughed. "Well whether we are too old or not, we still got the information we both needed."

"And what would that be?"

"Well, you heard them. Arwen wants a nice tree but Aragorn doesn't have the time."

"You are suggesting that we should get them a tree," Gimli said raising an eyebrow at the elf.

"Yes! That could be our gift to them." Legolas replied with a smile.

Gimli was silent for a moment. "And how do you plan to pull this off?"

"We can figure that out later. Come on, I saw one the other day that I think will work perfectly!"

****

"Yes, this will do fine!" Gimli exclaimed gazing up at the eight-foot-tall tree. He had been skeptical of Legolas idea, but now that he had seen the tree, he was more optimistic about it. "I'll just get my ax and. . . Wait. . . Where is my ax?"

"You lost your ax?!" Legolas exclaimed. "I didn't think it was possible. You had me convinced that some enchantment lay on it so it would never leave your side."

"Very funny," Gimli said, narrowing his eyes in playful irritation. "I must have left it behind. I will go and fetch it."

He walked off in the direction of the city. Legolas climbed up a nearby tree and waited for his return.

Two hours passed, Legolas sat up when he heard the crunch of snow under heavy boots. "What took you so long?!" He asked the dwarf who appeared with his ax over his shoulder.

"After I found my ax, I ran into Faramir. He and Éowyn are going to make sure Aragorn and Arwen stay busy."

Legolas jumped down from the tree. "Good, now we only have to worry about getting this thing through the city."

"We can take the back way. No sense in using the main roads with the festival going on." Gimli said. "Now let's cut down this tree!" He walked over to the base of the tree. "Stand back! Let the expert take care of this part." Legolas rolled his eyes.

Gimli swung his ax at the base of the tree and continued to do so until it finally came crashing down. "That master elf," He said with a grin, "Is how you cut down a tree." Legolas shook his head in amusement.

Carrying that tree, as the dwarf and elf found out, was not easy. Three hours later, they made it to Aragorn and Arwen's living room, and thanks to Faramir and Éowyn, neither of them were there.

"I say we put it next to the window," Gimli said pointing to the corner where a tall widow was.

Legolas shook his head. "No, it's too close to the fireplace. It might catch on fire! We should put it in that corner." Legolas pointed to the other side of the room.

"Fine," Gimli said and walked back over to the tree in the doorway. "Help me get this thing in the door."

Legolas put his hands on the trunk and pulled. The tree wouldn't budge. "Gimli pull!" He yelled.

"I am!" Gimli yelled back. The two of them pulled again and the tree moved slightly before finally giving free.

With the tree in the door, Legolas looked around. "Um... Gimli, I think we forgot about something..."

Gimli looked around. "What?"

Legolas was silent for a moment before answering, "We don't have a tree stand..."

****

"Just run over there, buy one and run back," Gimli told Legolas pointing at the stand in the street selling tree stands and ornaments. The two friends were hiding in an alley trying to avoid Aragorn and Arwen.

"Aragorn and Arwen could pass by here at any moment! They might see me."

"Then you better hurry," Gimli said and pushed his friend out into the street. Legolas hurried over to the stand. "I need a tree stand, quickly please." He said to the old man selling them.

"What size would you like?" The old man asked. "I have a small one, a medium sized one, a large one, and this one." He picked up one that was awkwardly shaped. "I don't know what size this but you can have it for 10% off!" He seemed to be in no hurry as he continued to show Legolas the options. "I have different colors too, green, red, blue. Maybe you would like the one with all three colors! Yes, your wife would like that!" He pulled out a colorful one.

"No, I'm not marr--never mind--it's for a friend. I'll take the large green one."

"A friend? Well, maybe you would like me to wrap it for you!" The man suggested as he leaned down to retrieve the stand. "Won't cost too much extra, though why you would give this as a Christmas present I don't know. Would make more sense if you gave it to him now as he doesn't have to wait a year to use it! And-"

"I'm sorry but I'm really in a hurry." Legolas cut him off.

"You young ones are always in a hurry aren't you!" the old man said and handed the stand to Legolas. "Here you are!" 

Legolas took it and paying the man, he turned around and saw Aragorn. Quickly, he hid the item he had purchased behind his back.

"Wonderful celebration isn't it, mellon!" Aragorn said. It truly was. It was now in full swing. Candles had been lit in every window, the trees that had been set up were being decorated and some people were competing in various festive challenges and activities. "Where have you been by the way? I thought for sure you and Gimli would be competing in the eggnog drinking contest."

"Well we um... you see... we decided-" Legolas stuttered, trying to come up with an excuse as to why he wasn't getting ready for the competition.

"Aragorn there you are!" Faramir said coming up to them. He saw Legolas' predicament and knew he needed to get Aragorn away. "You are needed ...um... somewhere else!"

Faramir led Aragorn away and Legolas sighed in relief. That was close. Then he turned back to Gimli and the two of them headed back to where the tree lay. Legolas sat the tree stand in the corner.

"Now all we have to do is pick it up and set it up," Legolas said, motioning with his hand from the tree to the stand. "How hard could that be?"

They dragged the tree over to the stand before lifting it up. Legolas held the top steady while Gimli guided the bottom into the stand.

The elf and dwarf stood back and looked at their work once it was up. They both smiled at it but then frowned slightly at the pile of needles on the floor. 

"How are they going to know it is from us?" Gimli asked, ignoring the mess they were going to have to clean at some point.

Legolas pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. "We write them a note and tie it to one of the branches."

****

That evening, Aragorn and Arwen came in to retrieve some things before overseeing the preparations for that night's royal feast.

Arwen walked into the living room "Estel... Did you ask the servants to bring a tree in?"

"No, why?"

"Well I forgot to, but there is a tree in here. A nice one at that!"

Aragorn walked into the room. His eyes grew wide at the sight of the eight-foot-tall tree.

"Look!" Arwen exclaimed, walking over the tree and pulling a piece of paper of its branch. "There's a note!" She opened it up. "It's signed Legolas, Gimli, Éowyn, and Faramir!"

Aragorn laughed. "That explains where Legolas and Gimli were today and why Faramir and Éowyn had us running in every direction."

Arwen laughed too and walked over to Aragorn and put her hand in his, content to look over the unexpected gift with her husband by her side.