221b_recs | Entries tagged with holiday: christmas

Title: Throw Cares Away
Author: Alexaprilgarden
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 7,873 words
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: Sherlock had taught John how to dance for his wedding, and that night, John had kissed Sherlock. And had gone and got married nonetheless. Now, it’s the first Christmas after. After Appledore, after the disaster of John’s marriage. After John returned to Baker Street. And it should have been so easy, so simple, once that John was back. It isn’t anywhere near simple.

Reccer's comments: This is a lovely, quiet story that allows the characters time to breathe. Set in a world where John does not forgive Mary following the events of HLV, but instead returns home to Baker Street.

Sherlock is on eggshells trying to keep John comfortable, and trying to keep his own feelings in check. There's the small matter of John having kissed Sherlock, once, during their dance lesson (in The Measure of Dreams-- a previous story which is not necessary to have read in order to appreciate this one, but a lovely read as well), the memory of which continues to prey on Sherlock's mind and leaves him helpless with longing.

The approach of the first Christmas since Appledore has Sherlock on edge. A case, some carefully chosen words, and a quiet rooftop moment put things into perspective.

On top of it all, Christmas is approaching. And as much as Sherlock tries to despise it, it still makes him sentimental. He never fails to see the momentousness of things happening at Christmas.

He’d rather not have anything happen at Christmas. Because the only thing likely to happen these days, with the small room in his mind palace and the yearning of his heart still under lock and key, is him being his usual self, abrasive with frustration. Rude and aggravating until John finally snaps at him and storms out of the flat. And this time Sherlock isn’t at all sure John would ever come back.

rachelindeed

Title: No Ordinary Cats
Author: philalethia
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 8,700 words
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: Mrs Hudson adopts a cat called Sherlock, who soon becomes bored being an only cat. So she tries to find a friend for him. Silly little AU in which Sherlock and John (and Mycroft) are cats.

Reccer's comments: The author's summary makes this sound like an adorable piece of fluff (literally!), and to a large extent it is. Light and charming, it always brings a smile to my face. But ironically, given the fic's title, what I most enjoy about it is the loving detail with which it portrays Sherlock and John as thoroughly ordinary cats. This fic was clearly written by someone who loves the animals and has a fond, familiar eye for their behaviours, postures, temperaments and mannerisms. Translating Sherlock and John's personalities into the animal world has often been done, but I've rarely seen a version in which they remain simultaneously so recognizable and so genuinely feline. Mrs Hudson's irritated adoration with her beloved but occasionally awful tenants translates perfectly into cat ownership :)

Every time I read this story, I am surprised at how easily it engages me and how utterly sold I am on the details and descriptions.

verdant_fire

Title: I'm Not His Date
Author: objetpetita
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 17,029 words
Rating: Teen
Verse: BBC
Author's summary: AU. John's finally got his career as a writer off the ground, Harry's having a giant Christmas Eve wedding in America, and some arsehole named Holmes won't leave John alone.

Reccer's comments: I can't believe I'd never seen this fic before, but it's a charming, very well-written fake-relationship story set at Christmas, with an excellent writer!John. Its funny, involving antagonism-to-romance setup reminded me of the classic rom-coms, but it has an effervescence all its own.

verdant_fire

Title: Another Auld Lang Syne
Author:

discordantwords
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 30,234 words
Rating: Mature
Verse: BBC
Author's summary: There had been years of missed chances.

Reccer's comments: This is such an amazing, sometimes painful, but ultimately happy slow burn that really dives into the miscommunications and stifled longing between Sherlock and John. It's beautifully written, and every emotional beat feels earned. It regularly had me on the edge of my seat, or choking up, living the emotions right along with the characters. The psychological depth and love for the characters are fantastic, and the many close calls before the final resolution are exquisite torture. I strongly suspect that this will become a new Christmas classic in fandom.

verdant_fire

Title: Happy Christmas, You Arse
Author: 1electricpirate
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 4766 words
Rating: Teen
Verse: BBC
Author's summary: “Ah yes. Christmas isn’t Christmas until you’ve called someone a — how does it go? Scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot?”

“My thoughts precisely, John,” Sherlock says.

In which evidence is presented that disqualifies Sherlock from being the Grinch, and everyone's shoes fit them perfectly well, thank you.

Reccer's comments: I come back and re-read this charming Christmas fic every year, and it never disappoints. It boasts a Scotland Yard Christmas party, overplayed Christmas music, mistletoe, and our heroes renegotiating their relationship. It's also single-handedly responsible for convincing me to accept "Fairytale of New York" as a Christmas song. It's a sweet and spicy dose of holiday cheer.

rachelindeed.livejournal.com

Title: A 2015 Sherlock Advent Calendar
Author: Odamaki
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson; Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade; Sally Donovan/Molly Hooper (implied); Sally Donovan/Philip Anderson; James Sholto/John Watson; Mycroft Holmes/Molly Hooper
Length: 35,000 words
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: Posted on Tumblr for the 25 Days of Fic-mas challenge. As many Christmassy Sherlock ficlets as I can manage between now and Christmas, based on the tags as follows: Shopping for gifts, Hot cocoa, Winter wonderland, Christmas cards, Ghost of Christmas past, Naughty and nice, The Nutcracker, Baking, Making a Christmas list, Scrooge, Mulled wine, Ugly Christmas jumpers, Warming up by the fire, Trimming the tree, Christmas party, Family traditions, Christmas without you, Mistletoe, Christmas songs, All wrapped up, Christmas movies/specials, Snowed in, All I want for Christmas is you, St. Nicholas, Christmas morning. Completed.

Reccer's comments: I feel very lucky to get the chance to rec this month, as I have been reading so much wonderful fic thanks to all the holiday fests and challenges recently. This anthology by Odamaki was one of my favorite stories to follow this December -- I was stunned by the richness, poignancy, and variety of these vignettes.

Every chapter was rewarding, and I was especially touched to read about Lestrade struggling to find a way to reconnect with his adolescent daughter; James Sholto approaching Christmas with a determination to surpass the limits placed on him by physical disability and emotional isolation; and an absolutely breath-taking magical realism AU, running across multiple chapters, which followed Sherlock and John through an intricate, absorbing and unique rendition of the Nutcracker fairytale.

I hope you enjoy this lovely collection as much as I did, and if you like, the author has devoted the final chapter to providing easy navigation links identifying the pairing and main characters of each chapter and also marking the magical realism chapters so that you can easily seek out or avoid whichever vignettes suit your taste. A beautiful wintery gift to the fandom from a very talented author.

venusinthenight

Title: Last Christmas (on LJ | on AO3)
Author:

mistyzeo
Pairing: None
Length: 1701
Rating: Gen/PG
Warnings: None
Verse: ACD Canon
Author's summary: A final Christmas at Great Scotland Yard deserves a proper party.

Reccer's comments: A very festive offering for this past Holmestice, told in the first-person singular, from Inspector Lestrade's point of view. I love the surprise Holmes gives the Inspectors and others at Scotland Yard, and the merry atmosphere around the place in general. I recommend having a favourite warm beverage at hand while reading this. *nods*

rachelindeed.livejournal.com

Title: My True Love Sent to Me
Author:

wafflestories
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 785 words
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: Merry Christmas everyone! I'm sure this has been done before one way or another but hey, carol-y textfic goodness, and John/Sherlock, eventually.

Reccer's comments: This is my favorite Christmas fic. Short, sweet, and hilarious. Really, the best summary I can give you of how it makes me feel is to ask you to remember that moment in the movie Ghostbusters when Bill Murray steps forward to talk about the end of days and shouts, "Cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria!"

This story is gleeful and brilliant, and I always lose it somewhere around the swans. It also sports a truly perfect John voice. And it's an epistolary texting fic, for those who enjoy that style, not to mention an ingenious songfic.

For those who don't devote space in their brain attic to remembering all the lyrics to "The Twelve Days of Christmas," I'll just leave this here, since you will be needing it : )

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: 12 drummers drumming / 11 pipers piping / 10 lords a'leaping / 9 ladies dancing / 8 maids a'milking / 7 swans a'swimming / 6 geese a'laying / 5 gold rings / 4 calling birds / 3 French hens / 2 turtledoves / and a partridge in a pear tree.

Huzzah!

chapbook.livejournal.com

Title: Goose
Author:

rabidsamfan
Pairing: none
Length: 8,626
Rating: Gen
Warnings: none
Verse: ACD Books
Author's summary: Watson recalls an early Christmas at Baker Street.

Reccer's comments: We are still within the twelve days of Christmas and I am experiencing quite the winter where I am, so this delightful fic feels just right: Holmes and Watson sending Mrs. Hudson off to visit her family and fending for themselves (with a little assistance from the Irregulars), all of them struggling to create a Christmas feast in the midst of terrible weather.

One of my favorite things about this story is how the author demonstrates, without being overtly didactic, how much skilled and unskilled labor goes into running even a modestly sized household in the Victorian period. Without Mrs. Hudson and her countless counterparts, many a British home would have ceased to function. Also superb are Watson's voice and the dialogue, as well as the references to the details of daily living in London, which believably situates the reader in the late nineteenth century.

keerawa.livejournal.com

Title: Blood Brothers
Author: 221b_hound
Pairing: Gen
Length: 32,000 words
Rating: G to Mature, depending on the individual story
Warnings: Graphic violence, including child harm
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: I couldn't resist filling this prompt: Vampire fic with no consent issues. I want to read about supernatural shenanigans without thralls or vampires as a superior race or all that. ...
In this story, John and Sherlock are the epic BFFs I always consider them to be.
Reccer's comments: Vampire!Sherlock stories are common enough, but in this series John is the one who's been turned into a vampire. He reacts, as John would, in a completely down-to-earth way, with no patience for all of the ridiculous vampires with their secret covens and opera capes.

The series is currently comprised of ten short stories. It made me laugh out loud several times, and truly moved me at other points. In the latest installments, the author is doing something spectacular with a sympathetic Sally Donovan, and I am intrigued to see where she takes these characters next.

( excerpt )

Enjoy ( Blood Brothers )

swissmarg

Title: John Watson's Twelve Days of Christmas
Author:

earlgreytea68
Pairing: John/Sherlock
Length: 53,464 words
Rating: Mature
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: It's the holiday season. John Watson needs money. Sherlock Holmes needs something else. Here in America, we have these terrible holiday movies that play pretty much constantly through December. They are all startlingly simple and straightforward--quirky girl and quirky boy meet under quirky circumstances, fall in love, and discover the True Meaning of Christmas--and they are all filled with a tremendous amount of Christmas tropes, like holly and mistletoe and cute little children and even cuter pets. I was watching one a few weeks ago and thought, Wouldn't it be fun to write a terrible holiday film starring John and Sherlock?

Reccer's comments: Instant favorite! This is a complete AU, the premise being that Sherlock, having just met John, hires him to play his boyfriend for two weeks in order to fool his mother so that she won't set him up with anyone. Obviously, things do not go according to plan. Or maybe they do? What starts out as a self-proclaimed trope-fest turns out to be something completely charming and heartwarming, with romantic moments in front of the hearth fire, kissing under the mistletoe, holding hands while ice-skating, and a rollicking snowball fight. And lest we forget this is Sherlock, there is also a whirlwind chase after an embezzling Santa Claus, a decapitated snowman, cherubs dripping blood and gore, and Moriarty being creepy and slimy.

I loved the banter, with John and Sherlock finding an immediate rapport and John dealing with pretty much everything that gets thrown at him with practical equanimity, as in this excerpt where he is introduced to Sherlock's family:

( Excerpt... )

There's fluff and pining and a teensy bit of angst and loads and loads of feels. A very fun way to spend an afternoon.

re-white.livejournal.com

Title: Our Enthusiasms Which Cannot Always be Explained
Author: withoutawish
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 32921
Rating: Mature
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: The list that is tacked haphazardly on the refrigerator of 221B reads, ‘Kidney(s), and/or a full cadaver (preferably male, late 30s, under six feet tall), bag of fresh toes, sixteen cow’s eyes (corneas retained), dual exhaust hand –held flame thrower, an unopened first edition copy of Joseph Conrad’s 'Heart of Darkness', and no less than ten abhorrently gruesome murders in the upcoming month.” The one neatly hanging next to it simply reads, “Sex.”

One of these lists is not John Watson’s. If John Watson were to put what he really wanted in list form, to live in a land somewhere beyond ‘almosts' now that Sherlock Holmes has indeed returned to him, he would never be able to look his flatmate in the eye ever again.

Reccer's comments: Another Post-Reichenbach!first-time fic, complete with Sherlock throttling a mall Santa, and John being long-suffering/BAMFy/deepin~~love~~somethingwithSherlock. Withoutawish has a really lovely grasp character and a strong sense of voice. She does a beautiful job of Sherlock and John after his return, with their selective silences, and new boundaries - a good mix of angst, humor and a particular brand of crazy that leaves you deeply satisfied. Settle in for a long read.

keladry_lupin

Title: Family and A Family Christmas
Author: Eva
Pairing: Mycroft/Lestrade
Length: 21,873 total
Rating: general audiences
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC AU
Author's summary: Prompt: "Mycroft has a sulky little brat named Sherlock, Lestrade has a BAMF little soldier named John. Their kids are fast friends, so Mycroft and Lestrade end up becoming friends too...and then things start getting serious." Slight deviation from prompt in that this details the kids becoming friends, and doesn’t get much into “serious.”

Reccer's comments: I love AU fics, and I love kid fics, so this is right up my alley. Despite the primary pairing, Mycroft and Lestrade don't get quite as much time in the spotlight as Sherlock and John, whose friendship is as much a focus of these stories as the delicious simmer that barely qualifies as pre-slash.

All three links above go to AO3.

jordan-frog.livejournal.com

Title: TIME IN LIEU OF
Author:

squidwhisk
Pairing: Sherlock/John, Harry/Clara, implied Anthea/Mycroft
Length: 12,000 words
Rating: Pg-13
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC. Some allusions to Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchet's "Good Omens," ALSO "THE BIBLE"
Author's summary: John Watson has three siblings, not one...and together they are the four horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Reccer's comments: So basically John, Harry, Anthea, and Sebastian Moran are the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse AND THEN THEY HAVE CHRISTMAS DINNER WITH SHERLOCK, MYCROFT, CLARA & MORIARTY. It's crack at its finest and its family fic!

sussexdowns.livejournal.com

Last June, Caers and pulangalaw's brilliant serial killer AU, the Inverse series, was recced here. It begins with:

Title: Reinvent the Pain
Author: Caers, pulangaraw
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 25,768
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Drug use, violence, murder, minor character death
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: Sherlock has grown up to be a serial killer. Just how will this impact John Watson when they finally meet?

Reccer's comments: This doesn't really have anything to do with family other than some brief cameos by Mycroft, but it's necessary as a background for the other two stories in the series, which are all about the Holmes siblings. It's also creepy and clever and an amazing read all on its own. If you didn't catch it last summer, give it a shot now because it's really excellent.

WHICH BRINGS US TO:

Title: Stop and Go
Author: Caers
Pairing: Gen
Length: 4,634
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Drug use, violence, murder
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: A look at Sherlock's childhood and what caused him to become a serial killer.

Reccer's comments: This is the second installment in the series and serves as a flashback. It expands on events referenced in Reinvent the Pain, namely the death of Sherlock's mother, and its aftermath. Like the rest of the series, it's pretty dark and disturbing and completely genius.

AND:

Title: Darkness/Influence
Author: Caers, pulangaraw
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 8,519
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Drug use, violence, murder, major character death(s)
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: The Holmes family comes together for Christmas. John wonders just how he'll survive it, and the aftermath.

Reccer's comments: The third and final installment in the inverse series, and the sequel to RtP. This is a bizarre, terrifying Holmes family Christmas...even more than it would be if this wasn't a fic about murder (and lots of it). Featuring Mycroft of course, Sherringford (my favorite!), and Irene Adler as the fourth Holmes sibling. This fic is insane and bloody and amazing. It will absolutely not disappoint. As usual, there is tons of murder, general creepiness, and some major character death this time. It's not quite rocks fall/everyone dies, but it sure does come close, so prepare yourself.

unovis.livejournal.com

Title: The Christmas Box
Author:

carenejeans
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 1670 words
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: "It is a singular thing, but I find that a concentrated atmosphere helps a concentration of thought. I have not pushed it to the length of getting into a box to think, but that is the logical outcome of my convictions." -- Sherlock Holmes, in "The Hound of the Baskervilles"

Reccer's comments: I was a beta for this story, full disclosure, and I loved the idea. Also everything by Carene, so.
There's a tiny bit that takes place outside of 221B, which I forgot about, so technically it doesn't qualify as an "at home" theme rec. It is, however very much an at-home solution to any number of domestic problems which result in a sort of home within home, at that. It has a warm but not cloying humor. Plus Christmas gift, curiosity killing the Sherlock, Mike Stamford's helpful ways, Mrs Hudson's knowing nods, Lestrade's rumpled brow, fruitcake, and Scotch whisky.

teatotaller.livejournal.com

Title: Leave a Trail
Author: by

sirona_gs
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: ~5,300
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: John has a present for Sherlock; Sherlock definitely approves.
Reccer's comments: One of the best tattoo kink stories out there. You get a deliciously possessive (but not creepily so) Sherlock and a John who knows exactly what he wants. It all comes together nicely and leaves John, Sherlock and the reader quite satisfied!

tanpopo03.livejournal.com

Title: "Present Fluff"
Author:

rabidsamfan
Pairing: Gen
Length: ~~Pretty Short (I'm on my phone, I don't know how to do a word count...)~~ ~700
Rating: G (I'd say)
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Reccer's comments: It's christmas halftime people :D. So of course I need to rec some christmas fluff. This was written as part of

wordstrings holiday meme and it's probably the cutest and fluffiest fic I ever read in this fandom. Anybody who ever wanted to know what was inside a present will be able to relate to Sherlock in this one... Also? John's a genius and the best friend a bored detective could have.

themusecalliope

Title: No Bed is Narrow
Author:

innie_darling
Pairing: Sherlock/John, OMC/OMC
Length: ~7581 words
Rating: R
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: (none listed)
Reccer's comments: This fic is a remix of Winter's Delights by

kate_lear which focuses on my favorite OC from that story: Evander! I adored this chance to watch the events of John's first meeting with Sherlock's family unfold from a different POV. And the best part is

innie_darling's creation of a whole new plot line just for Evander. It makes you want more long after you're done.

"Dear boy," Mycroft said, affecting surprise, and Evander raised his cup to his lips to hide his smile. Every twenty-three days, Mycroft managed to procure confirmation that he was alive and well; sometimes the contact was as simple as a quick phone call during a lunch hour, and sometimes the CCTV cameras were particularly attuned to him. He knew quite well that Mycroft had a schedule worked out to allow him to keep tabs on all of the cousins, their partners, their parents, and their progeny. He was willing to bet that Sherlock got a daily dose...

Current Location: Going to bed now
Current Music: traffic

themusecalliope

Title: Winter's Delights
Author:

kate_lear
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: ~21 000 words
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Nothing to signify.
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: Sherlock takes John home to meet the extended Holmes family.
Reccer's comments: I can't believe that this fic has yet to be recced! But I checked the spreadsheet and the Delicious account for good measure, and nothing appeared. (It also has a lovely podfic, but I can't find the link. Anyone?)

Sherlock takes John home for Christmas. Sherlock's family is lovely and brilliant and...seem to have rather the wrong idea about John's relationship with John. Or do they?

Seriously. I adore this fic. Sherlock's family isn't what you'd expect, but they are perfect. The characterizations of our boys are spot on (IMNSHO). ...And I don't think I'm spoiling you all to terribly by telling you it has a happy ending. It's My favorite Sherlock and John at Christmas fic.

What are you waiting for?

Current Location: Over there
Current Music: Left of Center

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221B Recs

A Sherlock Holmes Recs Community

Entries tagged with holiday: christmas

Fic Rec: Throw Cares Away

Fic Rec: No Ordinary Cats

fic rec: I'm Not His Date

fic rec: Another Auld Lang Syne

fic rec: Happy Christmas, You Arse

Fic Rec: A 2015 Sherlock Advent Calendar

Fic Rec: Last Christmas

Fic Rec: My True Love Sent to Me

Fic Rec: Goose

Fic Rec: The Blood Brothers series

Fic Rec: John Watson's Twelve Days of Christmas

Fic: Our Enthusiasms Which Cannot Always Be Explained

fic: the Family series

Fic Rec: "Time In Lieu Of" by Squidwhisk

FIC(S): Inverse Series by Caers/pulangaraw

Fic Rec: The Christmas Box, by carenejeans

Leave a Trail by sirona_gs

FicRec: Comment Fic "Present Fluff"

No Bed is Narrow by innie_darling

Winter's Delights by kate_lear

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November 2018

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