It was Christmastime in Wisconsin, and the gang was once again surrounding the television, watching the Grinch movie.

"Man, the Grinch has a big butt!" Donna said.

"Yes, nothing says Christmas like a big, green Grinch ass!" Fez said with a large smile.

Izzy grabbed an ornament from the box Hyde was holding, asking him a quick, "Hey, hold the ladder for me?" He nodded and placed a hand on the ladder, steadying it as she looked for a place to hang the ornament.

"So, Eric, what are you doing Christmas Eve?" Kelso asked.

"Well, our parents are having the same lame Christmas party they do every year. All the adults. 'Hey neighbor, is that mistletoe?'" He then mimicked a makeout with lots and lots of tongue, which made Hyde grimace.

"Alright, how does that look?" Izzy asked, finally having found a place for the ornament to go.

"Yeah, looks good Izzy." Eric said.

"It's great." Hyde grinned.

"Fabulous." Kelso added.

Izzy turned around to see that Hyde and Kelso had just been looking at her ass. "Dumbasses, the ornaments are up here."

"Yeah, we know." Hyde said.

"Guys! That's my baby sister!"

Kelso laughed. "Yeah, and?"

Jackie slapped her boyfriend's arm, then returned to her jolly, holiday-spirit-filled self. "Oh, I just love Christmas. It's all about good tidings and cheer." She sighed dreamily. "And shopping."

Hyde went and sat in his chair, followed quickly by Izzy joining him. "Yeah," he said, "I'm pretty sure that's what Jesus was going for."

"Hey, I give too." Jackie said. "Every year, my friends and I deliver gift baskets to the unfortunate."

Donna looked amused. "I think you mean less fortunate."

"Okay, whatever. Bums."

Kitty walked down the stairs, dressed all in red and green. "Oh, what are you guys doing watching cartoons?" She asked, walking over to the TV. "Holiday Inn is on!" She switched the dial, turning the channel to the movie. She started to sing along, not fully knowing the words, which made her daughter giggle. "Eric, come on, help me get the decorations."

"Sure, Mom." Eric said, getting up to help. "Come on Izzy." He grabbed his sister's wrist, pulling her out of Hyde's arms.

"You know what my favorite Christmas gift of all time is?" Kelso asked. "Lite Brite. It's fun makin' things with Lite Brite!" He stopped when he saw everyone staring at him. "Well, it is."

"Man, my favorite gift is cash." Hyde said. "That way you can buy whatever you want. Know what I mean Donna?" Donna just hummed in agreement. "Like, let's just say somebody gave you, uh, six dollars and some change, right? You know. To buy a present. What would someone like, uh, like Izzy get?"

"Well Hyde, it doesn't matter how much the gift costs as long as it's personal and sentimental." Donna explained, a knowing smile on her face.

"You know what's both personal and sentimental?" Jackie turned to Kelso. "Diamonds."

There was a crash in the back, and the group heard the three Formans start screaming. Hyde jumped up when he realized Izzy was running out of the back room, followed closely by Kitty and Eric.

Izzy stopped at the couch, hugging her arms around herself as Hyde came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on top of her head

"We were going through a box of Christmas decorations," Eric explained, "and we found the Christmas rat."

Right away the group jumped up to go look, but Hyde stood there with Izzy and started laughing.

She turned around to face him, her eyes wide. "What's so funny?!"

"Ah, nothing man! Just, I mean, you're scared of a rat?!" He wiped fake tears, sitting back down in his chair.

Izzy scowled. "It was scary." She went to go sit on the couch, away from Hyde out of spite, but he just grabbed her hand, effectively stopping her. She just sighed and turned around, going back to sit with him. He saw that she was still a little shaken, so he poked her side repeatedly, making her squirm and laugh. Good, he thought. She's smiling.

-

Later that day, the Forman family was all together, Laurie included, and hanging out in the kitchen, eating pfeffernusse cookies.

"So, um, Laurie," Kitty started, "seeing anyone special at college?"

"Oh, I like to date around."

Eric coughed into his hand, yelling "Slut!" as he did so.

Red just looked at his son disappointedly, but said nothing. Kitty dusted her hands off and said, "Well, bless you!"

"Thanks, Mom." Eric said. "Hey, uh, Dad, instead of being at your party this year, I was thinking maybe I could throw a party in the basement? I mean, I think I'm old enough."

"Please, Daddy?" Izzy asked, giving her father her puppy dog eyes.

Kitty laughed and shook her head, but Red said, "Fine," which made his wife's head shoot up.

"Fine?" Kitty and Laurie said in unison.

"Well, every year he just mopes around here like it's the end of the world, anyway. You have to watch your sister, though. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

"Alright! Thanks, Dad."

Kitty huffed. "So now who's going to sing the high parts on Little Drummer Boy?"

"Well, traditionally, it's the man who can't grow facial hair." Laurie said, smirking.

Izzy's eyes widened. "Eric, that's you!"

"Yeah, yeah I know it is." Eric whispered. "Oh, and Dad, one more thing about the party. Um... I need some money."

Red stood up. "Alright, Eric. I want you to pick out this year's tree." He said, opening his wallet and taking out some cash. "And whatever you don't spend... you can use for your party."

"Daddy, you know how bad he is at haggling with those tree salesmen." Izzy said.

"Haggling is part of being an adult. Here's forty dollars, Eric."

"I want fifty." Eric said.

"Knock it off!" Eric nodded, quickly grabbing the money. "Pick out a good one."

Eric and Izzy high-fived discreetly, then turned to see Kitty standing there. "Okay, fine!" She said. "Have your party. But can I at least make you some punch and cookies?"

"No thank you, Mama. If we wanted cookies, I'd make them myself."

"Just punch?"

"No, Mom." Eric said. The twins headed into the living room, Izzy thinking about an outfit to wear and Eric just wondering Where the hell can I find a tree?

-

Later that evening, Izzy saw through her bedroom window that Eric, Kelso, and Hyde had brought home a beautiful tree. She squealed with excitement and ran down the stairs, almost tripping several times. She ran into the driveway, straight into Hyde's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Whoa! What's this for?" Hyde asked.

"The tree! It's gorgeous!" She said, letting go. Kitty and Midge exited the house, too, and quickly came over to fawn over the tree.

"Hey, uh, Kitty. Can I talk to you for a second?" Hyde asked, pulling Izzy's mother aside.

"Where did you guys get this? It's just... oh! It's lovely." Izzy practically swooned.

"God, you sound like Mom." Eric said, laughing.

"Shut up doofus! Where'd you get it!"

"Uh, off the highway." Kelso grinned. Izzy furrowed her brow, looking confused.

"What he means is! At the tree lot! That's off the highway!" Eric stammered.

"Oh! Well, you did a great job. And please tell me you have some money leftover for beer?"

"You know it, baby sister."

-

Izzy was in the living room, helping her mom, Laurie, and Bernice put ornaments on the tree. Izzy stuck to handing Laurie the ornaments to avoid Bernice criticizing her every move. Already she had been reprimanded for the neckline and the length of the black dress she was wearing.

"Laurie, I love that top, where'd you get it?" Izzy asked, handing her a silver ornament.

Laurie shrugged. "It was somebody's wife's."

"Oh. Uh... very cool."

Eric slid down the banister, and Laurie yelled, "Eric! Help me hang these stupid ornaments."

"I can't, I'm planning a party." Eric said with a shit-eating grin.

Laurie put a hand on her hip. "I don't get it. How come the little drummer boy gets a party?"

"Because I asked, you stupid sister."

"That's not clever!"

"I don't have time to be clever. I'm planning a party, Miss... dumb girl." Eric said before running out of the room.

"Which reminds me, Isabelle, will you be with Eric or us tonight?" Kitty asked.

Izzy laughed, then realized her mom was asking an actual question. "Huh? Oh, uh, I'll be with Eric tonight."

"Yeah, duh, Mom. Izzy found a way out and she took it." Laurie said.

"You're just upset you can't see your friends."

"Yeah you're right. Not fair that I don't get to see my friends and you'll be down there sucking face with that stoner kid!"

"What? Who?!" Kitty asked, her head flying up.

"Steven." Laurie said plainly.

"Mama, I promise you I will not be 'sucking face' with anyone tonight."

"You better not be, Isabelle!" Bernice said. "You don't need another one of those diseases."

"Grandma, I don't-" Izzy was cut off by the doorbell, which she was about to attend to, before Bernice found her way to the door.

Behind the door was Jackie and some of her cheer friends. "Hi, is Michael here?" Jackie asked.

"There's no Michael here, you have the wrong address." Bernice said, closing the door in Jackie's face.

Izzy jumped up and ran over to the door, nearly falling over boxes of ornaments on her way. She opened the door. "Sorry about her, Jackie. He's in the kitchen."

Izzy, Jackie, and her friends all went into the kitchen, where Jackie sat Kelso down at the table and started lecturing him about something. Fez joined them at the table, no doubt about to flirt with one of the cheerleaders, and Hyde started looking through the fridge.

"Whatcha lookin' for?" Izzy asked, going over to him.

"A, uh, a pop. Bye." He said abruptly, going to stand in the corner of the kitchen.

Jackie got up from her seat, so Izzy went over to the table. "Okay, what the hell is wrong with Steven?" Izzy asked Kelso, taking Jackie's chair. "He was talking to my mom when you guys brought the tree home, and now he's willingly talking to Jackie?"

-

"Jackie, come here." Hyde hissed at the girl who was at the counter.

"Why?"

"Just come here!"

"Hyde, if you want to make out with me, the answer's probably no."

Hyde rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay. Look, Jackie... I know this girl, right? And I want to get her a Christmas present."

"Oh my god, it's Izzy!" Jackie yelled. Hyde looked around quickly to see if anyone in the room had heard. Luckily, they hadn't. Izzy was talking to the cheerleaders about color-coordinating your eyeshadow and your nail polish, and Fez and Kelso were playing hot hands.

"It's not Izzy."

"Okay, it's not Izzy. So. How much do you have to spend?"

"Six dollars."

"You don't deserve a girl like Izzy for six dollars!"

"I'm not trying to get Izzy!"

"Good, cause you won't for six dollars."

Hyde set his coke on the kitchen counter. "You know what? Thanks a lot, nevermind, bye-bye." He said, turning Jackie around and pushing her back towards the table.

The cheerleaders all left once Jackie joined them, resulting in Fez waving after them, saying, "We will see you tomorrow, babes!"

Then Kelso left after Jackie, and Izzy went back into the living room to help her mom, so Fez turned to Hyde. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"What the hell are you doing?" Fez asked with a smile.

"What?"

"Buying Izzy a gift. You know Eric is very protective of her."

"I know man, but she and I are just... friends."

"If you and Izzy are just friends as you say, then so are Gilligan and the Skipper."

Hyde looked confused. "Gilligan and Skipper are just friends."

"Sure they are."

-

A little bit before the party, Izzy had just finished wrapping her gifts up in her room. She was already dressed, with her hair perfectly curled in its own feathery way, pushed back with a headband. She headed downstairs, seeing that the whole gang was already there.

"Hey Laurie," she said, "whatcha doing down here?"

Laurie had a glint in her eye. "Just bringing down Mom's punch. D'ya want any?"

Izzy laughed. "No, maybe later." Laurie just smiled brightly, flipped her hair, and went upstairs.

"Hi Izzy, bye Izzy, I gotta get a gift for Jackie!" Kelso said, running out the basement door.

Izzy went and sat on the dryer next to Hyde. "Hey." She said.

"Hey."

"I like this vest." She said, playing with the fabric.

"Thanks."

She cocked her head to one side. "You doing okay? You've been kinda weird for a few days now."

Hyde nodded. "Yeah man, 'm great."

"Holiday stress?"

"Exactly."

-

As the party got going, Izzy was mostly hanging around Jackie, the two of them talking about the horrors of warm winter clothing while enjoying lots of punch.

Pretty soon, the punch was almost all gone. Izzy and Jackie were still talking and laughing, neither of them realizing what was happening until Jackie saw the cheerleaders all flirting with Fez. She stumbled over, and Izzy spun in a circle, looking for Hyde, who was sitting on top of the dryer.

"Man, what's going on with the pep squad?" Hyde asked Donna and Eric.

"Yeah, they seem extra stupid tonight." Donna agreed.

Izzy finally spotted Hyde, tripping and stumbling her way over to him. Everything was hazy for her after two beers and a ton of punch. She was just laughing and laughing at nothing. "Hi Steven!" She said cheerily, throwing her arms around him. Eric, Donna, and Hyde all shared a confused look.

"Izzy Bee, you okay?"

"I'm better than okay! I'm great. I'm amazing! I'm... splendid."

Donna chuckled. "I think someone may have spiked the punch."

"Ohhh, Donna, that punch is sooo good. You've gotta have some!" Izzy whirled around the get Donna punch, but saw there was none left. She turned back to them, her eyes glossy. "Nevermind."

"Oh my god she's wasted." Eric said, clearly amused by this.

"Am not! Steven, come on, I wanna give you your present." She grabbed Steven by the sleeve, not unlike a child dragging their parent around a toy store. She led him into the back room of the basement and handed him a carefully-wrapped gift.

"Izzy Bee, you should get some coffee." He said, not opening the present.

"Steven! I'm fine!" She said, before stumbling and falling back onto a pile of storage boxes. She started laughing, and Hyde had to hoist her to her feet.

"You just fell over while standing still."

"You know, I really do like this vest, Steven." She started playing with the fabric again.

"Thanks. I, uh... I like your dress."

She gasped. "Can I tell you a secret?! It's not a dress! It's actually a dress-"

"Yeah, I can see that."

"I'm not done! It's a dress, and a turtleneck, and tights!"

Hyde chuckled. "Okay then."

"Now open your present!" He sighed and carefully undid the wrapping paper, revealing that Izzy had gotten him a small lighter. He ran his thumb over the side, seeing that the letters S.H. were engraved in delicate writing.

"Brushed brass." Izzy said, her words starting to slur together.

"Huh?"

"It's brushed brass. Daddy has one from Mom. Course he doesn't use it anymore, but..."

Hyde smiled, flicking the lighter open. Izzy watched the flame, mesmerized by it. "Thanks, Izzy Bee."

"My... 'ts my handwriting too." She mumbled. "Sent in a sample 'n everything."

Hyde closed the lighter and put an arm around Izzy. He pressed his lips to the top of her head in a silent thank you. All of a sudden, Izzy started giggling out of nowhere, turning quickly into a full laughing fit.

"What?" Hyde asked, amused by the girl in her drunken state.

"Y'know... my sister thinks we're gonna suck face tonight."

Hyde's eyes widened. "O- Okay, we gotta get back to the party. Come on." Hyde, his arm now around her to steady her steps, walked her back into the basement.

"Look Donna! Hyde likes his present!" Izzy yelled, falling back into her laughing fit.

"Eric!" A voice boomed from the staircase. Everyone looked over to see Red standing there. "Before you explain the beer, maybe you can tell me why there are two state troopers in the living room confiscating our Christmas tree?"

When Red started walking towards the group, Hyde moved to stand in front of Izzy, trying to hide the intoxicated mess that she was.

Eric stood up quickly. "Oh, that... um... funny story, and a true story. You're gonna laugh-"

"Get to the point!"

"We cut down a tree off the side of the interstate." Eric confessed.

Izzy gasped. "You stole it?!"

"Well, that's just great, Eric. Now the party's over, you're grounded, and I want what's left of my forty bucks."

"Kelso, give it to him."

Red turned around expectantly, but Kelso just smiled sheepishly. "Oh no." Red grumbled.

"Yeah, I sorta spent it on Jackie's gift."

Jackie jumped up. "Oh, Michael! My hot rollers!" She ran over to her boyfriend and hugged him tightly, squealing the whole time. "You got in trouble for me, Michael?!" Her eyes teared up. "Ohh I love you, Michael!"

"Oh, God bless us everyone!" One of the cheerleaders cried, hugging her friends.

Jackie let go of Michael and pointed at Hyde. "And Hyde loves Izzy!"

Hyde jumped, turning to face Eric, whose eyebrows were raised. "Whoa!" He chuckled nervously. "She's crazy, man!" When he turned around to face Izzy, he saw that she had passed out on the couch, her head in Donna's lap. He breathed out a small huff of relief, thankful she wasn't conscious for Jackie's outburst.

"Eric, what the hell is going on here?! Have these girls been drinking?" Red asked angrily.

"No! Look, Dad, I swear. Just Mom's punch."

Red went over to the punch and tasted what was left. "Lousy with hooch!"

"You see! You see, Red! Jackie's drunk, man. That's drunk talk." Hyde waved his arms nervously. "False."

Red looked at Izzy on the couch. "Is she drunk too?!" He yelled.

Hyde's eyes widened. "No! No! She just fell asleep. Too much, uh... hot cocoa. Right, Eric?"

Eric nodded furiously. "Right! I was very careful watching over my little sister this whole time, Sir."

Red sighed. "Come on, Jackie. I'll take you and the 'sob sisters' home. Eric, the rest of that beer goes in my refrigerator. Donna, your father's upstairs. I suggest you join him. Steven, you help Eric clean up and stay the hell away from Isabelle. And Kelso... go home!" Red took the girls upstairs.

Kelso jumped up and ran out. "Eric, do something!" Fez whined. "Your father is taking my women!" Fez ran after the girls.

Donna looked at Eric and Hyde. "Merry Christmas." She said quickly, running upstairs.

This left just Izzy passed out on the couch, Eric, and Hyde. Standing there in an uncomfortable silence. Hyde and Eric just looked at each other.

"Sorry man." Hyde said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"So. You and Izzy, huh?" Eric asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"No! No. It's just-"

"You really like her."