#berena secret santa

[berena-winter-event]

Berena Winter Event 2022

Hi everyone,

’Tis the season to curl up on the couch with a hot beverage and some good fandom content. Sounds like the perfect reason to make some new stuff!

This year we’re doing something a little different than our usual Secret Santa. (While we love the event dearly, finding the time to organize it is a bit of a challenge.)

In its stead, we present:

So how does this work?

Easy! When you sign up, you’ll be asked to list up to three of your favourite seasonal songs. Keep in mind these don’t need to be songs associated with a specific holiday, just something that fits the Winter season. Sign ups will close on Saturday, November 19th.

On Monday, November 21st you'll be assigned a random song from the list of nominations. Then it’s up to you to use the song for inspiration to write a fic to or make some art.

Over the next month, we’ll be offering various opportunities for writing sprints and uploading banners you can use to share your in progress works, so keep an eye on this space!

Posting day will be the 26th of December. To accompany all the lovely creations, we’ll also post a playlist of songs from the event, along with the names of their nominators.

Interested in joining us? Sign ups are open now at the link below!

Event Sign Up

If you have any questions, the ask box is open. Alternatively you can reach out to mods @ktlsyrtis and @batnbreakfast

Also many thanks to @lapalfruity for giving us the initial idea for this! 😊

[seahorsepencils]

Serena sighed as she entered the living room. It was her final day filming her scenes on Taskmaster, and she was exhausted from having to run around an empty field in Chiswick wearing a jacket made of wet teabags for one of yesterday’s tasks.

"Hi, Serena."

"Hi, Alex."

Feeling dread in the pit of her stomach, she sat down and opened the envelope, reading the text aloud.

"Make the Taskmaster a holiday card based on a holiday song of your choosing. You will have 5 minutes to write a list of supplies for your card, and 30 minutes later in the day to construct your card. Your 5 minutes starts now."

[pers-books]

Tagged by @lilolilyr​ - thanks!

Rules: post the first lines of your 10 most recently published AO3 stories. if you have less than 10 fics posted, post the first lines of all your fics

1 - It's Not a Valentine's Date. (It is really!): “So, you don’t have plans this Valentine’s Day?” Serena asks.

2 - On a Wednesday in a Café: Serena can’t help smiling as she sees Bernie across the café getting to her feet as Serena walks towards her.

3 - An Instant Bond: “You can’t smoke that inside the hospital,” says a sharp voice, startling Bernie from her nervous pacing beside the window at the end of the corridor.

4 - Cosy in the Conservatory: When Serena gets back from the nearby town she lets herself into the cottage, calling a cheery “I’m home, love!” as she takes off her coat, hat, and shoes.

5 - A Purrfect Gift:

Bernie Wolfe opens the back door of her new house to see if her cat, Athena, wants to come in out of the cold and is surprised to see a small plush dinosaur on the door mat.

6 - Once (Twice, Thrice) Upon a December:

Bernie Wolfe is dreaming.

7 - Operation Secret Santa:

“So who have you picked in the Secret Santa?” Dom asks Bernie as they gather in Albie’s after their shifts have finished.

8 - Waiting in the Rain:

As I drove through the teeming rain I spotted someone huddled in a corner of the bus shelter, though I always thought that name was something of a misnomer as they didn’t give much shelter, especially on a day like today when it was not only raining stair rods, as my maternal grandfather used to say, but also blowing fit to bust.

9 - After The Sacrifice of Jo Grant:

Kate’s keeping a close eye on Jo Jones as she reads her letter from the Doctor, wondering if she’s going to be alright, but it doesn’t stop her noticing a familiar car pulling up nearby.

10 - Joy Is Not Made To Be A Crumb:

Doctor Martha Jones is hard at work in the basement lab at UNIT HQ deep under the Tower of London when she hears footsteps approaching.

What have I learned? That I rarely start with dialogue; that I nearly always write in the third person; and that I still mostly write Berena - which latter I knew anyway!

I’ve had fun branching out into Kate Stewart fic every now and again and want to write more, even though I know it’ll rarely get read because I mostly write Kate Stewart/Martha Jones.

Tagging - with the usual caveat of ‘Don’t feel it, don’t play’: @slightlyintimidating @thisbluespirit @riversofmars @meluisart @ceridwyn2 @doctorjameswatson @backjustforberena @akaanonymouth @ariverandasong

[batnbreakfast]

Did I write about 450 words today? Yes!

Did I write them for either my unfinished Secret Santa gifts or the current Berena Winter Song event? No, of course not.

[berenasecretsanta]

Berena Secret Santa - The Masterpost

Something Borrowed, Something New by Bat_and_Breakfast for @squishmittenficfan

a firewarm hearth; a frozen flowerbed by bonnissance for @sententiousandbellicose

Cloud 9 (Or, How Serena Campbell Nearly Missed Her Plane To Paris (Twice)) by CommanderInChief for @ariverandasong

Snow was falling, snow on snow by Corvidden for @doctorjameswatson 

Keeping Mum by daisydoctor13 for @daystarsearcher

Unspoken Things by daystarsearcher for @seahorsepencils

Let it snow by fortytworedvines for @ktlsyrtis

Mending Fences: Scenes Of Love by Guinan333 for @slightlyintimidating

the sweetest flower that the wild-bee sips by ktlsyrtis for @lord-of-killer-indecencies

The Writer, The Surgeon and….? by Lapal for @batnbreakfast

Not Fake For Long by lilolilyrae for @daisydoctor13

In Fear of the New Year by TheNerdVoice for @tea-and-shoelaces 

Traditionally Yours by TheNerdVoice for @tea-and-shoelaces 

Amitié et Amour by robliz for @corvidden

In the glow of a candle by robliz for @danceswithcows01

Bridge Over Troubled Water by Sanctitatem for @eraisme

good times we had return to haunt me by sevtacular for @lapalfruity

Holiday by sockssss for @fortytworedvines

Blame it on the Mistletoe by Squishmitten for @lilolilyr

We are seriously amazed and impressed by the outcome of this last year’s Berena Secret Santa! We hope you enjoyed taking part, giving and getting a gift.

We certainly had a lot of fun organising and we do appreciate every single one of you.

Thanks to all of you for joining in on this!

The Santa Team

@ktlsyrtis​ & @batnbreakfast​

[ravagerofworldsfanart]

UNWATERMARKED FULLSIZE ART HERE 1 2 (to avoid fake sites being thieves)

Here is my secret santa ( @berenasecretsanta ) gift for @bonnissance. We have some of the ugly sweater theme sprinkled into a fluffy baking scene with a kiss on top. Little written blurb to go along with it below the cut because this is already kind of long.  Hope you like it ^_^ 

"So...Shop run?” Bernie offered in an upbeat manner: quite the contrast from the frustrations and smoke filling the kitchen.

"Bernie, didn’t you hear the alarm?”

"The fire alarm or the oven timer?”

"...Do I really need to answer that?”

Serena sighed as Bernie’s teasing grin told a tale of anything but remorse. Looking off to the side, Bernie purred out with a shirked brow, "If you finished sooner this wouldn’t have been a problem...”

“I told you we should wait until after they were out of the oven.”

"How was I supposed to know a few extra minutes would mean the difference between confection and combustion?”

"Bernie!”

“You could have gone when it went off the first time...”

“I didn’t hear it!” Her ears had been ringing just a bit and her attention somewhat...blinded. Bernie only shrugged with an amused smile very poorly restrained. Try as she might, Serena couldn’t stay mad at Bernie...especially when she was making such cute faces. Serena’s chastising all too quickly morphed into a half-hearted eye roll above a growing grin. No chance she was giving in and letting Bernie go out and buy new ones. After tossing out the charred remains of baked trees and snowmen, Serena helped Bernie make a fresh batch of Christmas biscuits. This time...with no breaks in supervision.

[lilolilyr]

Not Fake For Long

Summary: Serena needs someone to convince her mother that she isn't single - Bernie needs somewhere to spend the holidays that isn't her pitiful one-bedroom flat. By coincidence or fate, their hopes and fears turn into a common goal...

This is my @berenasecretsanta gift for @daisydoctor13! I hope you'll like it :)

~6k, no warnings, canon divergence

Chapter 1: getting-together rated T (can be read as a stand-alone)

Chapter 2: rated E pwp

Thx so much for organizing this event, Bat & Jess, you guys are epic!

Header image sources: Jemma Redgrave - background - (Berena kiss Holby City screenshot) - Catherine Russell; all edits by me! Same edits with less colour filters, plus Jemma png:

Free to use in fanworks without crediting me, tho I'd be happy if you reblogged this post!

All Berena content by me | About me

I don't have a Berena tag list yet, but let me know if you want to get notified in the future! (Useful eg if you don't want to follow my multifandom mess of a blog but get notifs when I post Berena fics or moodboards etc)

Read 'Not Fake For Long' on Ao3

[fortytworedvines]

En route to a conference, Bernie and Serena stop at a pub. Heavy snow leaves them stuck there. Oh no!

Written for @ktlsyrtis

Happy Christmas!

@berenasecretsanta

[doctorjameswatson]

Chapters: 1/3 Fandom: Holby City, Berena - Fandom Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Serena Campbell/Bernie Wolfe Characters: Bernie Wolfe, Charlotte Dunn, Serena Campbell Additional Tags: Angst, But I promise a happy ending, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Berena Secret Santa 2021, Berena Secret Santa, Berena Secret Santa (Holby City) Summary:

As Bernie's divorce draws to a close, she and Charlotte aren't talking. Can they build bridges and heal their relationship?

This is my @berenasecretsanta gift for @eraisme

I tried to combine the building bridges between Bernie and Charlotte idea with a happy family Christmas (I promise this will happen in a later chapter). I only had time to write the first chapter this month so have a chapter of angst for Christmas, lol! I hope you enjoy :)

[lapalfruity]

Chapters: 1/3
Fandom: Holby City
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Serena Campbell/Bernie Wolfe
Additional Tags: #berena secret Santa
Summary: An AU for our two favourite ladies that shows once again that they are indeed both idiots. @berenasecretsanta

[daystarsearcher]

Title: Unspoken Things

Fandom: Holby City


Rating: Teen, No Major Archive Warnings

Relationships/Characters: Serena Campbell/Bernie Wolfe
, Jason Haynes

Additional Tags: Sickfic, Hurt/Comfort, Angst With a Happy Ending, Berena Secret Santa, Berena Secret Santa 2021

Summary: For @seahorsepencils: When Serena gets sick in the early days of her relationship with Bernie, her worry about being a burden collides with Bernie's fear that she's not enough. @berenasecretsanta

[berena-winter-event]

The Official a (not so) Silent Night Playlist

As this is a song-inspired event, we felt some accompanying music was in order! Enjoy this collection of songs nominated by your fellow Berena fans

Tracklist:

Auld Lang Syne Ingrid Michaelson // @daystarsearcher

Baby It’s Cold Outside Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan // @choreomanic

Back to December Taylor Swift // @lilolilyr

Both Sides Now Joni Mitchell // @sapphicdbc

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Darlene Love // @doctorjameswatson

Christmas Lights Yellowcard // @lilolilyr

Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep) Diana Krall // @batnbreakfast

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy Tchaikovsky // @bonnissance

December 1963 Franki Valli & The Four Seasons // @slightlyintimidating

December Will Be Magic Again Kate Bush // @veganpepsibaby

Happy XMas (War is Over) John Lennon & Yoko Ono // @slbrigzi19

Hazy Shade of Winter Simon & Garfunkel // @tebarambles

He's Stuck in the Chimney Again Ana Gasteyer // @seahorsepencils

I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday Wizzard // @sapphicdbc

I'll Be Home For Christmas The Carpenters // @shippingsincebeforeyouwereborn

I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter Connie Francis // @doctorjameswatson

Imperfect Christmas Malinda // @imagebender

In the Bleak Midwinter Julie Andrews // @lapalfruity

Just for Now Imogen Heap // @ktlsyrtis

Last Christmas Wham! // @choreomanic

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Dean Martin // @ktlsyrtis

Let the Bells Ring Kate Rusby // @doctorjameswatson

Men of Snow Ingrid Michaelson // @seahorsepencils

Once Upon a December David Newman // @starfleetwitch

One Toy Soldier Enya // @starfleetwitch

River Robert Downey Jr // @batnbreakfast

Santa Baby Eartha Kitt // @lapalfruity

Sleigh Ride The Ronettes // @ariverandasong

Snowfall Ingrid Michaelson // @tebarambles

Someday At Christmas Stevie Wonder // @danceswithcows01

Song for a Winter's Night Gordon Lightfoot // @pers-books

Stay Another Day East 17 // @akaanonymouth

Step Into Christmas Elton John // @veganpepsibaby

The Christmas Song The Raveonettes // @slightlyintimidating

The Heartache Can Wait Brandi Carlile // @seahorsepencils

The Longest Night of the Year Mary Chapin Carpenter // @shippingsincebeforeyouwereborn

The Power Of Love Frankie Goes To Hollywood // @slightlyintimidating

Underneath the Tree Kelly Clarkson // @ktlsyrtis

Valley Winter Song Fountains of Wayne // @akaanonymouth

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? Ella Fitzgerald // @batnbreakfast

Where Are You Christmas Faith Hill // @danceswithcows01

White Christmas Bing Crosby // @coldblizzardqueen

White Winter Hymnal Fleet Foxes // @akaanonymouth

Winter Song Ingrid Michaelson & Sara Bareilles // @tebarambles

[squishmittenficfan]

When you realise it’s the 14th and there’s a LOT of your Berena Secret Santa fic still to be written!

[daisydoctor13]

Ho ho ho! Secret Santa back again! Your gift is starting to come together. My writing elves working extra hard, and I've told them to only use the best words. They wanted me to ask who your favorite Holby characters are? (besides the ladies who are the reason for the season, of course)

Hello santa :D could you possibly send your elves my way to get started on the one I need to write 😂 okay theres a few here and they are very much mixing holby series/eras but: Jac Naylor, Antoine Malick, Penny Valentine, Chantelle Lane, Fletch, Morven Digby and Zosia March

Theres probably some I'm forgetting there haha

[batnbreakfast]

Chapters: 2/3 Fandom: Holby City Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Serena Campbell/Bernie Wolfe Characters: Serena Campbell, Bernie Wolfe, Marcus Dunn, Charlotte Dunn, Cameron Dunn, Original Female Character(s)

With wedding bells ringing shortly before Christmas, an invitation that shouldn't be turned down, and a slightly mad plan on how to make the most of it, our two favourite surgeons embark on a weekend of good food, free drinks, and luxurious accommodation.

If only there will be enough beds for everyone.

A new chapter for my Berena Secret Santa gift to @squishmittenficfan​ - given that it snowed during the last days, a wintery fic hopefully doesn’t seem too inappropriate. 😄

[berenasecretsanta]

Berena Secret Santa 2021

Hello everyone,

It’s the time of the year to be jolly and give some fandom gifts!

How to join in on Berena Secret Santa?

1. Sign up: Fill out the sign-up form by Wednesday, 24th November 2021. The link to the form can be found in a pinned post on our blog. (Tumblr doesn’t like posts with external links, so we can’t include it here.)

2. Get matched: We’ll sent you an email with all the details of your match by the end of Friday, 26th November 2021. Check your spam folder if you haven’t received an email by that time and contact us if you absolutely can’t find one.

3. Make a gift: Use the information sent to you, browse through your giftee’s tumblr, send them anonymous asks to clarify any questions you might have or just to say hello. Start creating and feel free to join in on our creative sprints!

4. Post your gift: Sign-up on the posting schedule and post your gift to your blog and ao3 on Sunday, December 26th. Make sure to @ your match and our blog, and don’t forget to tag #BerenaSecretSanta! This way we can reblog all gifts and post a master list at the end of the event.

—

General Guidelines

You will receive at least two prompts from your giftee when you are matched. While we understand that inspiration can be fickle, please try to accommodate at least one of your giftee’s requests

NEW THIS YEAR: With the emergence of the Russell/Redgrave Cinematic Multiverse, we’ve decided to open the field a bit. When you sign up, please indicate if you are willing to receive work based on characters from the RRCMV. Please keep in mind that this is simply an option, not a requirement. No one should feel they have to write something other than Berena!

Bear in mind that when you sign up you commit to making a gift for your match. It’s sad to not get a gift when you expected one and no one wants to be sad around Christmas. If you think you’re unable to post (even a first chapter), let us know as soon as possible. We won’t judge and work out a way to either change your deadline or contact a pinch hitter.

If you have turned off anon asks, be as specific as possible when filling out the form. You can also post a note to your Secret Santa on your blog. Tag it #BerenaSecretSanta (and hope for the best with tumblr’s search function). Or send us a message to forward to your giftee/Secret Santa - we’ll anonymize and forward them.

Fanfiction

Minimum of 1000 words, no maximum word limit

No lasting major character death

Please tag accordingly

At least the first chapter has to be posted on Sunday, December 26th

Fanart/Manips

One fully finished work

Medium to high image resolution

Equivalent effort to any edit or other type of graphic

Please handle explicit content by posting it with a 'read more’

If you have any questions, feel free to message us or send us an ask!