An Alien for Christmas by Margo Bond Collins

A giant pink alien was definitely not on my Christmas list!

All I want is to deck the halls, pass on the Yuletide torch, and sleigh my way back to Earth. Preferably without falling in love. No holiday magic for me, thanks!
Christmas was supposed to be simple: wrap up this assignment and head back to Earth.
I never intended to participate in the Alien Bride Lottery.
As far as I can tell, the Khanavai are nice enough on an individual basis—but their entire culture is macho, sexist, and retrograde. And yet, the Bride Lottery system was working.
More or less.
But then Vos Klavoii, the ex-Games Director, upended everything by finding a human mate and stepping down.
The entire program is in disarray, and apparently, I’m the solution.
As Earth’s most renowned vid journalist, I have a knack for getting people to open up—and that talent, according to the combined wisdom of the governments of both Earth and Khanav Prime, is exactly the kind of magic this show needs.
So, up to Station 21 I go, hoping to set things right.
Spending my Christmas holidays in this bizarre setup? Also definitely not on my wish list.
I should be excited—I’m both the first human and the first woman to run the Bride Games. It’s groundbreaking, yes, but all I really want is to fix the mess, find my successor, and leave.
And if I can avoid getting tangled under the mistletoe with a certain pink, towering alien who’s always in my path, that’d be the cherry on the Christmas pudding.
Is it too much to wish for a silent night and a completed assignment?
Here’s hoping I can jingle all the way out of this.