He's a terrible liar, but the way he's so terrible at it speaks volumes. No need to push further when he doesn't want to talk about it. Her smile remains sympathetic and she nods. "I'm glad you found some enjoyment in spending time with your family." That's true, at least.

She laughs softly. "No, it's quite all right. I realized everyone from a world with these holidays would have plans already and I didn't want to intrude. It gave me time to read and focus." Not necessarily on good things, but that's beside the point.

"Huh, that doesn't sound too bad. Except if the eggnog got too sweet, of course. I can see that ruining everything." The joke should be fairly obvious, but she gives him a wink to reinforce the point. She takes a sip of her tea before adding, "There seems to be a lot of traditions that surround many Christian things. Is religion really that important on Earth?" She's not trying to come off as rude or to ruin the mood, she's just curious. Learning about new things from books is one thing, but hearing first hand accounts from her friends is that much better.