Faolan nods in response to her words. For what it's worth, he does appreciate them. He just doesn't really know how to respond to them from there. Perhaps because she's a stranger or perhaps because he's just never really been good at these things in the first place.

"I will admit, I had not really celebrated the holidays since," he replies, uncertain again why he's telling her all of this. Perhaps because he has not told anyone in a long while, and the burden of it does weigh heavily, at this time of year. "I made an exception last year, and it would seem, I've been invited to do much the same this year as well. So..." He gestures around them. "I'm looking for a gift."

It isn't the full story, but it's enough to get most of the picture, all things considered.