Misty leaves a few gifts

It was Christmas time 2008 and our 4 year old was very excited for Santa to arrive.  As Christmas day neared he could think of nothing else and almost vibrated with joy and anticipation.  On Christmas eve he excitedly placed cookies, milk and a thank you note for Santa on a plate before we tucked him into bed.

After he had fallen asleep we carefully placed all of the gifts under the tree and I drank some of the milk and ate a cookie.  Leaving the rest as evidence that Santa had indeed stopped by.    

At the time we had a “not very bright” dog, named Misty, that had a tendency to chew and eat things.  So I took the precautionary step of creating a barricade of chairs and such to keep her out of the living room where we had the tree, gifts and cookies.   Then we went to bed and waited for the festive morning to arrive.

We heard the boy awake and we heard him tip toe towards the living room.  Then we heard screams of terror!  Followed by “Why??  WHY??!  Why would Santa do this?!?”  I hopped out of bed and ran to see what the commotion was about. 

It was then that the smell hit me, it seems the “not very bright dog” had found a way into the living room.  Where she ate the cookies for Santa and a pound of fudge wrapped under the tree. 

During the night her little “not very bright” tummy must have become upset.  So she decided to deliver several loads of presents all over the floor and several gifts.  Then she hid in the basement.

My poor innocent, sweet kiddo assumed Santa had pooped on the floor and the gifts and he was very, very upset. 

Crying his eyes out and saying “why would he do that Dad?” 

I calmly explained “look Buddy, because we don’t have a chimney Santa must have brought the reindeer inside the house.  It must have been the reindeer that ate the cookies and fudge.  Then they must have gotten sick and Santa must have been in a rush so he didn’t have time to clean up”. 

He seemed to accept that answer. 

But then added “we should go online and complain that the damn deer pooped on my presents!  What was Santa thinking Dad?”

To this day he still brings up the damn pooping deer and refuses to put out cookies or any food under the tree.  Just in case….