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'''[[Recap/{{Supernatural}} Recap]] of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'''''\\
'''Season 3, Episode 8:'''

!A Very Supernatural Christmas

->'''Dean:''' You fudgin' touch me again, I'll fudgin' kill ya!

Written by Jeremy Carver.

Directed by J. Miller Tobin.

Airdate: December 13, 2007.

In this Christmas-themed episode, Sam and Dean encounter a twisted couple of pagan gods in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ypsilanti%2C_Michigan Ypsilanti, Michigan]] that share a craving for human meat. Flashbacks follow the Winchesters during Christmas sixteen years ago in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_Bow%2C_Nebraska Broken Bow, Nebraska]] when [[BrokenMasquerade Sam first learned that the supernatural existed]] and that his father hunted it.

!!Body count
For this episode = 2 humans and 2 gods.

For the series so far = At least 230 humans, 17 ghosts, 8 demons, 10 vampires, 6 changelings, 3 gods, 2 shapeshifters, 2 werewolves, 1 djinn, 1 rakshasa, 1 rawhead, 1 shtriga, 1 wendigo, and 1 zombie.
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!!Tropes:
* AffablyEvil: Despite the whole eating-people thing, the two pagan gods genuinely get along with their neighbors, playing bridge and "assimilating", as they call it, into modern society.
* AnAsskickingChristmas: Dean and Sam spend Christmas fighting pagan gods.
%%* {{Backstory}}
* BadSanta: Sam originally thinks that the killings are caused by some kind of "anti-Claus".
* BerserkButton: Mentioning Mary Winchester is one for young Dean.
* BlatantLies: "I was just testing you."
* BrokenMasquerade: Young Sam reads John's diary and learns that monsters are real.
* ChristmasEpisode: This episode takes place on Christmas. Plus it says so in the episode's title.
* {{Christmas Song|s}}: "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" is used as the BGM.
* ConvenienceStoreGiftShopping: {{Justified}} as their Christmas was thrown together at the last minute and a convenience store/gas station was pretty much the only place open on Christmas Eve!
* CreepyBasement: Filled with chopped-up dead humans, bloody knives and power saws.
* DeathOfTheOldGods: The pagan gods reflect on how they used to have [[HowTheMightyHaveFallen numerous followers and sacrifices]] until Christianity came along.
* EvilOldFolks: The two pagan gods appear as a semi-elderly HappilyMarried couple, with the man wearing a Mr. Rogers sweater, talking like they're straight out of a [[StandardFiftiesFather fifties tv show]].
* FauxAffablyEvil: Some of the gods' affability is a mask, as shown when they step on the fruitcake a neighbor offered.
* {{Fingore}}: [[{{Squick}} Shown onscreen even]]! Sam gets a fingernail ripped off by the pagans.
* {{Flashback}}s: To 1991, the year Sam learned monsters are real and gave Dean his amulet.
* [[GoodSmokingEvilSmoking Evil Smoking]]: The old man smokes a pipe. Normally a "good smoking", and perfect for his "fifties sitcom father" feel.
* GoshDarnItToHeck: InUniverse, the pagan gods frown upon swearing, and suggest to an irate Dean that he use "fudge" when he wants to swear.
-->'''Dean:''' [[SarcasmMode I'll try to remember that]]
* GotMeDoingIt: The aforementioned "fudge" actually works.
-->'''Dean:''' You fudging touch me again and I'll fudging kill you.
* HarmfulToMinors: All the murders in the episode happen right in front of very small children. Made all the more awful by the fact that in every case the child was excited for Christmas or thinking they were getting a visit from Santa seconds before.
* HelplessKicking: When a grandfather dressed like Santa is murdered in front of his grandson, he's dragged up the chimney and the last we see of him are his legs flailing as he disappears. Followed by [[LosingAShoeInTheStruggle one of his bloodstained boots falling abandoned into the empty fireplace.]]
* HijackedByJesus: InUniverse. {{Discussed|Trope}} as Sam and the pagan gods mention how Christianity appropriated pagan customs like winter solstice celebrations and transformed them into Christian holidays (Christmas).
* HumanoidAbomination[=/=]PhysicalGod: This is what the two pagan gods look like; they look very human and innocent, but have at one point wanted sacrifices..
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: The two pagan gods are sent to Hell when Sam and Dean impale them on Christmas tree branches.
* TheKrampus: Mentioned by Sam when researching evil Santa.
* LeavingFoodForSanta: The evil Santa is seen eating cookies that have been left out.
* MallSanta: The Winchesters investigate a drunken, pot-smoking, porn-watching Mall Santa.
* MementoMacGuffin: Dean's necklace (originally meant for John) was given to him by Sam sixteen years ago.
* MistakenForPedophile: Sam and Dean get some funny looks--two adult men walking into a fake Santa's workshop. Sam makes it worse by saying "We only came here to watch".
* ParentalAbandonment: John is out on a hunt in 1991 and doesn't show up for Christmas. Dean tries to make it look like their dad came back for Sam, but Sam's not fooled.
%%* RustproofBlood
* SnowMeansLove: A platonic example, but at the episode's end, it starts snowing when Sam and Dean are opening the Christmas presents they got each-other. Throughout the episode, the MonsterOfTheWeek were causing mild weather, and Sam and Dean were up to this point arguing about whether or not to celebrate Christmas.
* StandardFiftiesFather: The pagan gods dress, talk, and act like a couple straight out of a 50's sitcom.
* TheToothHurts: Subverted: as Dean is about to get his tooth pulled out, the doorbell rings.
* TorturePorn: The segment where the pagan gods are performing the ritual by tormenting Sam and Dean.
* UnholyMatrimony: The two pagan gods are an old married couple that have been around a long time.
* WeatherManipulation: The MonsterOfTheWeek grant mild weather in exchange for {{Human Sacrifice}}s.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: While exploring the pagan god's basement, Sam and Dean find a bag hanging on the wall with a person trapped inside terrified and in pain, but very much alive. However once the pagan gods show up the episode completely forgets about this. Who was in the bag? Was it Jimmy Caldwell's dad (who we saw taken away in a bag in an earlier scene that took place the night before)? Were they rescued and reunited with their family? The episode doesn't even include a throwaway line to explain.
* WoodenStake: The pagan gods can be killed with evergreen stakes.
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