The Born Loser by Art and Chip Sansom for December 24, 2023

Santa is a real guy, and lives in Rovaniemi, Finland.

From NOT ALWAYS RIGHT: Kids So Bad They Don’t Even Get Coal

I work at an elementary school. I am doing yard duty and monitoring the playground during recess time one February morning. I notice that one of the third-graders has a group of first-graders and kindergartners gathered around her. She is telling them something, and they look upset.

This third-grader was from a notoriously badly-behaved family of kids. Her older siblings in sixth and eighth grades are suspended for cussing and being violent on a regular basis, and her younger sibling in kindergarten is a thief and not potty-trained. [Third-Grader] is the best-behaved of the bunch, but that isn’t saying much.

As I approach the group, [Third-Grader] abruptly stops talking, which confirms to me that she’s up to no good.

Me: “Why don’t you go play with kids your own age?”

The third-grader runs off. As soon as she’s gone, one of the first-graders turns to me. He looks on the verge of tears.

Me: “What was she telling you?”

First-Grader: “She said Santa’s not real. That’s not true, is it?”

I don’t want to lie to the kids, but I also don’t want to upset them further or spoil things for their parents. Thinking quickly, I reply.

Me: “Just because Santa’s never been to her house, that does not mean Santa isn’t real.”

The relieved kindergartners and first-graders ran off to play. They had no trouble believing that Santa had never gone to her house.

At least it’s appreciated, Brutus. Take your wins where you can get them. You are, after all, a born loser.

I ain’t sayin nutin

Momma probably doesn’t have butter and egg money stashed away so my guess is VISA. I’m 29.9%APR sure I’m right. Merry Christmas everyone.

You’re lucky you don’t get nothing but clothing.

That’s the Christmas Miracle kid!

They can’t afford it? Not even with 4 easy payments?

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Brutus. (Creator)

Keep the faith, Wilberforce!

I always wondered how Santa got into my house because we didn’t have a chimney. I guess my folks left the doors unlocked.

Santa gets free shipping…

Magic, B. Magic.

Love the crooked smile on Brutus……perfect!

Count yourself blessed Wilberforce, count yourself blessed.

May the true Gift of Christmas be with you all tomorrow and everlasting.

The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree .

Merry Christmas everyone! ☺️

Parents stop at nothing to make sure their Children have a good Christmas, no matter how much debt it causes.

One of the hardest days of my life was having to explain to my children that Santa didn’t exist… Merry Christmas, Chip!

hard for Santa to compete against that. :}

Wow that look on Brutus’s face tells a thousand stories. Perfect. There’s always a cloud with every silver lining in Brutus’s world. Merry Christmas Chip and thanks for the daily gift that is TBL!

“Is there a Santa Claus?” is a kōan.

That’s tellin’ ’im! ☺

Definite logic in that argument. However, when maturity ever strikes the young lad (which in cartoon life may never occur}, he will realize that the Love of a parent is stronger and more powerful than any love from a man living at the North Pole. It’s that Love that allows parents to make those sacrifices for their children and to keep Santa’s secret for as long as possible…..

This is the exact same reason my siblings and I used to ‘prove’ there really was a Santa. Sixty years later, it still warms my heart when I think of the sacritfices my parents made to make Christmas special for all of us.

Wilberforce is right about one thing, his parents couldn’t afford all the toys he got, and Brutus a has a credit card bill to prove it.

Amazon is Santa.

Butch Kapinski is a troublemaker!

Not a good thing for that kid to say before he gets his gifts. Merry Christmas to Chip and all the nice fans of The Born Loser.

“Well Wilberforce I think you meant you are angry at the kid, but you might be mad if you think Santa will get you all those gifts…

Where fact and fantasy have met the road.

whether you can afford the presents or not, a happy yule to all… ☺

FELIZ NAVIDAD, THORNY