Herman by Jim Unger for December 23, 2022

“My best helper for giving the naughty children better than they deserve.”

Well. . . he’s on the naughty list now. :P

Behind you kid.

Little Billie Bratt and his doting father may be unaware that this “Santa” is actually KRAMPUS in disguise! And so the horror begins …

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Krampus

He is destined to get coal this year.

Kid needs a solid ‘pat’ on the ear.

MERRY CHRISTMAS everybody

Turn around, kid and stop being so ungrateful. You little brat!

That was the bad kids Santa…

Sounds like his dad has eye problems, dressed up as Santa, and just got him clothes for Christmas last year.

Never look a gift horse in the glasses, kid.

Don’t worry kid – you’re getting nothing this year if you don’t let go of the beard.

Sounds like he has a bone to pick

Coal.

This kid seems to be burning all his bridges. Santa and/or Dad are going to make sure this kid is a human coal mine.

The kids have got to have it figured out by now, when there’s a Santa in every department store.

I’ve always thought that store and mall Santas need to be prepared to protect themselves to challenges to their authenticity. The simplest response would be to explain that they’re Santa’s helpers, dressed up as the big guy to honor him, and that (if pressed on the matter) they do communicate wish lists up to headquarters at the North Pole (moms and dads are welcome to use the same explanation as needed).