I remember this very theory being pictured in a very old (1940s) Carl Barks duck story featuring Donald and a early Scrooge fighting over who can give the nephews a steam shovel for Christmas. After all the antics, the real Santa pops out of the chimney in miniature, expands himself to full-size, and gives them a TOY steam shovel, just like they wanted.
I have nothing to add about ice packs, but I will ask: if a one-L lama is a priest, and a 2-L llama is a beast, what’s a 3-L llama? The answer, of course, is a big heckin’ fire in Boston!
My wife and I went to one of her brothers’ for a new years party that year, and got all dressed up because it was a Big Deal. Late in the evening, one of the other guests sheepishly showed us she had brought a handgun in her purse, “just in case”. We couldn’t believe it at the time, but I’ve since heard much the same story from other people.
Iggy ALWAYS looks a little worried