Recap – “A Very Supernatural Christmas”
Dean asks if Sam’s found their chimney sweep. “Yeah, it’s Dick Van Dyke.” Dean doesn’t get the reference. “Mary Poppins?” Nope. I’m guessing he didn’t know about Mary Poppins because a porn movie wasn’t made about it. Now someone search porn titles and prove me wrong. Sam tells him never mind. Dean walks around the couch and bam! There’s the money shot. Dean stands in front of a hokey Thomas Kinkade mural covering the entire opposite wall, instantly throwing him into the center of a cozy holiday picture. I froze the frame and laughed my fool head off because it’s the most absurd scene you’ll ever see Dean Winchester in. Also, it’s a huge inside joke since Jared Padalecki starred in “The Christmas Cottage” as Thomas Kinkade. Someone had way too much fun setting this up, and we all win.
The best idea Sam can come up with is evil Santa. Santa’s brother went rogue and instead of bringing presents at Christmastime he punishes the wicked. Hmm, the Anti-Claus. Dean thinks the idea is crazy and reminds Sam there is no Santa, which opens up a nice gaping wound. “I know, you’re the one who told me in the first place.” Ouch! Some deep childhood scars there, huh? Sam then breaks the ice by admitting he might be crazy. Dean finds out the previous victims visited Santa’s village, and now I highly suspect Jeremy Carver’s warped childhood involved too many family visits to tacky tourist traps. Santa’s Village is as awful as imagined, with the weathered and in desperate need of paint entrance topped with one ominous looking Santa, wooden buildings that look like rotting shacks instead of toy workshops, the unenthusiastic elf and guy in reindeer suit standing among the tacky wooden cutouts of a manger scene that gets banned by most neighborhood associations nowadays. There’s even the ugly reindeer made of logs that Amish places try to sell at a premium but most drunk hunters end up shooting down after a deer hunt gone bad in Michigan. The set designers must have had every one of their Christmas fantasies, real and surreal, come true. Dean uses this bizarre backdrop to suggest that he and Sam have Christmas this year. Sam hates the idea, claiming their Christmases weren’t exactly loaded with “Hallmark memories.” Whose are? My memories of Christmas include being bored stiff with my new toys after an hour and nothing but crap on TV, all while the adults broke into the egg nog early. These were the days before the Internet, DVD’s or even VHS, and my video game choices were Pong. At least when I get drunk at Christmas now, my kids have the Wii.

Sam makes it clear. No. Grinch. Dean walks away and one deep gaze at the goofy reindeer triggers a memory for Sam. He and Dean are in seedy motel room in Broken Bow, Nebraska in 1991. The sign says the Cicero Pines Motel. That’s the exact same sign from “The Kids Are Alright.” There aren’t many pine trees in Nebraska either. This eight year old Sam is a drastic improvement the one in “Something Wicked”, but thankfully we get the same Dean. Sam’s wrapping a gift with the comics page that Uncle Bobby gave him to give to John. The point is clearly coming across that these boys have nothing, for not even a Christmas tree can be found. Young Sam is wrapping a present for John with the comics newspaper. Young Dean asks Sam if he stole it. Nope, “Uncle Bobby” gave it to him, saying it’s real special. This fueled even more rampant speculation about the amulet, it’s powers, and if Bobby really knew how special it is. Maybe one day we’ll find out. Young Dean asks what it is, and Young Sam answers “a pony.” Awesome, eight year old Sam is snarky. Young Sam asks if Dad will be there for Christmas. Young Dean assures him he will. Liar! How long did Dean think he could avoid Sam’s questions? I have a seven year old who leaves nothing alone. Young Sam is uncanny with every mannerism, down to the puppy dog eyes and sorrowful glare. He goes into rapid fire mode with the questions, just like most eight year olds do. “Where is he anyway?” On business, Young Dean answers. “What kind of business?” You know that, sells stuff. “What kind of stuff?” Stuff. Young Dean avoids every single question with a smart answer. Sam comments that nobody tells him everything, so Dean satisfies that answer with a “Quit asking.” Oh, that’s so going to work. “Is Dad a spy?” Yeah, he’s James Bond. Yeah, that shuts Sam up, not! “Why do we move around so much?” Everywhere we go, they get sick of your face. Nope, that doesn’t work either. Sam is really stubborn. Duh! “I’m old enough Dean, you can tell me the truth.” “You don’t want to know the truth, believe me.” Um, yeah, he does. Then the question becomes about “mom.” Uh oh, that’s the hot button. Dean storms out. Young Sam watches him leave with despair.


The scene cuts to adult Sam at Santa’s village with the exact look of despair, and it’s remarkable how these two pull that off. Those comparative scenes happen again uncannily in “After School Special,” so this starts something extraordinary. The editors certainly got some gold to work with. Dean comes back and quips that for the ten dollars it cost to get into that place, Santa could scrounge up some snow. Sam isn’t listening. Dean asks what they’re looking for. The “lore” aka Sam being a dork, tells them they should look for an Anti-Claus that walks with a limp and smells like sweets. Why sweets? If he smells like candy, kids come closer. Dean, as well as me, finds that really creepy, so I strapped a bunch of candy on the dog to test out that theory. It doesn’t work.
They watch at the ramshackle “Nearly North Pole” building one really gross Santa acting shady with children complete with dirty wig and beard. This is just sick and wrong. They are really going all out to ruin Christmas for us, aren’t they? A cheery elf interrupts them, asking if they want to escort their child to Santa. Cue the “Dean throwing Sam in a humiliating spot” scenario, and he tells her it’s a lifelong dream of Sam’s to sit on Santa’s lap. Sam fails big time in getting out of the lie by saying they just want to watch. Her face sours and she gives the appropriate “Ewww.” We have another bit that will be often brought up in “funniest moments” discussions. Also, perverts can be added to the list of Winchester stereotypes.

Santa gets up and walks by them with a limp. Dean says he smells like sweets, Sam thinks its ripple. They still think it’s worth checking out. So Sam and Dean stalk evil Santa outside his trailer and there’s a classic car sighting! From what I can tell given the back only angle, it’s a mid 1970’s Cadillac Eldorado, and of course, it’s in red. It’s Santa’s muscle car sleigh! Dean again brings up the Christmas thing and Sam has another nickname to add to his growing list, “the boy who hates Christmas.” I’m going to have to do a separate list someday of all the nicknames these two have thrown at each other.

Alice Jester is the founder, editor-in-chief, head writer, programmer, web designer, site administrator, marketer, and moderator for The Winchester Family Business. She is a 30 year IT applications and database expert with a penchant for creative and freelance writing in her spare (ha!!) time. That’s on top of being a wife, mother of two active kids, and four loving (aka needy) pets.
Hi Alice
Loved the recap. Always enjoyable…Thank-you!
I have added this episode as part of my yearly Christmas shows that I have to watch at least once. I think it lines up well with Bill Murray’s Scrooged.
Of course can’t forget the classics! A Christmas Carol (Alastair Sims version), It’s a Wonderful Life, Holiday Inn, White Christmas, Going My Way, A Muppets Christmas Carol (no, not kidding):oops
Man! I’m a total Sap around this time of year!
Karen, I’m a total Sap at this time of year too. Alice, once again a recap masterpiece. So much in the episode, as you pointed out, and so much a tribute to the Christmas spirit. I guess Kripke’s friends would think he needs a psychoanalyzing because they really don’t get the message he was sending, in his own SPN way. Their loss; our gain!
What Bobby meant by the amulet as being special, is open to interpretation. From the series aspect, no one thought the show was going to be around in season 5, so the original idea behind the amulet being ‘special’ was just for Sam to think the gift he was giving would be exception to Dad, a way to once again try to reach his father. Something so special, his Dad would have to sit up and take notice of Sam. Something Dean did Sam’s entire life. At this point in the series, the amulet was not endowed with any magical abilities. That developed between season 4 and 5, and I hope when it’s returned to Dean, it’s ‘magic’ will give us all the same warm and tingly feelings the amulet did when it was first given to Dean. The final domino in cementing the boy’s relationship before facing Lucifer. That would be fabulous to see!
You are completely right with the concept that Sam gave his special gift to Dean because he finally realized Dean meant much more to him than Dad did. This wasn’t something he didn’t know for a while either, just something he now could accept. I guess I would say, Dad’s not showing up for Christmas was just the last straw for Sammy.
It’s funny to know Jared REALLY spiked Dean drink! I didn’t know that before. Those two seem to have so much fun together…and it really comes across in the show. Hummmmm…wonder if in another life, Jensen and Jared really WERE brothers. 😮
The intense silence between the boys after the toast did contain all the ideas you brought out, but I think it would have meant a LOT to Dean to hear it verbalized, and it would have been so good for Sam’s soul to speak it. Maybe the return of the amulet will remind the boys of that moment, and why, for their lives, all that matters is being together.
Only thing I missed was a screencap of the Merry Christmas on the wall. Like what you have on the count-down clock. Really would like to have it for wallpaper for the holidays. Can you post it please?
Just Pong? Didn’t the Odyssey have a couple of other games, too, like Son of Pong?
Not funny? Oh well. 😎
Anyone ever screw up a fingernail? It hurts like a MOFO and I cannot even fathom having one completely torn out. That’s right up there with the melonballer.
Totally awesome recap of a, like, gnarly episode. (is Valley Girl speech too new for the youth of us old people?) I know Xmas is over, but I think I’ll watch this again when I get out of work.
That was wonderful Alice! Got me all teary again.
That episode is an A+ for me too. An up and down roller coaster of hoots of laughter and sobbing tears, one after another. The final shot of them through the window with the lights reflected on baby and knowing that it is Dean’s last Christmas just gets my waterworks gushing. Those poor boys! I love them so.
This is my one and only traditional Christmas show. I guess I’m sorta a grinch as well as Sam.
Sweet Peter on a popsicle stick! Those gods were absolutely fabulous characters. So very funny and macabre and creepy altogether. The actors were just perfect in their parts.
And we need that amulet back. Come on Cas, get a move on with your quest. Dean wants it back. (By the way, where is his ring and bracelet? Did Cas steal them too? I miss them also.)
What a great recap. This is my very favorite episode. There is not a single wrong note and every time I watch I catch something new and wonderful. I “strongly encouraged” several friends to record this episode this year and think it is a wonderful introduction to our wonderful show.
I recently watched this wonderful episode again when it was on television on Christmas Eve, and like grayj1133, I also usually catch something new every time I watch it. Therefore, I will have to disagree with her statement that there is not a single wrong note since I caught one with the last viewing. As the screen shots show in this recap, Dean’s jacket collar was initially down when Sam handed him the eggnog, but then the jacket collar was up when he was drinking the eggnog. This inconsistency in collar positions happens another couple of times before Dean finally takes off the jacket. Within what is about a minute of screen time, Dean’s collar starts off down when entering the motel room; then it is up; then it is down again; then up again; then down again; and when he finally takes off the jacket, the collar is up again. Such an unimportant inconsistency will never prevent me from loving this episode; however, I know I will never be able to watch the final motel scene in this episode again without having a mental image of Dean flipping the collar of his leather jacket up and down – not a bad mental image at all actually – in fact, it might even add to my love of this episode.
Alice, thanks so much for this recap, another of my favourite episodes re-invented…. You’re a master! I adore how your account of this episode matches the dark humour of it. You can’t watch a tooth pulled out? Wuss… 😉
Well, here comes my wuss-moment: I have a problem with the fingernail – I had a small accident in a pool once, slipped and ripped one nail (on my foot) out, there’s a lot of blood, actually (come on, you can’t expect me to be gentle after such an episode). It grew back, of course, but I remember the pain as if it had been yesterday (I was about fifteen at the time)… So, every time I watch that scene, I’m tempted to scream along with Sam… (yep Randal, I’ve had it…)
And I think you’re right, the Easter Bunny tradition (I believe) is of German but also French (Alsace, if I’m not mistaken) origin, going back to a German fertility Goddess. I don’t really care for the bunnies, though, Christmas is hardly gone and you already find the chocolate bunnies in some shops… Come on, it’s still freezing out there!
Always great fun, Alice!! Love, Jas
You are right, Alice, AVSC is one of the best episodes of the series. My favorite little detail is at the very end of the episode, when the camera is pulling away from the hotel room where Sam and Dean are celebrating Christmas, and one of the lights decorating the hotel, which looked liked it had burned out, suddenly lights up.
I will have to watch next time for the change in Dean’s collar position in the final scenes, that one of the posters above mentioned, or the victimized wife’s black eye that you referred to, neither of which I have ever noticed.
One thing I have noticed, however, is how unsynchronized the editing of the opposite camera angles is when Sam and Dean are tied to the chairs in the pagans gods’ kitchen. Like when the camera is facing Sam after the fingernail is taken out he is slumped down, but the very next shot from behind him he is not slumping. Then he is slumping again when we see him from the front. Also Dean turning his head from our back view of him does not match the head turning in our front view of him. It’s like the scene is on two slightly different timelines, depending on which angle the camera is shooting from. In a way it kind of adds to the wackiness of the scene for me.
These pagan gods were among the best MOTW in the series, so much better than the pagan god in “Fallen Idols.” And the porn-loving Santa was also one of the most memorable secondary characters. Just a great episode.