A Very Supernatural Christmas

Summary
Sam and Dean investigate murders committed by an anti-Santa who pulls his victims up the chimney; and Dean wants to celebrate a traditional Christmas since it will be his last, but Sam refuses, not wanting to accept that Dean won't be around next year.

Full Synopsis
One Year Ago - Seattle, Washington A man visits his grandson at Christmas. As he dresses as Santa, he hears a noise on the roof. As his grandson watches on in horror, he is yanked up the chimney and his bloody boot falls into the fireplace.

Present Day, Ypsilanti, Michigan In the guise of FBI agents, Sam and Dean are in Ypsilanti, Michigan visiting Mrs Walsh whose husband has disappeared. The only clue they find is a bloody tooth in the fireplace. Sam finds out he is the second man in the town to disappear, and speculates that they may be dealing with an evil Santa, as there are many legends, such as that of Krampus, about a being who punishes the wicked at Christmas.

The boys check out 'Santa’s Village' which both men visited before they disappeared. Dean says that he’d like to celebrate Christmas but Sam refuses.

Flashback to Broken Bow, Nebraska, 1991. Young Sam and Dean are in a motel room, waiting for their father to return. Sam is wrapping a present for his Dad, which he got from Uncle Bobby and is asking questions about John – what he does, where he goes. Dean brushes off the questions, but gets angry when Sam asks about their mother.

Ypsilanti, Michigan At Santa’s Village, Sam and Dean observe the man who is playing Father Christmas, who walks with a limp and smells of candy just like legend says the evil Santa does. That night the boys stake out the man’s trailer. Dean pushes Sam again, about why he doesn’t want to celebrate Christmas. When they hear a scream from inside the trailer they enter, armed, but find a disheveled 'Santa' watching porn, with a large bong and a bottle of liquor on hand. To cover their mistake they pretend to be carolers, and sing an out-of-tune version of Silent Night.

Elsewhere the same night, another man is taken, up the chimney, in a sack. When Sam and Dean investigate the next day, Sam notices the family has the same unusual wreath over the fireplace that he saw in the Walsh house.

Sam identifies the plant in the wreath as Meadowsweet – an herb used in pagan rites to summon gods to a human sacrifice. Sam concludes they’re looking for the pagan God of the Winter Solstice, who grants clement weather.

Back at the motel, Dean again suggests that they celebrate Christmas. When Sam asks why, given that he hasn’t mentioned it for years, Dean admits that he wants to celebrate this year as it his last year. Sam responds that he can’t celebrate for that very reason.

Flashback to 1991 Young Sam reveals to Dean that he has read John's Journal, and asks whether monsters are real. Dean reluctantly confirms that they are, but that their father is a hunter who kills them. Sam is upset and afraid that the monsters will come after them

The present The next day they visit Madge and Edward Carrigan, who appear to be the perfect suburban couple. Further research reveals that they were in Seattle the previous year when three men disappeared. Bobby advises that spears made of evergreen wood will kill them.

The boys return to the Carrigan house and in the basement find human remains, and the latest victim, still in a sack. Madge and Edward attack them, knock them out and take them captive.

The boys wake up bound to chairs in the kitchen. The Carrigans confirm that they are pagan gods who, since the rise of Christianity, have been trying to blend into human society, taking only a few human victims each year. They start the ritual sacrifice, taking blood from Sam and Dean and pulling out one of Sam’s fingernails. They are interrupted by a neighbor at the front door, just as they are about to extract one of Dean’s teeth, and when they return, Sam and Dean have escaped. A fight ensues and the boys kill the Carrigans with stakes made from branches of a Christmas tree.

Flashback to 1991 Dean wakes Sam and explains that while he was sleeping, John returned and left a tree and presents. When Sam opens his presents – a Barbie and a sparkly baton – he challenges Dean, who admits he stole them from a house down the street. Sam wants to give Dean the present meant for his father. Dean at first refuses, but then accepts. It is the amulet that he wears until this day.

The present Dean returns from buying beer to find that Sam has decorated the motel room with a tree hung with air fresheners, and made eggnog. The boys exchange presents, all bought from the local gas station – Dean gives Sam porn magazines and shaving cream, and Sam gives Dean oil for the car and a candy bar. Sam starts to say something, but is overcome with the emotion of the moment, and instead suggests they watch a football game on TV.

Featured Supernatural Being

 * Deities (Pagan Gods)

Featured Music
"Silent Night" by Sam and Dean Winchester

"Deck The Halls" by Traditional Arrangement

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by Rosemary Clooney

Quotes
Sam: Well, we're not dealing with the anti-Claus. Dean: What'd Bobby say? Sam: Uh, that we're morons.

Sam: I don't get it. You haven't talked about Christmas in years. Dean: Well, yeah. But this is my last year. Sam: I know. That's why I can't. Dean: What do you mean? Sam: I mean, I can't sit around drinking eggnog, pretending everything's okay, when I know next Christmas, you'll be dead. I just can't.

Madge: You know what I say when I feel like swearing? Fudge! Dean: I'll try and remember that! (a few seconds later, when Madge is positioning a knife to slice Dean's arm) Dean: You fudgin' touch me again, I'll fudgin' kill ya! Madge: Very good!

Trivia

 * Dean refers to the Carrigans as "Ozzie and Harriet" in a reference to the perfect 1950s couple Ozzie and Harriet Nelson in the long running TV series "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
 * In the final scene of the episode, Sam and Dean exchange presents, drink eggnog and put on a football game in an attempt to have a "normal" last Christmas together, and the song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" plays. As Sam turns on the TV and the camera begins to pan out of the room, the lyric "Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow" is very prominent. This is possibly in reference to the plot, because Sam and Dean are just "muddling through" their final months together (at this point, they only have about 5 months left) until Dean is sent to Hell.
 * On the back of the motel door it says The Thomas Kinkade Suite and the painting is reminiscent of a Thomas Kinkade painting. This is a reference to Jared's role as Kinkade in The Christmas Cottage.
 * Sam gives Dean his amulet, originally intended for his dad. Sam obtained the amulet from Uncle Bobby, who told him it was 'real special'. It later plays a minor role in season 5, where it is revealed it burns hot in the presence of God.