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SIMPSONS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE

Episode 7G08
Original Airdate: 12/17/89
Guest Voices: None

Marge asks her children what they would want to get for Christmas. Lisa asks for a pony while Bart asks for a tattoo. Marge takes them to the mall to buy presents, and Bart sees a tattoo parlour and lies about his age to get a "Mother" tattoo. With only "Moth" completed, Marge bursts in and drags Bart out into a tattoo removalist. She spends all of the family's Christmas money to remove the tattoo and plans to use Homer's Christmas bonus instead. However, Mr. Burns does not give out the Christmas bonus.

Discovering that the family has no money to spend for Christmas, Homer gets a second job as a mall Santa Claus. Bart goes to the mall and harasses Homer for a dare. He yanks of Homer's beard to expose his identity. Later, Homer receives his pay check and is dejected after finding out that the Santa job only paid thirteen bucks. He gets a tip from his friend Barney Gumble who tells Homer and Bart to bet it all on the dog track. There, Homer bets on "Santa's Little Helper". Santa's Little Helper comes in last place.

As the desperate duo tried to find winning tickets on the floor, Santa's Little Helper gets the boot from his owner and runs to Homer's arms. An ecstatic Bart pleads if they could keep him, and Homer reluctantly takes him home. The pair leave with the dog, and is prepared to tell his family there will be no Christmas. However, Marge and Lisa think that Santa's Little Helper is the present and is overjoyed.

WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

The Springfield Elementary School Christmas Show recieves 3 1/2 atars in a recent review advertised in the front of the school
Lisa requests a pony six times on her list
Marge parks her car into the parking area "ZZ" at the Mall
One tattoo in the Happy Sailor Tatoo Parlor features a knife piercing a heart
The dogs in the race against Santa's Little Helper were Quadruped, Whirlwind, Fido, Dog O' War, Chew My Shoe

Bart Requests A Tattoo for Christmas

Marge: You will not be getting a tattoo for Christmas.
Homer: Yeah. If you want one, you'll have to pay for it out of your own allowance.
Bart: All right!

Bart on Santa

Marge: All right children. Let me have those letters. I'll send them to Santa's Workshop at the North Pole.
Bart: Oh, please. There's only one fat guy that brings us presents and his name ain't Santa.

Homer at the Santa School naming all the reindeers Dasher, Dancer... Prancer... Nixon, Comet, Cupid... Donna Dixon.

First appearances
Homer Simpson
Marge Simpson
Bart Simpson
Lisa Simpson
Maggie Simpson
Grampa Simpson
Patty Bouvier
Selma Bouvier
Ned Flanders
Todd Flanders
Principal Skinner
Snowball II
Santa's Little Helper
The Happy Little Elves
Mr. Burns
Waylon Smithers
Barney Gumble
Moe Szyslak

Dear Friends of the Simpson Family,

We had some sadness and gladness this year. First the sadness: our little cat Snowball was unexpectedly run over and went to Kitty Heaven. But we bought a new little cat, Snowball II, so I guess life goes on. Speaking of life going on, Grampa is still with us, feisty as ever, Maggie is walking by herself, Lisa got straight A's, and Bart, well, we love Bart. The magic of the season has touched as all. Homer sends his love.

Happy Holidays,
The Simpsons

The tattoo removal technician's warning
"Now whatever you do boy, don't squirm. You don't want to get this sucker near your eye or groin."

Marge's secret hiding place
When Homer asks to see where Marge is keeping her stash of money to buy presents, she asks Homer to close his eyes and turn around. She then pulls it out of her hair-do.

The Spirit of Taking
Homer is unable to afford a Christmas tree, so he steals one from the forest and is trailed by bloodhounds. When he gets home, the family notices the birdhouse in it and smells gunpowder..