It was my first Christmas in my new house. I had just lost my job the month before so things were very tight financially. My Mom had purchased a Christmas tree and some ornaments because she didn’t want me to be without a tree on my first Christmas there. I was very sick at the time so my daughter had decorated the tree.

I was only able to purchase one gift per child and, since my son can’t resist wrapping paper, I had hidden them in my dresser. Underneath the tree there was only bare floor. When we woke up Christmas morning my dog had both pooped and peed under the Christmas tree.

All I could say was “Damn, Santa coal would have sufficed.”