It’s a ritual performed by kids all over the world. “I’m gonna stay up all night to see Santa!” Parents just look at each other and smile knowingly – their little one(s) won’t make it past midnight. All the preparations are made, though. Christmas lights are hung up along with the stockings, the tree is festooned with ornaments, and the all-important milk-and-cookies combination is left for Santa to replenish his energy should he get peckish during his travels around the world.
This video turns that a bit around its ear. Instead of cherubic children inside a house, it’s a Jack Russell Terrier who is determined to see the Jolly Bearded One. Its doghouse has the Christmas light treatment, the stockings, and the milk and cookies. It then stands up, looks at the sky and barks as if to say, “Santa! Come over! I’m waiting!”
Of course, since it’s a dog, it’s not very patient. First, it circles the doghouse, then goes inside. It’s hungry… surely Santa won’t miss one cookie. Gulp. Yum. Finally, tiredness overtakes it and it falls asleep. Then there’s the payoff… let’s just say that the pooch is going to wake up in the morning and be very happy with what it sees.
There’s so much that’s packed into the video, however brief it is. First off, the dog is so well-trained. You almost believe that it’s really waiting for Santa and not just watching what its handler wants it to do. Then again, Jack Russells always make great TV dogs – remember Eddie on “Frasier?” There’s a sweet message here. One never gets the idea that anything’s being sold.
Christmas videos always cheer me up. This one’s no exception. For some reason, I view this as a live-action Snoopy, given the whole backyard/doghouse setup. It’s something Charles M. Schulz would have dreamed up for sure. Take a look and leave a comment below!
