Doubt squinted at the sorry-excuse for handwriting while munching on a cookie that had been sitting rather invitingly on top of the world's largest roll of ribbon. "Lucy Beckett." The spirit muttered, being careful not to spit crumbs on the presumably precious scroll. "There must be a thousand Lucy Becketts in the United States alone! How am I supposed to know which one gets what?"
Annoyed, Doubt took another bite of cookie and rolled to another section of The List. "How are there this many kids on the nice list!" The spirit complained. "There is not a little boy I ever saw who hasn't put gum in sister's hair."
Apparently that was not a great enough offence to make the naughty list though, as the nice list rolled on and on until Doubt thought their eyes would burn out.
"Forget it." Doubt tossed the list aside, stuffing the last bit of cookie into their mouth as they stood from the red-and-green-striped armchair. "Let's pretend all the presents are ready and get on with it. Those reindeer better know where they are goi-"
Doubt froze as they remembered something. There. Were. No. Reindeer.
They were gone. Vanished from the stables as surely as Santa had vanished from his workshop.
"Well." Doubt stated to a silent room. "Things just got more complicated."