Day Nine: Did Santa Claus Commit A Crime?
Cam wheezed with laughter at the looks on Teal'c and Vala's faces as they listened to the song playing on the sound system in the bar where SG-1 was having dinner. He'd been sure that Teal'c, at least, had heard the song at some point during his years on Earth but it didn't look that way. Although that made their twinning reactions even better.
"What's this song called?" Vala asked as it wound through the chorus again.
"'Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer,'" he said in a singsong voice, dissolving into a fit of laughter because Daniel said-sang it exactly in unison along with him.
She gave them both a look that suggested they'd lost their minds.
"It's a cultural thing," Cam offered.
"Based in the rural South," Daniel elaborated.
"Hey, it's not just in the South that people get drunk on eggnog at Christmas," Cam protested.
"Right, sorry. It obviously happens in Kansas too."
Needing more explanation before they bickered more, Teal'c crossed his arms over his chest. "I do not understand why this song is considered festive, when in fact it is a tale of alcoholism and manslaughter, neither of which speak to the joy associated with Christmas."
Cam and Daniel shared a look.
"Go on, flyboy, and answer that," Daniel said with a smirk, "so I don't accidentally offend the drunk people of the Midwest."
"Daniel makes a valid point," Cam said, pretending to say it through gritted teeth. "It's less about alcoholism and more about getting drunk. Overindulgence because of the holiday season. It's a thing that happens all over the world and it doesn't necessarily mean alcoholism."
Teal'c raised an eyebrow in skepticism.
"Okay but Santa's reindeer still trampled the grandma in the song," Vala insisted, "so how is that festive? I'm guessing not a lot of people get trampled by reindeer…"
Daniel pushed his glasses out of the way and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No. But there are a higher number of traffic accidents during the holiday season because of that overindulgence Cam mentioned."
"That still doesn't explain why the song is considered festive."
Cam swallowed the last of his beer and leaned back. "Here's the thing about the holidays, that my grandmother told me… if you overthink things and take it too seriously, you're not going to have any fun. Stuff like this song is supposed to be fun, like a stress relief from all the quiet, holy, somber stuff."
Daniel shot him a curious look. "I thought your grandmother was all about the religious side of life."
"I had two grandmothers, sunshine," he replied with a wink, "and they did not get along."
"I still believe the song is misguided in its attempts to fit in with the spirit of the season as I understand it," Teal'c said thoughtfully.
"Relax, Teal'c," Cam teased gently, "it's supposed to be misguided. I'm going to get another beer, anybody else want one?"
