Back from a dull holiday and it looks like my Christmas gift is more Santa Hamster. Joy to the world indeed. Today's random entry is called Santa Hamster's Bad Fur Day -1 and I am giving it two coal from the start because it is yet another Santa Hamster story that suggests its a spin-off, only to die after one chapter. Why am I harping on this? Because this is the third story that does this. Three out of seven chapters, one crossover and a teaser. Actually, the Halloween chapter was basically a teaser too. Know why this is sinful? Its because this is a silly series, and therefore doesn't have to follow a linear story line. These could have just been random entries in the larger Santa Hamster cannon, instead of a quarter-dozen no starts.

The story is about our hero getting held up by some gnomes. Its explained that gnomes are like elves, except they work for Nature instead of Santa. That's really clever actually. But it goes nowhere. because this story dead ends. Why are the gnomes turning evil? Is Nature involved? It there a larger conspiracy? Who knows. I know I never will. Neither will Santa Hamster because he didn't question anyone. he just killed them.

Santa Hamster's house has been cleaned out except for his two pets (who can talk) when they meet a talking squirrel who is looking for his girlfriend. What layers does this add to the story? What's the significance? None and nothing, respectively. Santa Hamster goes to ask Santa what to do, but he is totally useless, which should surprise no one at this point.

The story doesn't start. The characters are uninteresting, and in one case seems to be bewildered to even be in this story. If the joke had been that the squirrel had wandered in from another story, that could have been interesting. But again, nope. Its like GR2 himself was losing interest at this point, and it shows.

4 coal/ 1 present.