All of the reindeer were hanging out together after their longest work night of the year. They were exhausted but gathered around to celebrate one last yearly tradition with each other — the announcement of which reindeer would receive the Honors for the night. Tired, but excited and rippling with anticipation all the reindeer listened as Donner, the organizer of this year’s Secret Santa, made an announcement:

“Okay fellow reindeer, I know it’s been a long night...”

“And sounds like you’re about to make it a little longer!” Quipped some wiseass in the back (probably Blitzen).

“Hey now, let’s settle down everyone we all want to find out who gets the Honors this, and we’ll all know soon enough...”

Donner trailed off because he didn’t want to say the next word he had to say in his sentence. He knew it was going to be the worst word he could possibly say. It was the word that was certain to trigger a deluge of jeers, taunts, merciless booing, and maybe more. That word was — 

“...But...”

The booing unleashed by the exhausted reindeer after 24 straight hours of work was as ferocious and fierce as booing has ever been. Donner’s fears were confirmed. He struggled to get out his important announcement, per tradition, about the game times and betting lines for all of today’s Christmas NBA Basketball Games. 

“Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooo”

“Pelicans! Vs! Heat! 12:00 Eastern! Heat -5!”

“Boooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

“Warriors vs. Bucks! 2:30 Eastern! Bucks -10!”

“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

The booing continued uninterrupted as Donner read the NBA game times for this Christmas Day. Every year the reindeer knew this was coming but every year they booed with ferocity. The reading of the Christmas Day lineup was a tradition that twas voted in by all the reindeer because it was helpful information to know since they would all be spending the rest of the day watching these games. But quite frankly booing someone after a long day is just fun, so that's why they did it. Eventually, though, the final game was announced and Donner could move on.

“And now, finally, the moment you’ve all been waiting for...” Donner announced. “Let’s find out who will be this year’s recipient of the Honors!”

An immediate, anticipatory, silence came across all present. The reindeer waited for this moment all night - nay - all year. 

"Okay! And the Honors tonight, of the first gift to be opened, goes too..." 

Donner closed his eyes and reached into a hat. He pulled out a name...

"Comet! Let's hear it for Comet! Come on down!" Donner yelled again. 

"Oh hell yeah!" Comet yelled as he came on down to pick up his gift. “Papa done won what Papa done won!”

The rest of the reindeer playfully jeered as Comet made his way towards the present.

“Hmmmm I wonder what this is?" Comet said as he inspected the box. 

"Stop dawdling will ya! We all wanna open our gifts!" Shouted Rudolph from the back. 

Comet took his time and unwrapped his box. Once he was finished he held up a single beer. 

"That was from me!" Dancer called out. "Great work tonight!" 

"Well I thank you kindly, sir!" Comet responded as he opened his beer and took the first relaxing sip of the night. 

The next few Secret Santa calls were uneventful. Take for example the reindeer that Donner called on 4th,

"Okay next up, it's Cupid! Come on down, Cupid!" 

Cupid made her way down to pick up her present. She made a big show of inspecting the box and guessing what could be inside. 

"A peacoat?" 

"You always guess that!” “You’re a peacoat!" “Who pees on a coat?” Came the playful barbs from the other reindeer. 

Cupid then opened her present and — 

"A beer! Thank you! This is just what I wanted!" She exclaimed. 

"That was actually from me" Donner replied. "Great work tonight!" 

"Here, here!" The reindeers shouted. 

Rudolph was called on 5th and also received - surprise-surprise - a single beer as his Secret Santa gift. None of the reindeer knew how or when this tradition got started. But they all looked forward to gifting each other a beer after a long workday and sharing it together. 

This was the one thing they all knew they could do to enjoy each other's company before the NBA games started and all of a sudden the reindeer were no longer all on the same side anymore, at least not for another year...

(Oh, the first sip and the first person selected in Secret Santa is called the Honors because seeing the first sleigh companion take a sip of beer after the longest work night of the year was a subliminal signal to all the other reindeer that after this sip, there was nowhere else to go tonight. All the houses were visited. Joy has been spread. Merry had been made. It was finally time to relax and kick it, at least until next year.)