The Santa in the Slush

The Santa In The Slush is a Christmas-themed episode of the detective/mystery drama/comedy Bones, starring Emily Deschanel as Doctor Temperance Bones, and David Boreanaz as FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth. It first aired during the show's third season on November 27, 2007.

The sad discovery of the remains of a mall Santa has Bones and Booth also discovering the man was perhaps as close to the real thing as this world offers, with his apartment like a shrine to Christmas. This leads them further into a subculture of mall Santas, all of whom take their trade very seriously, all while seeking one who may have done in a fellow Saint Nick.

As that mystery unfolds, Bones and Booth find themselves forced into an awkward kiss; Booth attempts to connect with his young son for the holidays, despite unease between him and his ex-wife; Bones arranges to have her supremely dysfunctional family have Christmas in the prison where both her father and her brother are incarcerated.

Each manages to pull off some uncomfortable, at times painful. but ultimately joyous small miracles with their loved ones; When the murderer is exposed by a specific eating habit, the Santas thrash the traitor --- with a loud, shaming chorus of 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town', and proclaim that his victim will always be remembered as the biggest believer of them all.