Santa's Little Helper dog's Christmas-inspired name to be a sign. However, the greyhound finishes last. As Homer and Bart leave the track, they watch the dog's owner abandon him for losing the race. Bart pleads with Homer to keep the dog as a pet and he agrees after it affectionately licks him on the cheek. When Bart and Homer return home, Santa's Little Helper is assumed by the rest of the family to be a Christmas present. In various episodes, Santa's Little Helper can be seen chewing on newspapers and other objects in the Simpsons' household, destroying furniture, and digging holes in the
Religion in The Simpsons praying. William Romanowski, author of the book "Pop Culture Wars: Religion and the Role of Entertainment in American Life", noted that ""The Simpsons" is not dismissive of faith, but treats religion as an integral part of American life. Episodes that I’ve seen are not so much irreverent toward religion, but poke fun at American attitudes and practices." One episode that heavily features religion is "Bart Sells His Soul" (1995). While discussing "The Simpsons" treatment of religion in his "Drawn to Television" book, M. Keith Booker cites a scene from the episode where Milhouse asks Bart what religions have to gain