You know, I’d almost forgotten about it this year.

In fact, I hadn’t even looked.

Every year since 2011, during my holiday shopping I’ve found…

…some innocent chocolate critter has been punctured…

…squished…

…smushed…

…or gutted.

I’d almost let this photographic streak of destruction snap.

Then this afternoon, there it was, staring at me from the Christmas clearance shelves.

Ladies and gentlemen, for the fifth year in a row, may I present your Mutilated Chocolate Holiday Creature.

Right back to the same bear with which we started. While he doesn’t hold the shock value of the pirate bears, he makes up for it in smush-thoroughness.

These poor things.