Has Beef With Venison

(I’m with my mom, trying to explain a joke where Santa is playing Scrabble with his reindeer, and the only available word to play is ‘venison.’)

Mom: “I just don’t get why it’s funny.”

Me: “Because deer are only called venison when you’re about to eat them. These deer are Santa’s friends. Hence, the ‘funny.'”

Mom: “Okay. I think I get it, but do we really only use venison when talking about food?”

Me: “Gee, those venison sure are having fun, frolicking in the field.”

Mom: “You made your point. Why do we even call it venison, though? We don’t invent special words for other animals, like beef.”

Me: *sarcastically* “Gee, that beef sure is having fun, frolicking in the field.”

Mom: “Shut up.”