Christmas 1996 - Another Missing Year

I don't recall what was happening in 1996 but evidently I didn't do a card.  This strip is just an idea I've been dicking around with and I'm bound and determined to work on it until I like it.  I'm not particularly pleased with this rendition either.  It just seems to be missing something and I can't figure it out.   I almost feel like there is too much white space.

This is another go at it.