Life, 1911-12-07 · page 76 of 112
Life — December 7, 1911 — page 76: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical advice about Christmas shopping etiquette. The cartoon shows Mr. Rabbit (an anthropomorphic character) frustrated under mistletoe with two women who won't let him kiss them—a humorous Christmas tradition scenario. The accompanying text by Carolyn Wells is heavy-handed satire that inverts proper etiquette. It mockingly advises readers to *not* be courteous: push ahead of shoppers, waste clerks' time, buy unwanted merchandise, shop at inconvenient times, and deliberately impede crowds with slow movements and large parcels. The author sarcastically recommends these behaviors will create "our usual turbulent, excited and hen-minded crowd of Christmas shoppers." The satire mocks both inconsiderate shopper behavior and the absurdity of prescriptive etiquette guides. It's a humorous critique of holiday shopping chaos and human rudeness disguised as polite instruction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
aS gn Mr. Rabbit: wet, now! THIS IS A NICE SITUATION. TWO BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADIES DIRECTLY UNDER THE MISTLETOE AND EVERY TIME I TRY TO KISS THEM THEY DRAW IN THEIR MEADS Etiquette for Christmas D O not push or crowd ahead of other shoppers. Wait patiently until they have all completed their pur- chases and then politely state your wants to the girl behind the counter, Describe to her leisurely what it is you wish to buy. Nothing is more vulgar than an appearance of haste or impatience. If she hasn't the article you desire, take whatever she has. It doesn’t matter. Buy such things as seem shop- worn or unattractive. This is true kindness to others. Ex- press no surprise at being obliged to wait a long time for your change. (If literary, carry a volume of Marcus Aurelius to read at these odd hours. If a fairly rapid reader, carry several volumes.) Have no definite idea of what you want to buy for your friends’ gifts. Trust to luck to see just the right thing at the right price. If you don’t see it, take something clse. It doesn’t matter Do your Christmas shopping early. Late August or early September is a good time, as there are almost no people in the shops then. But it doesn't matter. If the week before Christmas you find you have all your gifts bought and no money to buy more, go back and ex- change some. It is a shame to miss the festive excitement of the Christmas shopping crowds. Go to toy counters or notion counters late in the afternoon and you will be an- noyed at the result, If you buy a large or bulky parcel. carry it home with you. It adds to the Christmas spirit of the crowd in many ways. ‘ Endeavor to make yourself a conspicuous and animated figure in the crowd of Christmas shoppers. Even without vulgar pushing or jostling, you may manage to impede others’ progress, by sudden or undecided movements, by stepping ahead of patient or timid people, by going back- ward or sideways, or by standing stock-still to read over your list. Remember all these points, and we may hope for our usual turbulent, excited and hen-minded crowd of Christ- mas shoppers. Carolyn Wells, Also, almost no goods. comicbookseern