Life, 1913-12-04 · page 22 of 112
Life — December 4, 1913 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertising and humor page** from an early 20th-century American magazine. The main satirical piece is a "Sense Wanted" advertisement—a tongue-in-cheek classified ad lamenting the commercialization of Christmas. It criticizes how the holiday has devolved into "sordid commercial carousal" and calls for "sense in all sizes" to distinguish between truly meaningful and merely expensive gifts. This reflects genuine Progressive-era anxiety about unchecked consumerism corrupting holiday values. The cartoon below shows a well-dressed gentleman asking a child, "Who are you, my child?" The child replies, "I'm Mamma's Little Sunshine"—a sentimental domestic scene typical of sentimental advertising of the period. The page otherwise consists of **product advertisements**: eau de cologne (No. 4711), a tire pump (Kellogg), tire repair services, and Gold Seal Champagne. The champagne ad ironically promotes "Real Christmas Cheer" while arguing that expensive imports are wasteful—positioning American wine as economical patriotism. The humor lies in juxtaposing commercialism critique with aggressive product placement.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
delicacy. and thought that prompt the giver. As a Holiday remembrance in the family circle, or for some friend, there is both ‘mand compliment in No. 4711°’ Eau de Cologne, for more than a century the favored toilet requisite of men and women, here and abroad. This distinctive toilet prepara- tion is included in our specia Christmas Gift Box, which also contains ‘*No. 4711’ White Rose Glycerine Mignon Smelling Salts, and ‘* No, 4711" Complexion Powder. A dainty, acceptable gift. mps and we will rou id a sample bottle 4711" Eau de Cologne. Address MULHENS & 3 & ROI. Deo. L Tiere Wee New York STAR wey. plase. plavern, news. oatlp, etc. lusproved and ‘ weeks trial subscription. NEW NEW YORK STAR COMPANY, 1495 Broadway, New York vot Stage Pictorial is Stage Quarterly it tory A pemde toe copy: A Thought LOVE the Christmas-tide, and yet, I notice this, each year I live; I always like the gifts I get, But how I love the gifts I give! “WHO ARE YOU, MY CHILD? “YM MAMMA'S LITTLE SUNSHINE.” Bel il | Wali LIFE RM .424.8 Sense Wanted WANTED Sense. Have decided to reform. Have weighed my bad habits carefully in the balance and found them seriously wanting. If Christmas is to be preserved in anything like its pristine integrity, we must strangle the nonsense that threatens to convert it from a perfectly well-intentioned fes- tival into a mere sordid commercial carousal. For this fight we need a complete supply of sense in all sizes, weaves, grades, qualities, colors, widths, lengths and thickness sense to rec- ognize useless Christmas presents and pass them by: sense to select or create useful presents: and sense to know that the amount of money spent for a gift is no measure of the love that goes with it. In writing please state ex- actly what kind of sense you have and how much, in order that its be estimated. Addre Shoppers, care Spug, General Delivery (from Bondage). RAY, what is there about the kiss You so enjoy?” I asked a miss, She smiled, then softly said to me: “T like the sweet monotony.” Champagne Celebrate Christmas in an American way with an American Wine. For the fit ing observation and the making of REAL CHRISTMAS CHEER serve Gold Seal Champagne. The American wine that proves import duty and ocean freight to be useless waste. You can pay more for wine than Gold Seal costs, but you cannot get a better cham pagne at any price Two Kinds : Special Dry and Brut. Order a Bottle or Case Today Sold Everywhere ( O72 BIS BIW TTT 4 SER ean ene cae Sem Motorists--Read This “ Possibly three-fourths of the tires returned te the manufacturers for repairs have been riddes ciently inflated. Insufficient inflation ise nsible to a greater extent than p any. thing else for blowouts and quick disintegration™ By F. A. HENDERSON, Manager adjusting depart Tro csattie ie & Rudber Gar ae Sate Save These Tire Repairs by installing a ELL. ‘OG Er 1,0G Then your tires will always be properly in- flated—quickly and easily. Your motor does all the work. The Kellogg is the standard tire pump. Used solely for years by Packard, Peerless, Winton, Stevens Duryea, Lozier, Stearns, Palmer-Singer. Frank- lin, Chalmers, Havers, and many others. Easily installed on practically every car made or in use. Ask your dealer about it—or write for ir on NEW YORK ITS Brcadveay eee eteeh ochenets <a She Ee “All wine—No daty"* ry alir’s |