Life, 1914-12-03 · page 37 of 92
Life — December 3, 1914 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece mocks upper-middle-class women's Christmas shopping habits and shallow moral posturing. Two women discuss holiday preparations, revealing contradictions: they claim to hate shopping but continue buying; they worry about unemployed shop girls yet patronize them; they profess concern for the poor (donating to "S.P.U.G.," likely a charity) while complaining about charitable appeals. The humor centers on their circular logic about gifts—neither wants to buy for their husbands, yet both will shop anyway. They debate department stores versus haberdashers based purely on price and return policies, while insisting men won't notice the difference. The final irony: they claim to "hate being robbed" while knowingly wasting money on gifts no one truly wants. The cartoon illustrates empty Christmas materialism masked by performative concern for social welfare.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
¢ LIFE * The Profundity of Christmas (As Revealed by the Conversation of Two Nice Women.) sYou haven't finished yet?” “Well, practically, But there are just a few more things I must get.” < “T say every year, I simply won't go in after the first of December “So do I, Isn’t it hard to get any- thing for a man?” “Oh, oh! Don’t mention it! They have everything. Besides, I wouldn't dare buy anything for my husband.” “Nor I. It’s so much better to let them select things for themselves.” “Isn't it? Still, I love Christmas, don't you?” “T adore it! counts,” “That's just it; and it does give employment to so many.” “Yes, indeed! They otherwise might be idle—still, they say there are more unemployed this year than ever,” “Isn't that too bad? I try not to think of those things. And then the poor shop girls—especially at this season!” “T know it. I thoroughly believe in the S. P. U. G.” “Oh, so do I, That reminds me; I must contribute.” “Oh, dear ; there are so many calls!” “Aren't there? And it grows worse every year, don’t you think?” “Oh, much worse. Are you going to have a tree?” It’s the spirit that TRY THIS METHOD IF YOU HAVE SOCIAL AMBITIONS “I suppose so. I wasn’t at first.” Neither was I, but somehow Christmas doesn't seem like Christ- mas without a tree.” “T know it. I keep all my trim- mings.” : “So do I, And add a little every ye: ; “Yes. By the way, do you know a haberdasher?” “Dear me, I can’t think of one.” “My husband said if I did get him anything, to go to a haberdasher and not a department store.” “That isn’t a bad idea, is it? Still, their prices are so much higher.” it. But men are so “And then, Christmas comes but once a year.” “That's true, I don't really in- tend to get him anything, you know, but I thought I would just step in and look around.” y “Um! I'm sq ‘glad we met. That's exactly what I ‘want to do.” “Where shall we go?” “Oh, almost any haberdasher’s.” “If he doesn’t like it, it can, of course, be exchanged.” “Oh, certainly. But, then, there's never any trouble about that in a department store. I'm sure, after all, my husband wouldn't know the dif- ference.” “Certainly he wouldn't. Neither would mine. Let's. I hate to be robbed, don’t you?” “My dear, I simply won't be any more!” comicbooks.com