Life — December 2, 1915 — page 60: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration depicts a Christmas scene playing on the tradition of mistletoe kissing. Two elegantly dressed women stand beneath mistletoe, while a man in formal attire lurks awkwardly behind a doorway, peering at them. The caption's clever wordplay—"restraint of osculation" (restraint of kissing)—mocks the social awkwardness created by Christmas mistletoe customs. The man appears hesitant or cautious about the kissing tradition, suggesting either shyness or the social complications of holiday romance rituals among the upper classes. The cartoon satirizes Victorian-era social propriety and the tension between tradition and personal discomfort during festive gatherings, particularly regarding romantic contact between unmarried people.