Life — December 2, 1920 — page 20: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a humorous comic strip about Christmas gift-giving among men. The protagonist receives multiple Christmas cards and money from friends named Jack and Henry, prompting his realization: sending greeting cards is superior to traditional Christmas gifts because it's practical, thoughtful, and requires less effort than shopping. The joke satirizes male attitudes toward the holiday—men grumbling about shopping burdens ("I've been so darn busy") while appreciating receiving money or cards themselves. The punchline, "Why didn't I think of that?" reflects the character's sudden insight that Christmas cards offer an elegant solution to holiday gift-giving stress. This appears designed as advertising for the Greeting Card Association, promoting cards as ideal Christmas presents, particularly targeting male readers of Life magazine.