Life, 1920-12-16 · page 12 of 45
Life — December 16, 1920 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine presents a lighthearted Christmas poem by Arthur Gutterman divided into five numbered sections, accompanied by whimsical illustrations. The content depicts gnomes celebrating Christmas in domestic settings—opening presents, dancing around a tree, and enjoying holiday festivities. The accompanying drawings show children and fantastical creatures in Victorian-era Christmas scenes. Below the poem are three separate comedic sketches: "Anticipating Christmas Noon" (children around a tree), "The Giraffe" (a visual pun about a toy giraffe), and two brief comic dialogues—"Quick! Assistance!" (about a plumber) and "Too Sweeping" (about Christmas tree decorations). These are gentle, family-oriented humor pieces typical of *Life*'s approach to holiday entertainment, with no apparent political content or social satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1 (3 Christmas Ebe the Christ- |! mus gnomes Gu dim-lit rooms of happy homes Enact their playful dram. Their little feet wre mostly bare; They haben’t wry clothes to fear But nighties or pajmus. Ill They seize the dolls; Without remorse They swarm the nef-fomd hobby- horse And set him madly rocking; They oyen rhery box; they pour Upzit the floor the faried store Of ebery fwell-filled stocking. LIFE. Christmas Gnomes Il Betoce the dark is @enring thin, hey come, fith Whispers, stexl- ing it To peer in spots forbidden, Iu closets, drafvers and other nooks Where presents—playthings, pic- ture books, Or goodies, may be hidden. IV They dance around the Christmas tree, And,—ol! that such 2 thing could be! Thoseruthless young Comanches ! With eager, coral tongues they lick Each red-striped candy fwalking-stick Upon the bending branches! And ther they’be seen and romped their fill, AMhile all the house is dreaming still And still the darkness hobers, With elfin craft they slip away, don't knots where, but I should say Perhaps beneath the cobers. Arthur Guiternum ANTICIPATING CHRISTMAS NOON The Giraffe: wirey TIED A KNOT IN MY NECK SO 1 WOULDN'T FORGET THE KIDDIES’ CHRISTMAS TOYS Quick! Assistance! LUMBER: Hello! Hello! the Country Club? Voice on Puone: Yes. What is it? “This is Tinpype, the plumber. Send me a caddy to carry my tools.” Is this Too Sweeping “YOU mustn’t touch any of the things on the Christmas tree, darling.” “Why, mamma, are they all good to eat?”