Life, 1921-12-01 · page 38 of 58
Life — December 1, 1921 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical humor page from *Life* magazine offering tongue-in-cheek "solutions" to Christmas spending problems during what appears to be an economically tight period (likely 1920s-1930s based on style). The cartoon presents six absurd strategies for managing holiday expenses: 1. **Feigned deafness** — pretending not to hear about expensive gifts 2. **Doctor's intervention** — having a physician tell your wife to avoid financial discussions 3. **Strategic conflict** — deliberately quarreling around December 20th to justify minimal gift-giving, then reconciling after New Year's 4. **Accepting expensive gifts** — letting others buy you costly items instead 5. **Ruining clothing** — destroying clothes to justify buying replacements as "gifts" 6. **Hypnosis** — implied mind control to avoid spending The humor relies on depicting husbands as scheming to dodge Christmas expenses through deception and manipulation of their wives. The satire targets both marital dynamics and economic anxiety about holiday costs. The byline credits R.L. Goldberg as the artist (likely Rube Goldberg).
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
C CANT EVEN ASK KIM wHErHeR: te’S (INSUREN eRic, 1 Saw THe LOVELIEST HAT IN MABAM LA SOAKO’S THE SLIGHTEST REFERENCE ~To ANC FINANCIAL MATIERS WILL CAUSE A SERIOUS Yes, \ TAI THE COLD SPELL \S ABOUT oer A few words from a friendly doctor within your wife’s hearing will help tide you over the holiday season A sudden attack of deafness is always a great help around Christmas ISNT WALLACE FAIRBANKS SIMPUC ARS ult - sO BIS BEARS + eer ARE PERFECTLY ONUC MAN IN Your LiFe! OUR ENSGRGEHAST Vs OFF-VPLL SEND FoR THE RING IN THE MORNING It’s a simple thing to pick a fight with her around the 20th of De- cember and make up after New Year’s NOBobYE WILL PANE THE HEART TO ACCEPT A PRESEST FROM ME WHILE VM . DARLING, I WANT You TO AcceEPT THIS BDIAMONR ANS SAPPHIRE BRACELET FROM THE CROWN You have to spoil a suit of clothes, but this will pay in the long run As a last resort try hypnotism Drawn by R. L. Goldberg We Suggest These Few Ways to Overcome the High Cost of Christmas, but You Try Them at Your Own Risk comicbooks.com