Life, 1926-12-02 · page 17 of 81
Life — December 2, 1926 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Christmas-themed page contains humorous verse and a cartoon satirizing holiday excess and New Year's resolutions. The poems mock how Christmas arrives annually despite people's complaints about gift-buying obligations and family obligations. The verses are tongue-in-cheek complaints that "Christmas comes but once a year"—presented ironically as if this frequency is burdensome rather than pleasant. The lower cartoon depicts Santa Claus slipping on ice while carrying his sack, with a small child looking on. The caption uses dialectal speech: "Pass me last Christmas, would ya? An' now ya come 'round begins' fa pennies. Take that—ya big swede!" The satire targets the commercialization of Christmas and the relentless cycle of gift-giving expectations, suggesting Santa himself is exhausted by annual demands.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Family Skeleton “TI Fear the Greeks Bearing Gifts” ING, ye bells, proclaim the R day! Fall, ye snowdrops, crispy clear! Men and women, sing and play! Christmas comes but once a year. Suddenly I'm cramped with fear: Will Joan like this frilly stuff? Won't she find the hose too sheer?... Once a year is quite enough! Wreaths of holly deck the gay Windows of cach home; good cheer Shines in every hidden way— Christmas comes but once a year. If I send Louise that queer Vase, she'll think it a rebuff For our recent tiff....Oh, dear, Once a year is quite enough! Laughing loud, we blithely slay Ghosts of melancholy; we're Bent on happiness; we say, “Christmas comes but once a year.” Hold! I've got to buy some gear In return for Ronald's cuff- Buttons...neckties make sneer... Once a year is quite enough! him L’ Santa, I rejoic Christmas comes but once a year. Still, the going’s pretty tough: Once a year is quite enough. Simonetta. Speaking of New Year's Resolutions RESIDENT COOLIDGE re- solves to talk more. The average gentleman resolves to take them as they come, whether blonde or brunette. Labor resolves to do so all year. The 1926 flapper resolves to do better in 1927, Mr. Volstead resolves to commit no act which might, in any way, in- terfere with the liberty of his fellow man, The pedestrian resolves to get a car. The motorist resolves pedestrian. to get a Marion E. Burns. “PASS ME LAST CHRISTMAS, WOULD YA! AN’ NOW YA COME ‘ROUND BEGGIN’ PA PEND TAKE THAT—YA BIG swepE!” comicbooks.com