Life, 1927-12-01 · page 56 of 80
Life — December 1, 1927 — page 56: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece by Arthur L. Lippmann presents Santa Claus as an exhausted, unappreciated laborer complaining about his Christmas profession. The cartoon critiques several early 20th-century concerns: **The central complaint**: Santa does all the actual work—exposure, overtime, dangerous chimney descents—yet receives no recognition or gratitude from children who quickly forget him. **Social satire**: The piece mocks "department store Clauses"—cheap impostors hired by retailers who "steal [his] thunder" and profit from his original concept without doing the genuine labor. **Labor themes**: Santa's monologue echoes working-class grievances: unfair compensation, endless obligations ("stockings from Salem to Siam"), and lack of appreciation despite sacrifice. **The irony**: Despite legitimate complaints, Santa concludes resignedly—"I don't think I'll change it!"—capturing the trapped acceptance of underpaid workers. The cartoons illustrate Santa's frantic, exhausting night, reinforcing the theme that Christmas magic masks genuine hardship.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
x een es Ly LL %: — RES = ar Ws <a Noe pope Ab = aa f = DOLLY that talks A and a ic that walks two-wheeler who a real concertina for brave Dickie Harris who does not embarrass his mother or brother when neighbors are present a youngster who's pleasant deserves a new bicycle must not forget to bring Gladys a tricy gosh but that icicle struck my propeller it's tough when a feller as ancient as I am must fill up the stockings from Salem to Siam must go on a-sneezing and freezing so prankful small tots never thankful may frolie and bang up the toys I drop in the stockings they hang up Sissies Chrishas C= Gi £¢ —~O Number? Santa’s Nightmare for mine's a profession that offers no light work it’s filled with exposure and overtime night work and Christmas soon passes and children forget me just what docs my toil and philanthropy net me I must not forget little Teddy Maloney I promised to bring him a nice Shetland pony and then there’s his crony that lad in Toledo gosh midnight’s approaching I must get up speed oh the folks say don’t worry but I've got my causes just look at the flock of department store Clauses those parasites posing from Maine to Atlanta all aping the one and original Santa and sometimes I think that the Yuletide’s a blunder for I do the work and those chaps steal my thunder oh what is that ticking well here is a stocking to jam full of gay things and cram full of candies and bright-colored playthings I must not forget little Tommie or Annie now v is that coaster for sweet little Fannie I'll slide down this chimney I must not affright ’em With lollies and dollies and ad infinitum well mine is a job that is certainly strange it sure isn’t a cinch but I don’t think I'll change it! Arthur L. Lippmann. comicbooks.com