Santa
Cidu Bill on Dec 17th 2009
Okay, this would kind of make sense if the family in Baby Blues were Jewish. But they’re not. Or if they are, this seems to be the first time it’s been referenced in close to 20 years. And their last name is MacPherson.
I actually do have a theory, but it’s way too convoluted to be what Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott had in mind.
Filed in Baby Blues, Bill Bickel, Chanukah, Santa Claus, comic strips, comics | 32 responses so far
TasmanSea Dec 17th 2009 at 12:07 am 1
All I can figure is that it might be a kids say the darndest things kind of joke. Just that the little boy is confused by what holiday Santa has to do with?
Its Justme Dec 17th 2009 at 12:09 am 2
Yeah, he’s just a kid. He doesn’t know from Hanukkah.
Dave Van Domelen Dec 17th 2009 at 02:45 am 3
It’s currently Hannukah, not yet Christmas. So, in making small talk, he’s asking Santa if he’s enjoying the current holiday.
Also, if Jesus is Jewish, why not Santa? Perfectly valid kid-logic.
Chuck Dec 17th 2009 at 02:55 am 4
Also with all the political correctness going around, maybe the kid is just trying to cover all the bases.
Charlene Dec 17th 2009 at 06:25 am 5
Chuck, since when is it politically correct to mention Hannukah?
aoeu Dec 17th 2009 at 07:28 am 6
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Hasidim.jpg
Santas in black? Beard, robes, warm hat…
Nicole Dec 17th 2009 at 07:35 am 7
Maybe Hammie assumes that Santa works all the winter holidays
Morris Keesan Dec 17th 2009 at 08:46 am 8
I was going to make a similar guess to aoeu. Maybe the kid saw the long beard and the funny hat and thought “chasid”, and is unclear on the “wearing black” aspect. That’s all I’ve got.
Hunt Dec 17th 2009 at 09:02 am 9
Maybe the point is that both Christmas and Hannukah have become so secularized that Hammie assumes they are just two parts of the same thing.
Judge Mental Dec 17th 2009 at 09:44 am 10
My interpretation was the along the same line as Dave’s and I didn’t even give it a second thought. Its currently Hanukkah, so Hammie is just making small talk. The humor derives from the fact is that while one typically doesn’t know who celebrates Christmas versus Hanukkah just by looking at them (aoeu’s link aside), certainly you know Santa’s position.
mitch4 Dec 17th 2009 at 09:47 am 11
Hey, “MacPherson” can be a Jewish name!
There are two classic jokes demonstrating that. Somebody last week already posted “Shane Ferguson” (under the variant “Sean Ferguson”), so I’ll skip that one. This other one may be seen as a little questionable, but I would see it as commenting on, rather than simply participating in, an excess of assimilation-ism, to the point of wanting to conceal one’s Jewish identity.
That second one concerns a Mr. Campbell who comes into a Scottish courtroom with a deed poll application to change his name, to McPherson. (The joke-teller should get across that the applicant is in some way stereotypically Jewish in appearance or accent or mannerisms.) The Judge looks through the case and says “Wait a minute! Didn’t you change your name just a year ago? Why would you do that again, and so soon?” Mr. Campbell replies “When I tell people my name is Campbell, often they can’t believe it and ask ‘What was it before you changed it, huh?’ And I tell them it was Goldstein. Now, if you approve this application, when I say my name is McPherson, if anyone says “Yeah but what was it before?” my accurate answer will be Campbell.”
Longest August Dec 17th 2009 at 10:28 am 12
I think Dave and Judge Mental have it.
Kenner Dec 17th 2009 at 10:37 am 13
Re Van Domelen’s comment, I believe that to many Christians it IS Christmas, which begins on Advent Sunday and ends on Epiphany.
Karen Dec 17th 2009 at 11:13 am 14
I actually agree with Chuck. And Kenner, no, this is not the Christmas season yet. Unless you’re a retailer. Advent is Advent, a totally different animal than the feast of Christmas. The Christmas season starts on the 25th, ending on January 6th (Epiphany). Many Christians celebrate Epiphany as a feast day. Around our household, we don’t have Christmas decorations up as such. We have our Advent candles up, and wait to get our tree until Christmas Eve. Then we celebrate for the “twelve days” of Christmas.
mkilby Dec 17th 2009 at 11:55 am 15
@ Karen (14) - In the Russian Orthodox churcch, Epiphany is THE “primary” Christmas holiday.
I like both Dave’s (@ 3) “kid logic” idea and aeou’s (@ 6) “long beard” premise. It is also good to see that everyone has been steering well clear of the (massively politically incorrect) “big nose” thesis, as well as the scurrilous “religious orientation revealed by tight pants” theory (which would make this an “Eewww” in any case).
Santa’s appearance gets a wonderful re-interpretation in Arlo Guthrie’s song “The Pause of Mr. Claus“:
… Let’s get Santa Claus, ’cause…
Santa Claus wears a red suit - he’s a Communist!
And a beard, and long hair - must be a Pacifist!
… what’s in the pipe that he’s smoking?!?
Mr. Claus sneaks in your house at night!
He must be a dope fiend - to put you up tight! …
Elyrest Dec 17th 2009 at 12:15 pm 16
I agree with the “kid logic” too. Hammie knows some people celebrate other holidays this time of year so he’s covering all his bases. He’s being a “good” boy.
And thank you Karen for your explanation. That’s always how we celebrated Christmas at our house. My mom would always be grousing about the neighbors who put their tree out on the 26th. I know that just when I want to celebrate all the decorations and such disappear.
As for the name thing I have a friend whose last name is O’Hara and whose first name is as Irish as they come and they are Jewish through and through. Just can’t tell.
paperboy Dec 17th 2009 at 01:11 pm 17
mkilby#15- Thanks for the reminder of that classic Christmas song.
docdonn Dec 17th 2009 at 03:56 pm 18
guy has a beard, sideburns, and is wearing a hat indoors… what else would you wish him?
buzz Dec 17th 2009 at 05:56 pm 19
Santa’s Jewish. He works on Christmas, right?
Dro Dec 17th 2009 at 06:25 pm 20
Maybe Hammie knows Jesus was jewish, so assumes Santa is also?
Lola Dec 17th 2009 at 06:42 pm 21
I remember seeing a documentary short several years ago about professional santas and it was pretty amazing how many of them were Jewish. Maybe he saw the same?
Tim Dec 17th 2009 at 07:23 pm 22
My first thought was that he knew the guy in the red suit was Jewish - maybe this is some kind of anti-semetic joke, since Santa’s got a big nose?
mkilby Dec 17th 2009 at 07:23 pm 23
@ paperboy (15) - The live version of the song I remember from the old (vinyl) album was more of a bitter protest than a holiday carol. It was preceded by a long, sardonic monologue directed against (or rather, at the expense of) the FBI agents that Arlo assumed were in the audience.
turquoise cow Dec 17th 2009 at 07:40 pm 24
maybe he figured that, since santa’s going to be working a LOT on Christmas, he must be enjoying his relative “time off” for a while. as in “enjoy your Hanukkah before the REAL work starts.”
paperboy Dec 17th 2009 at 07:52 pm 25
Yes, mkilby#23, I heard it first on vinyl when it first came out, and though I was just a lad, I knew it was sardonic. I still have that record.
Michael Dec 17th 2009 at 10:47 pm 26
It’s the nose. I was a little shocked when I read it.
Thinking about it some more, though, in comics how can you even tell? Doesn’t the kid’s dad have an enormous nose? But still, it’s the nose.
Lola Dec 17th 2009 at 11:22 pm 27
The nose is bulbous. That’s not the way a stereotypical Jewish nose is portrayed. The hair is not anything like that commonly associated with some Jewish sects. Maybe the kid is clueless and wonders what Santa does for other holidays? Does this comic have a history of to explain this? If it was BC, it wouldn’t be unexpected and it’d be drawn so there’d be no doubt, but Baby Blues is pretty tame and it seems unlikely a racial slur was the intent. This one’s a poser.
Kit Dec 17th 2009 at 11:51 pm 28
I don’t think it’s the nose. That’s just how adults are drawn in this comic. My take is it’s just timing, which has already been suggested.
DPWally Dec 18th 2009 at 10:23 am 29
Hmmm, a lot of complicated answers. I was just thinking the kid knows the Santa-actor and knows he’s Jewish.
Charlene & Chuck: The vocal “War on Christmas” culture believes that any non-Christmas holiday greeting after Thanksgiving is a politically correct insult to Christianity. A subset of that culture is outraged at any retailer whose store doesn’t display Christmas-specific greetings from Halloween to New Years.
Keera Dec 18th 2009 at 01:56 pm 30
In Norway, advent is definitely a part of Christmas and part of the Christmas traditions. Of course, we’re not yet in a position where we have to kowtow to every non-Christian out there. I’m not Christian, but I’m not bothered by a baby getting mixed in with the winter solstice. I know what Dec. 25 means to the largest religion in the world. Also, I like the lights and the food and the presents.
All that said, back to the cartoon: I’m thinking timing, too.
Mark in Boston Dec 18th 2009 at 08:16 pm 31
You know what was the worst thing about being Jesus?
“Here. This is your birthday present AND your Christmas present.”
DrDan Dec 19th 2009 at 11:16 am 32
Karen
Advent?
havent celebrated that in years, thanks for bringing up memories of 1960’s Christmas
I remember lighting the candles in the school I went to, led by Sister John Leo
My folks said that when they were kids the gifts were opened on the 6th of January