Comments on: Santa

By: DrDan

DrDan — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:16:17 +0000

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

By: Mark in Boston

Mark in Boston — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:16:11 +0000

You know what was the worst thing about being Jesus?

“Here. This is your birthday present AND your Christmas present.”

By: Keera

Keera — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:56:32 +0000

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.

By: DPWally

DPWally — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:23:15 +0000

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.

By: Kit

Kit — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:51:37 +0000

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.

By: Lola

Lola — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:22:29 +0000

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.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:47:35 +0000

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.

By: paperboy

paperboy — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:52:49 +0000

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.

By: turquoise cow

turquoise cow — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:40:38 +0000

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.”

By: mkilby

mkilby — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:23:49 +0000

@ 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.