Dec 5th – Family Circus & Being Good for Christmas

Hello everyone!

It is December 5^th, only 20 more days until Christmas. 

Comic Breakdown

In English there is a popular song that summarizes what is happening in this comic and why the children have become like little angels in December. 

It is the Christmas holiday song “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town”.

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list,
Checking it twice;
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake 

Children know that if they want to have presents from Santa Claus or from their own parents they need to be good.  Santa Claus keeps a list of all the children of the world to track who has been good and who has been bad. 

If you have been good you get a nice gift. 

If you have been bad you get a lump of coal.

This comic is funny because many children try to be extra good the closer it is to Christmas because they know they have not been perfect during the rest of the year.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here and here.

Dec 3rd: Cyber Monday & Online Shopping

Hello everyone!

This past Monday (Dec.1st) was Cyber Monday!  Cyber Monday is one of the biggest days of the year for online (internet) shopping.  It is like Black Friday or Boxing Day but online.  Cyber Monday takes place the Monday after Black Friday. Stores have huge sales and discounts on their websites.  To read more about Black Friday click here and here.

Comic Breakdown

“Shouldn’t we get today off?” – Penguin

“No…why?” – Green Ape 

“It’s Cyber Monday…the day we honor all web designers.” – Penguin

What is this comic talking about?

This comic is marking the importance of web designers.  Both characters in the comic are web designers.  Web designers are the people who design and maintain websites.  Without their hard work, shopping on Cyber Monday or doing anything on the internet would be a difficult experience.   

We see and think about the hard working sales associates and store clerks on Black Friday who have to work rather than shop or spend time with their families.  Yet we forget that there are many people working behind the scenes too to make our shopping experience run as smoothly as possible.  This could be the delivery man or the people at security and online it is the web designer. 

Even though it is no longer Cyber Monday, it is important to remember to appreciate everyone that is working hard this holiday season including the people behind the scenes such as the web designers. This year, business analysts have predicted that a lot more people will now do their Christmas gift shopping online rather than in store.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, and here.

Nov 30th: After Black Friday

Hello everyone!

Friday was Black Friday.  For some people, the experience of Black Friday can lead to injuries!

 Comic Breakdown

“Whoa! Did you get in a fight?” – Guy

“No, I just went shopping.” – Girl

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday takes place on the last Friday of November, the day after American Thanksgiving. Black Friday is a common social experience and event if you live in North America and the United Kingdom. 

Black Friday is a huge shopping event when stores have big sales and discounts.  A lot of people use this day to begin their Christmas shopping and to buy expensive goods such as electronics at sale prices.  Black Friday is similar to Boxing Day. 

The experience can be complete chaos and become very dangerous and violent in some cases because the discounts are so big!  It is rare for most people but every year some people do get injured in the crowds or get into physical fights with others over discounted goods.  Black Friday can literally become “Black Eye Friday” if you are unlucky or not careful.

To read more about Black Friday, click here.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, and here. 

Nov 28th: Black Friday

Hello everyone!

Today is Black Friday!  Black Friday takes place on the last Friday of November, the day after American Thanksgiving.   Black Friday is a common social experience and event if you live in North America and the United Kingdom. 

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is a shopping event when stores have big sales and huge discounts.  A lot of people use this day to begin their Christmas shopping and to buy expensive goods such as electronics at sale prices.  Black Friday is similar to Boxing Day.

Black Friday began in the United States but has spread across the Americas and other English speaking countries around the world in recent years.   Black Friday is now an unofficial Thanksgiving weekend tradition for many Americans.

Black Friday is also the unofficial start to the Christmas holiday season. 

Today’s comic makes fun of the excitement and confusion that comes with Black Friday sales.  

COMIC BREAKDOWN

Pros: Big Discounts on the mostly subpar electronic goods.

“Hey, that’s a good price for a crapasonic!”

Cons: Sales begin at 5 A.M and you will likely be crushed in the human stampede.

“I regret nothing!”

What is going on?

This comic is making fun of the fact that the shopping deals on Black Friday may not be so good after all.  

The made up word “crapasonic” is a play on the name of the electronic brand name Panasonic.  Crapasonic means crappy electronics.  People always want to buy electronics like televisions on sale and Black Friday is considered a good time to do so.  However a lot of the electronics and other goods being sold are not of the highest quality or the best price on Black Friday. 

Even if you do find a good bargain (a good price) for something you want it is not easy to get.  There are large line ups and crowds at all stores and shopping centers.  Some people even fight one another to get what they want.  Also, to get what you want you have to line up all night or wake up very early to avoid the crowds.   Black Friday shopping can literally be chaos (crazy confusion).

Regardless, many people still go out and shop on Black Friday.  Many leave feeling they had a great shopping experience and others leave feeling they had a bad shopping experience. 

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here, and here.

Nov 27th: Hi & Lois & Thanksgiving

Happy American Thanksgiving everyone!

American Thanksgiving takes place on the last Thursday of November every year. 

Today’s comic is Hi & Lois.  This comic makes reference to one of the most famous images in American culture and of the Thanksgiving holiday in general. 

COMIC BREAKDOWN

“Life doesn’t always imitate art.” – Lois

“You’re right.  This is nothing like the Norman Rockwell painting.” – Hi

What is going on?

This comic makes reference to the fact that the Thanksgiving meal is often not a picture perfect moment the way the media makes it look.  Making the meal is a lot of work and serving the food is not always easy.  For most people, Thanksgiving is both a wonderful and stressful time.

Who is Norman Rockwell? 

Norman Rockwell was a twentieth century American artist.  His works are an important representation and reflection of American culture.  

Norman Rockwell

Even people that do not know his name are probably very familiar with his art work. 

What painting is referenced in this comic?

A popular image of Thanksgiving that one imagines when they think of the holiday is of a happy family sitting around a dining table with a mother figure laying down the Thanksgiving turkey to signify that the Thanksgiving meal is about to start.  This image comes from Rockwell’s 1943 painting “Freedom from Want”.

"Freedom from Want" Painting

The painting “Freedom from Want” represents the ideal image and modern spirit of Thanksgiving.

This painting is very famous and has been widely referenced, adapted, and parodied (made fun of) since its creation. 

Simpsons Parody of "Freedom from Want"

To read more about the painting “Freedom from Want”, click here.  

In Conclusion

Thanksgiving, whether it is calm or hectic, is a holiday that North Americans think of with warm feelings.  The holiday is both a happy and stressful occasion but what holiday is not?  It can be especially stressful for adults as Hi and Lois have demonstrated but at the end of the day everyone finishes the holiday with (happy) new memories. 

In real life Thanksgiving may not be a Norman Rockwell painting but it is still a memorable family occasion.

To read more about Thanksgiving, click here.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Nov 26th: Garfield & Thanksgiving Turkey

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is Garfield featuring Grandma Arbuckle (his owner’s mother) and the cutting of the Thanksgiving turkey. 

American Thanksgiving is tomorrow, November 27^th.  American Thanksgiving always falls on the last Thursday of November. 

COMIC BREAKDOWN

This comic does not require any words to make sense or to be funny for any North American or anyone that has roasted and eaten turkey.  It is a cultural representation of many people’s feelings towards serving and eating turkey. 

What is going on?

Whenever one thinks of Thanksgiving, the first thing that one usually remembers is the turkey.  Unofficially, Thanksgiving is even known as Turkey Day!

One common problem of roasting a turkey is that it is not easy.  Many people end up having a turkey that is very dry.  Dry turkey meat is very hard to eat and very hard to cut!

Why is this image funny?

Because of the difficulty of cutting turkey meat, many people have thought about using a chainsaw instead of a knife.  Grandma Arbuckle is literally going to use the chainsaw so Garfield is worried!

Luckily it all works out and a nicely cut turkey is the result.  Everyone is happy. 

But in real life, no one should try to cut a turkey with a chainsaw!

If you would like to learn more about turkey, click here.

Today’s images are from here, here, and here.

Nov 25th: Family Circus - The Thanksgiving & Christmas Season

Hello everyone!

Today’s comic is a Family Circus featuring traditions and differences in the North American holiday season.  What is the holiday season?  It lasts from late November to December 31^st.  American Thanksgiving is the unofficial start date. 

COMIC BREAKDOWN

“Dolly keeps humming ‘Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town’ and we haven’t even had Thanksgiving yet! – Billy

What is going on?

It will be American Thanksgiving this Thursday November 27^th.  Canadian Thanksgiving takes place in October.  American Thanksgiving always takes place on the last Thursday of November. 

If you are Canadian, the autumn and winter holiday order goes Thanksgiving, Halloween, and finally Christmas.

If you are American, the autumn and winter holiday order goes Halloween, Thanksgiving and finally Christmas.

Canadians start getting into the Christmas holiday season in November right after Halloween when it is still only mid – autumn.  Americans focus their attention on Thanksgiving (which is a four day weekend running from Thursday to Sunday) during the month of November.  The Christmas season begins right after Thanksgiving on Black Friday, the last Friday of November, the day after Thanksgiving.

In the United States, the holiday season consists of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. 

Difference between Thanksgiving and Christmas

Thanksgiving and Christmas are very different and also very similar holidays.  Traditionally you eat Turkey during both holidays.  Both holidays are about being with your friends and family.

THANKSGIVING DINNER

For Americans that are very serious about Thanksgiving and their holidays; you do not mix up Thanksgiving and Christmas!

 CHRISTMAS DINNER

Thanksgiving is an autumn holiday and Christmas is a winter holiday.  Thanksgiving is a holiday to celebrate the autumn harvest and to be thankful.  Christmas, though both religious and secular today, was originally a Christian holiday and it was meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 

Why is this comic funny?

This comic is funny because it shows how the two holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, begin to mix together.  This is fine for most people but others are against this.  They believe that you must finish one before starting the other. 

By mid-November, most people start to get excited about the idea of Christmas.  By mid to late November many people and public areas and shops will start thinking about Christmas and begin putting up Christmas decorations.  Children especially will start singing Christmas carols (songs). 

Dolly is mixing the two holidays together but Billy believes the two holidays should be separate. This is why Billy does not like that his sister Dolly is humming a Christmas song.  He thinks she should get in trouble for this so he is telling on her. 

If you are Canadian and you start singing Christmas songs before Thanksgiving (which is in October) that is just too early.  However it is normal for most Americans to get into the spirit of both Thanksgiving and Christmas by late November whether or not Thanksgiving has happened yet.

Today’s images are from here, here, here, here, and here.