Merry ________mas
This is a great mystery. The name of Christ is being proclaimed throughout so many Gentile nations, yet they don’t truly know Him. It’s really amazing to me that so many people will speak the name of Christ during this time of year as it is wrapped up in the name of Christmas. To me, the prophecy of Isaiah 42:1-4 is being fulfilled, see Matthew 12:15-21 as well. Jesus came meek and mild. At His birth, He was a baby in a manger. During His ministry, He healed, helped, and withdrew from arguments. At His death, He humbly laid down His life. All Gentile nations are speaking His name, yet they don’t truly know Him.
So with Christmas falling on a Sunday this year, I wondered how many comic strips would mention Christmas without mentioning Christ. Yes, I take the funnies way too seriously. It seems that presents may be the real god at Christmas. Let’s see what gets the most attention.
The Amazing Spider-Man, Arctic Circle, Broom Hilda, Calvin and Hobbes, Candorville, Dilbert, Hagar the Horrible, Herb and Jamaal, Peanuts, Rubes, Tina’s Groove, none of these mention Christmas.
In the following comic strips, they mention Christmas, but it’s all presents, Santa, and non-religious themes. Arlo and Janis exchange presents, but forget the price and ask Janis how shiny it was. Ask Shagg has a mention of Christmas and a question about flying reindeer. Archie has Christmas decorations, but no mention of Christmas. Baby Blues has a Christmas tree, and someone perhaps sneaking down for presents a little too early. Baldo and family are pictured opening presents. In Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, Snuffy is trying to settle a dispute so family will not be arguing at Christmas. Beetle Bailey and Sarge shake hands and wish each other Merry Christmas, but only for today (back to usual tomorrow.) In Blondie, there is a tree with presents underneath, but there’s also a turkey in the oven. The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee is concerned with bigger things than the average Christmas present, but nothing in terms of Christ. In Brewster Rockit, the focus is on Christmas decorations. Buckles is wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, but he didn’t know it was ugly until someone told him. Close to Home has a puzzling, Christmas gift opening joke. Crankshaft’s daughter and husband are opening Christmas presents, without a chimney fire. Curtis’ dad has a tender moment of making sure his kids get presents at Christmas, even if he doesn’t. In Cul de Sac, Petey illustrates what his Christmas was like and the interesting presents he got. Dennis the Menace opens presents, and then checks around for more. Family Circus kids write “Merry Christmas” on a fogged up window. For Better or for Worse is about Christmas recycling. Frank and Ernest shows Santa and reindeer debating mileage versus stopping and starting. Garfield makes it about presents, even more so than sleep. Gasoline Alley gives us an old fashioned Christmas wish. Heathcliff and Spike have a Merry Christmas, eventually. Hi and Lois (and family) pose for a Merry Christmas selfie. Jumpstart has a Santa and holiday decorations. Lio has Santa arriving back at the North Pole, with a hitchhiker. Luann and her dad are trying to figure out Christmas lights. Santa forgets Marmaduke’s Christmas present at the North Pole, or does he? Marvin sets out cookies (er… cookie?) for Santa. Mother Goose and Grimm pictures Santa by a Christmas tree, shopping online of all things. Mutts pictures a tree with a present next to it (wonder what’s inside?) Non-Sequitur has a Christmas coloring exercise, a picture of bears waiting to eat Santa. In Overboard, Louie get a Christmas present from Santa because, hey, dogs get presents too! Pickles shows Earl and Opal recovering from all the work involved at Christmas. In Pooch Café, Poncho helps with Chazz buying Carmen a Christmas present, again. Red and Rover write “Thanks, Santa” in the snow. Rhymes with Orange has dogs under the table for holidays leftovers, or is it left-unders? In Rose is Rose, Pasquale is opening Christmas presents, or is he just dreaming? Sally Forth has Hillary telling a Christmas story with everything you can imagine, Santa, Frosty, the Grinch, Rudolph, well, everything but something from the Bible. In Scary Gary, it’s the Christmas spider that leaves presents for Leopold. In Sherman’s Lagoon they are opening Christmas presents, and deciding who gets to play with them. Shoe and Prickly City both say Merry Christmas as Santa is flying through the air, in a bizarre sort of way. Santa hits a Speed Bump in remembering billions of presents, but forgetting a gallon of milk. In Take it from the Tinkersons, they have trouble getting a present out of the box. The Lockhorns are busy bickering during the holidays. The Wizard of Id makes his special holiday fruitcake. 9 Chickweed Lane mentions a white Christmas, and sort of illustrates as well. Zack Hill gets a great interactive game for Christmas, but it’s old school: Checkers! Ziggy got a visit from Santa, but did he get the Christmas present he really needs? Zits has Jeremy enjoying Christmas with his parents, forget the fact that they tied him up.
Agnes does a little better along with a few others. There is a Christmas tree, hope, and the mention of Mass as therapy for poor deluded Agnes. Nancy and Sluggo try to tell us about the true gifts of Christmas. There are two symbols made out of snow, a peace symbol and a heart symbol. B.C. and Peter wish each other Merry Christmas as they look up into the sky at a solitary star. Pearls before Swine shows a child wanting better things than an x-box. Things like people being less greedy, less mean, more understanding. Or how about a hug? A passing mom wants that kid instead of her own. Heart of the City gets real close by quoting extensively from the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. The portion quoted asks God’s blessing upon Christmas time because it is a time to be kind, forgiving, and charitable. Such deep thoughts make me want to finally read this classic.
Mallard Fillmore thanks God for gifts at Christmas, and quotes John 3:16. And that is the only comic strip (that I read anyway) that directly mentions Jesus.
So there you have it. So much Christmas, so little mention of Christ. And yet it’s satisfying to know that God is being faithful, patient, allowing others to hear about His Son, all the while they don’t really believe in Him, they don’t really trust in Him. Yet it’s all right in front of them. Gentiles know the name of Christ, the Messiah. One day the Gentile nations will learn to trust in Him.
Have fun and stay busy – Luke 19:13
-The Orange Mailman
The Orange Mailman 