Jayhawker Christmas 1935

Today’s images come from the pages of my grandpa’s December 1935 Jayhawker, from the University of Kansas. As you can see, the colors are still bright. The December issue was littered with ads for the holidays.

Home movies were the bee’s knees. Just remember that “in after years such scenes of the past should be priceless.” Sounds like Engrish. Also, do any of you have any home movies from 1935? We have zero zilch nada home movies of any kind.

In this Carl’s ad for “good clothes,” Santa is shown as morbidly obese, and his sack of toys actually balances out his belly, making perfect spinal alignment.

In this Jones’ ad, we can see inside a clothing store in 1935. Seems organized but sparse. Then again, they did carry Faultless NoBelt Pajamas.

Included in the pages were disturbing cartoons like this one.

If your wallet was fat in those Depression-era days, you might hit the Kansas City Auto Show and snag yourself a shiny Studebaker.

But if all you had was change in your pocket, you could still pick up a carton of Chesterfield’s. It’s what Rudolph would have wanted.

The Price Of A Tall Starbucks Iced Coffee

Only at Starbucks does “tall” actually mean “small” these days. But that’s beside the point. What we have here is a local money trader on the Brazil side of the Venezuela-Brazil border (Brazil has borders with TEN countries). He’s counting out five million Venezuelan bolivares, which is the equivalent of just under $2.50–or enough to grab this mostly -ice overpriced drink at Starbucks.

Nat Geo 11/18

Can you imagine handing over that stack of cash just for a drink that’s not even refillable? Good Lord. Crafty artists have decided to use the currency as a medium, making dogs out of the money and selling them on etsy for $65.

etsy

Little Trailer Court Christmas

LTillman Art

I’ve never lived in a trailer court or hauled a camper or driven inside a 50s car, or even seen more than three inches of snow in my life. So perhaps that’s the appeal here to me. It all looks so campy and fun! I may not ever build a real snowman before I get to heaven, so I’ll enjoy the pictures instead.

For the more refined sensibilities, you may prefer your holiday pooches in cardinal-dotted doorways of resplendent mansions.

Southern Living, Christmas at Home ’09

Reminds me of a certain Malt I’ve read about…

Or perhaps you prefer a chillier theme for a most chill dog.

Southern Living, Christmas at Home ’09

Whichever way you go, make sure you can tell the real ones from the fakes!

giphy.com

Only Interesting People

1935

Ooh-la-la! Très exclusive. Only for the interesting people! Why, you’ll find novelists, actresses, professors, and big-game hunters on French Line! Only the best and brightest are allowed aboard, where they serve table wine complimentary. Much fancy! The servers even speak the English because that’s civilized.

One wonders how the French ever got pegged with a rep for snobbery.

Winner Of Atlantic City’s First Bathing Beauty Contest

“I Remember Distinctly”

Miss Washington, above, won the title in September of 1921 with knees “daringly bare.”

By 1923, hemlines had shifted to show yet more thigh. Can you even imagine wearing stockings to go swimming?

By 1935, the winner received a crown, robe, scepter, and a moment on the throne.

No wonder Atlantic City has been immortalized in art.

https://society6.com

Because Coke Said That’s What Santa Looks Like

Coke 1939

Not until artist Haddon Sundblom illustrated Santa Claus for Coca-Cola advertisements in 1931, did Americans associate a large snowbearded man in a red suit with the image of Kris Kringle. Below is Sundblom, enjoying a frosty bottle of his labors.

https://www.illustrationhistory.org

Most of us grew up with the image he created and cannot fathom a slender Santa, much less one with dark hair or no facial hair at all. In 2015, this model tried to offer a trimmer version at Yorkdale Shopping Center in Toronto.

https://www.onecountry.com

What do you think? Should Santa be svelte and hipster, rocking a Beat It jacket? Possibly even vegan?? I don’t think so. I like my Santa jolly and obese, and borderline diabetic from all that Coke and plates of cookies we leave out. I’d tell skinny Santa to beat it.

 

Terrier Trot

I discovered this festive Christmas painting in an art magazine by artist Dan Williams. The idea of snow and colder weather is incredibly appealing as we continue to swelter.

Williams also does a swell summer scene, evoking a chill mood.