Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for December 13, 2012

You want Christmas specials? Somebodies got to pay the freight.

If the fundies who whine and moan about the “War On Christmas” really had their priorities straight, they’d complain about the commercialism.

Its a Terrible truth.

It’s not so bad. Enjoy and Merry Christmas old grouchy.

Dad seems to handle reality pretty well.

I look TV, that means, I only hear TV, while bakeing cookies!

Sorry Dad. Unless you lock out all but PBS, commercials are here to stay. But then you’ll have to put up with money drives. Put up or shut up

Its a great time of year. All sorts of religious and cultural traditions stirred together – Saturnalia, Yule, Solstice, it wasn’t suprising the Christians wanted to join in the fun too. The lights appear earlier now for Diwali – its all good. :-)

I think this is one time you can let Calvin enjoy the show, Dad, without the commentary on life such as it is.

Well I really hope a toy advert doesn’t come on the TV while Calvin is watching. He’ll be all ’I WANT THAT, I WANT THAT!’

LOL xxx

" Any excuse to party and appease the “powers that be” into letting the sun come back. Instead of human sacrifice, at least all we do is spend too much money on junk. :) Pretty good trade, I think."I dunno, can we pick who we want to have sacrificed? Maybe hold and election every 4 years? The excuse to party is a good thing and spending money on junk keeps a lot of us employed.

Who watches commercials anyway? Isn’t that what the clicker is for?

calvin’s dad is right. do people really need the new ipad? or, a new car? and, why does santa drink coke instead of pepsi? and why does santa drive a mercedes benz?

All of you have made the case; so I won’t celebrate it.

All those commercials are totally lost in this household. 3 years ago we requested our family members (mainly grandchildren) to not buy us any presents but to donate to any charity of their choice. We in turn give them a cheque and they can do with it as they please. So we are back in the true spirit of Christmas. See that the less fortunate have a little at this time of year. Keep the finger close to the mute button!!!

Christmas is the Christian “feel good” time, but Easter is the defining point for Christians.

Now we know where Calvin gets his positive insights.

They have more in common than either realizes.

weren’t all the 1960’s and 1970’s Charlie Brown holiday specials brought by Dolly Madison cupcakes and snacks?Probably the other ones were too.

Absolutely M2MM! Well said!

The sense of entitlement christians come out with, especially this time of year, just floors me every time.

Who does?

Santa Claus as we know him originally was from a cola ad.

and a happy winter solstice to all . . .

I don’t think they’re trying to reach the type of Christian who would be offended by the ad. Rather, they’re going for “hey, questioning your religion? You’re not alone. Also, you can still have Christmas.” Yes, atheists can be a loud bunch, but it’s good to know there are a few people fighting for facts and reason.

Has become the Grand Holy Day of the Gross National Product

I’m surprised they haven’t come up with an Incredible Hulk Christmas special!

No matter what, you’re skrude.

“Skrude”???

Dad sounds all too much like Calvin when he muses in front of Hobbes about various matters. Now I know where Cal;vin’s verbosity comes from…and his mother? Hmmmm…

BTW, the Mercedes that Santa drives would be a godsend for me as I desparately need a new car…don’t care if it’s red or white…

Well said! I never could understand people who scream “How DARE you try and shove your beliefs down my throat?! I’ve got the First Amendment right of free speech and religion on my side!” but then seem to have no problem whatsoever when it comes to shoving their beliefs down everyone else’s throats while they’re at it! Why can’t people just leave everyone else alone??? Just because I don’t understand or believe in the same things other people do doesn’t make me right and them wrong — or them right and me wrong. It just means we’re all different. How boring would this world be if we all thought, felt and looked exactly the same?!? Live and let live, I say. As long as someone isn’t trying to physically harm me or my family in any way, they can think and believe whatever they please; it’s more than likely not going to affect me one way or the other. All I ask is that the exact same courtesy be extended to me — that’s all.

By the way, what I DO have a problem with is anyone who isn’t Christian, etc., trying to take Christmas away from the rest of us! Jewish people and other religions have their own holidays and traditions that I don’t celebrate and yet I don’t mind one single bit that they do and I’d never dream of trying to stop them in any way, shape or form from doing so. So why is it that, more and more, we’re no longer “allowed” to say things like: Merry Christmas, Christmas tree, Christmas cards, Christmas carols, Christmas presents, etc., for fear of “offending” people who don’t believe in or celebrate Christmas like the majority of us do? So what?!? What is it REALLY hurting those people to let the rest of us celebrate our holiday our way??? It’s only for a short period of time and yet they absolutely can’t stand it! Why are they allowed to have their own religious holidays but we’re not allowed to have ours . . . and everything that goes along with it?!? I don’t think anybody will ever be able to explain that well enough to me and make me understand it.

:-(

I never watch Christmas Specials. Well, there’s an exception. Just one exception.

After reading many of the above commentaries I’m remindedthat only Christians come to my home, bang on my door and try to sell their religion to me. They call it: “Testifying for Jesus” but I call it being a pain in the patootie! No other religionists pester people and try to “convert” them – only the Christians. Think about that.

No kidding!

Thank you! And the same to you.