Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for December 22, 2024

Santa probably has a whole group of elves designated to watch Calvin.

Good stuff

Be good for Calvin’s sake instead of goodness.

Calvin just moved to the third list, There Might Be Hope.

In this age of hi-tech, Santa probably uses AI to sniff out bad kids like Calvin.

With all that snow, Calvin could build a whole city of snow-goons and monsters!

That will be the one moment he wasn’t watching you.

He has a whole army of spies who monitor everyone. Santa himself just does spot checks

Santa doesn’t have a file on Calvin. He has a Filing Cabinet.

Former Stasi agent found work.

Exactly, Hobbes, being unwillingly good is not really being good. Being scared into good behaviour does not a good being make.

He knows when you are faking…

That is a classic Calvin strip.

“Unwillingly good” is the best that most of us can hope for as an epitaph

As adults, we slow down and won’t pass a police car on the freeway.

An avoided ‘bad’ act does not equal a ‘good’ one, Calvin… LOL

Even when he is forced into ‘good mode’, Cal is thinking of what he can get away with.

Oh, he’s watch you like a hawk 24/7!

It seems that one could be a holy terror about 10 1/2 months of the year but has to start being good after thanksgiving and you will get presents.

Haven’t you heard? Santa’s gone hi-tech. Why do you think there’s so many drone sightings over New Jersey?

HAR. Always w/ Watterson. GREAT Cartoon art and story line.

First time for a "wasted "…….snowball!!!!!!!

Santa Paranoia Runs Rampant.

Is it a Santa Claus buzz kill that they found the body?

Looks like Calvin has a future in politics…

To quote the Old Man from A Christmas Story, “Santa knows. He always knows”.

You just have to love the way Calvin over thinks Xmas.

It was the “he knows if you’ve been bad or good” part that tipped me off when I was about 7…..that, and seeing a bright pink stuffed dog in mom’s closet which later appeared under the christmas tree.

I wonder why people choose to utter ‘there’ rather than ‘here’ when completing a task.

For Calvin, being good takes all the fun out of things.

And Susie married him anyway. I wonder if he ever fessed up to all the shenanigans he came up with when the two were young where Susie was the target . . .?

I was unwillingly good for 6 months once, then my probation was up. Very stressful time.

“I find then a law that when I want to do good, evil is present with me.” Romans 7:21

Originally run in December 1990. The fourth panel is also a rare instance of Calvin’s hairs poking out through his winter hat after the early years.

Merry Christmas to both of you.

That’s what that sneaky spy Elf on a Shelf is for. Were all under surveillance. Deep state Santa.

The Santa Panopticon™

Santa doesn’t actually have to worry about every kid in the world – only the ones that believe in him.

I figured it out… Hobbes is Calvin’s conscience.

Santa has a deal with Google.

“Unwillingly good, but good nonetheless.” I love it.

Somehow “Santa” replaced “Conscience” in our heads. Well, I was getting pretty tired of that Jiminy Cricket, anyway. :)

Omniscience may be a factor here.

Did the “Elf on a Shelf” exist when this was published?