Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for November 26, 2023

6 days until Christmas?

Christmas keeps coming earlier and earlier.

That is a pretty good strip!

 [Fair warning: A friend of mine sent me the following story, and by the end of it I was blubbering like a baby. If you’re emotionally vulnerable, you might want to skip it.]

“Calvin? Calvin, sweetheart?”

In the darkness Calvin heard the sound of Susie, his wife of 53 years. Calvin struggled to open his eyes. God, he was so tired and it took so much strength. Slowly, light replaced the darkness, and soon vision followed. At the foot of his bed stood his wife. Calvin wet his dry lips and spoke hoarsely, “Did … did you … find him?”

“Yes, dear,” Susie said, smiling sadly. “He was in the attic.”

Susie reached into her big purse and brought out a soft, old, orange tiger doll. Calvin could not help but laugh. It had been so long. Too long.

“I washed him for you,” Susie said, her voice cracking a little as she laid the stuffed tiger next to her husband.

“Thank you, Susie.” Calvin said.

A few moments passed as Calvin just laid on his hospital bed, his head turned to the side, staring at the old toy with nostalgia.

“Dear,” Calvin said finally. “Would you mind leaving me alone with Hobbes for a while? I’d like to catch up with him.”

“All right,” Susie said. “I’ll get something to eat in the cafeteria. I’ll be back soon.”

Susie kissed her husband on the forehead and turned to leave. With sudden but gentle strength Calvin stopped her. Lovingly he pulled his wife in and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. “I love you,” he said.

“And I love you,” said Susie.

 (continued)

I always wondered what the shot of the two kids crying was meant to signify. Are they crying because they were good and still didn’t get any toys?

I remember one year when I was actually surprised to get anything. After that, I never worried about it again.

This is kind of relatable. I really hate when I have a good dream, then my dang alarm clock just rings.

I just really love these ones with clever poems. Yet another facet of Watterson’s genius.

Calvin’s dream is accurate, but it’s the naughty ADULTS wo get the “toys”: political office, usurped territories, mucho $$$, et al.

Today’s kids have learned this lesson well. They have so much “freedom” some of the parents are actually afraid of their own kids.

As a boy in the early 1970s, I was told that if I did anything bad I would not get a sackful of toys from Saint Nick but a sackful of cinders. If I was told off near Christmas, I then worried a little that I might wake up to a sack of cinders on Christmas Morning. Like Calvin, I always found I had got the presents I wanted. Actually, Calvin never gets all of the presents he wanted but he gets enough of them to be a very happy boy every Christmas Morning after about three weeks of worrying.

The Christmas Story! A favorite C&H!

Santa turned with a jerk… nope, it was just Calvin.

A brilliant toon, BW, perfectly capturing Calvin. Thank you, sir.

30 years old and still funny.

Dream on, kid! If you want the loot (which you won’t get due to stingy parents), you’ll have to NOT be yourself NOT for this month, but FOREVER!! MWAHAHAHA!!

Wait until Calvin meets The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come… that will give him a real case of the willies, boy howdy. Scares the bejesus out of The Count every time.

A few tears to start my day, very moving.

Just seeing Calvin’s facial expressions in those last two panels!

“Francis”? Ugh, please. I was actually a little choked up until I read the name. That just threw me out of the story…

Lòve the sentiment !

Read the first part. Passed on the rest. In our situation we don’t need more sadness, especially at this time of year.

He still didn’t get that flame thrower he wanted.

You’ll make it, Calvin.

I was hoping Susie had written this letter.

Dear Santa! I wouldn’t take away all hope from the bad ones. I would give them chance to change and say to them, they can have gifts, when they work on it and try to become better people. When you take all hope from them, they become angry and are more bad than before!

A very nice story!

“Don’t read it if you are emotionally vulnerable” indeed! Why, the very NERVE to think that a grown adult can’t read a bit of creative writing based on a comic without………….excuse me………….I’ve gotta reach for a tissue…………

Classic

Yes, it’s true, my only 2 nominees for Greatest American Poet are Robert Hunter & Townes Van Zandt – but Watterson definitely gets an Honorable Mention.

Calvin isn’t really bad but he’s mostly a pest to those around him . Do Mosquitoes get Christmas presents ?

I like Calvin’s burps!

One of my all time favorite Calvin and Hobbes strips! This can give “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, a run for it’s money.

“Futurama’s” Santa is the worst. Accidentally programmed to consider everyone naughty and delivers weapons payloads instead of gifts. Yikes!

My mother cut out this strip and put in the fridge until January 1. Then it got packed with the rest on the stuff and stored. When the house was decorated next year, the strip went back up

Hmmmm. “Good little kids make me sick. It’s no joke. Sincerely, St. Nick.” Of course, it is Calvin’s dream so he may not yet know St. Nick/Santa.

Six days until Christmas? They must have a different Christmas.

How come Santa in the second panel has the eyes of Hobbes?

I love the poetry! More examples of Watterson’s talent!

Watterson is a true poet.

Didn’t Watterson grow up in Chicago? I thought only southerners said “ink” pen ( to distinguish from “pin” as they pronounce “pen.” Maybe he needed it for the rhyme’s meter?

Definitely one of the best and funniest poems in the strip! But regarding the last panel, yeah, the Sunday strips are now nearly a month ahead of the daily strips! GoComics needs to fix this soon…

Calvin is a jerk! i hate this strip!

Six days is pushing it a bit for you, Calvin.

Watterson gives Shel Silverstein a run for his money here. Pure brilliance.

“Gargle your peas”? I don’t recommend that. Could lead to a choking incident!

This is one of my all-time favorite Calin and Hobbes strips. Makes me laugh every time I see it.

Awesome story that complete’s Calvin and Hobbe’s life together. I love it. As a child, I had imaginary friends who were lions and tigers, so this comic has always appealed to me. A great story!! ;-)