I shared some vintage ads a few weeks back that showed Santa enjoying a smoke and an adult beverage or two. It reminded me f a post from a number of years back that shared a group of odd Victorian Christmas images. Those Victorians had a darker and weirder sense of humor than we give them credit for. At least, I think it was a sense of humor. It was often definitely weird, with creepy clowns, distraught children in china teapots, walking root vegetables and roasted rats.
I won’t even try to explain the murderous, thieving frog or the gun-toting Chihuahua.
I think my favorite is the first one below with the polar bear mauling a skater under the heading ” A Happy Christmas ” with ” A Hearty Welcome” under it. I get that way about the holidays sometimes myself.
So, if you think we’re living in a strange time, take comfort in knowing that it was equally weird 125 years ago. Now get out of here or I’ll let my polar bear out of the shed.
Git!
Children attacking a large pudding on a Christmas card. Date: circa 1890s
Roasted Rat for Christmas
Redtree Times 
Oh, my gosh. I will say that my approach to desserts often resembles that of the kids with the pudding, and I once was bitten by a Chihuahua, so that makes sense. As for the roasted rat, I’ve known a few Cajuns who’ve actually eaten nutria, which is essentially a water rat that only eats plants, so maybe…
Okay, I can go along with people, myself included, attacking desserts and we’ve all been bitten by a Chihuahua at some point and maybe there are Cajuns sitting around the Christmas table chewing on a Yule Rat. But can you somehow explain that bear and the killer frog to me, Linda?
I can’t. On the other hand, if those are shoes rather than ice skates on the dude being hugged, perhaps the bear didn’t approve of his choice of footwear. As for the frog, my first impulse was to send that image to a friend who photographs frogs regularly, and is quite fond of them. Then, I thought better of it.