christmas looked like this (wordless wednesday)

safe from the christmas cat

The Jolakotturinn of Iceland is bigger than life in Reykjavik this year!  This Christmas Cat goes after those who didn't get any new clothes at all for the holiday; even one small sock will get you off the hook.  I'm safe because I have two whole new pairs of socks!
Bjork has a song about this festive fiend.  It's in Icelandic.  Don't fret: you can see a translated version here.
His whiskers, sharp as bristles, 
His back arched up high, 
And the claws of his hairy paws
Were a terrible sight.
Sounds like business as usual around here.  I think I shall go look for my new socks.

wishing you all

Leonard A. Lauder Collection of American Posters, Gift of Leonard A. Lauder, 1984 https://www.metmuseum.org

I borrowed from the great American illustrator Edward Penfield to help me say:

Merry Christmas!

I am grateful for every one of you

and wish you warmth and joy today and always.

wordless vintage wednesday christmas repeat!

from the museum collection

vintage wordless wednesday redux

from the museum collection

vintage wordless wednesday, holiday edition

(Actually I will add words here - for those readers who hadn't seen this one before, this photo is dated Dec. 25 1955.  Happy Holidays, everyone!)

early christmas cards

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. Christmas cards depicting young girls with cats, chicken, and dolls. Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-c102-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

These are publisher's proofs found in the collection of the New York Public Library.  The publisher, Louis Prang (American; 1824-1909) was the head of the Boston-based firm Louis Prang & Co.; he is credited with being the first publisher of Christmas cards.  No date available on these, but they're considered as being typically Victorian in their idealized portrayal of these flaxen-haired little girls with dolls and pets.  Bet you'd never seen a Christmas chicken before!  

If these were early Christmas cards, no wonder we don't see all the holiday stuff we're used to: holly, Santa, trees, red and green.  I think that had yet to come as expected imagery.  Still pretty cute and full of the giving spirit of the season.

merry christmas to all

great thanks to thegraphicsfairy.com (PD)

"Through good and ill

be cheerful still."

Easy to do when I think of all my kind, lovely Pet Museum patrons.

Happiest of Holidays to you 
and to all creatures in your house!

Much love, 

your friendly Curator

wordless vintage wednesday repeat!

i own this

Just about that time to visit Santa Poodle again.

merry vintage wordless wednesday!

from the museum collection

Click to embiggen.
I've whited out the family name for courtesy, but this is a truly glorious 70's family Christmas card complete with Tuffy, whom I'm guessing is the dog.
I can't post tomorrow so this is my chance to say to dear Museum friends,

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Thanks for visiting all year, and please give your pets love from their friend the Curator!

special treat! christmas story from fester cat

Countdown to Christmas! (Also a lovely XTC song.)
I have a special treat today.  You'll remember that a little while ago I reviewed Paul Magrs' The Tale of Fester Cat.  Today our friend Fester is back in a story for the season, and I want to thank Paul for letting me share it with you.
Want to get some extra cat sass for Christmas (you may not get enough from your own tribe)?  Want to know what sound a baby mouse makes? And what your cat is thinking when he lets one go?  Then you'll love a visit to Paul's blog Life on Magrs for Fester and the Christmas Mouse.

a poem about a useful christmas gift

I can't even begin to describe this poem except to say you may never look at regifting the same way again.

A Classic
Dan Damon was a goodly dog,
A dog of reddish hue,
So long of limb, so long of hair,
And nothing much to do.
Upon my kitchen shelf there lay
A useless, idle cake;

A bar of dog soap, dark and brown,
I kept for old times sake.

I had a little dachshund once,
She of the sausage type; 

I bought the dog soap just for her,
But the time was never ripe
To give a bath, 'twas extra work,
I put it off each day;
The dog soap lay a useless thing,
Then Fraulein ran away.

I hunted high, I hunted low,
And hoped for her return, 

But every time that shelf I'd dust,
A lesson I would learn. 

That bar of soap was in my way;
The dachshund ne'er came back. 

To whom could I ever give that cake
Wrapped in a paper sack?

But when Dan Damon came along,
I viewed his lengthy hair. 

How many baths that dog would need;
The dog soap should go there. 

'Twas nearing fast, the Christmas-tide;
That bar of soap I'd send, 

Wrapped up in tissue, nice and fine,
Tied with ribbon at each end.

And now I dust my shelf in peace,
With nothing in the way.
Dan Damon's mistress, she can use
That dog soap every day.

Sarah Simons Reese, The Little Poem Book (Los Angeles: Bauer-Peterman Company, 1920), p. 48-9

it's christmas eve

thanks vintageimages.org

Yes, the preparations are wrapping up, friends!  So just in case I don't get to check in with you all tomorrow I'll say now:

Merry Christmas from The Pet Museum!