Classic Covers: The “Post”-Holiday

As we all know The Saturday Evening Post is famous for memorable holiday covers. But what about the "post"-holiday covers? After the many exciting days of anticipation and preparation, all we can say is, “Thank goodness that’s over!”

Christmas Morning by Ben Kimberly Prins, December 27, 1958
© 1958 SEPS. All Rights Reserved.

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As we all know The Saturday Evening Post is famous for memorable holiday covers. But what about the “post”-holiday covers? After the many exciting days of anticipation and preparation, all we can say is, “Thank goodness that’s over!”

This is your house, right? Not the top panel in the 1958 cover, with the kids running to open their gifts (that was yesterday). Not the middle panel, where everyone is enjoying the process (ditto). Admit it, your house looks like the bottom panel with gifts, wrapping paper, and ribbons strewn everywhere. The sound of reindeer hooves on the rooftop is a distant memory. This cover by artist Ben Prins sums it up: It’s all over but the clean-up.
This is your house, right? Not the top panel in the 1958 cover, with the kids running to open their gifts (that was yesterday). Not the middle panel, where everyone is enjoying the process (ditto). Admit it, your house looks like the bottom panel with gifts, wrapping paper, and ribbons strewn everywhere. The sound of reindeer hooves on the rooftop is a distant memory. This cover by artist Ben Prins sums it up: It’s all over but the clean-up.
“You’re not going anywhere young man, until you thank Grandma for the ice skates,” Mom seems to be saying in the 1960 cover by artist George Hughes. “Geeze, the pond might melt before I finish these letters,” the boy thinks. These days, you might hear: “You’re not playing any video games until you e-mail Grandma and thank her for the Wii games.” Maybe a sweet Tweet will do.
“You’re not going anywhere young man, until you thank Grandma for the ice skates,” Mom seems to be saying in the 1960 cover by artist George Hughes. “Geeze, the pond might melt before I finish these letters,” the boy thinks. These days, you might hear: “You’re not playing any video games until you e-mail Grandma and thank her for the Wii games.” Maybe a sweet Tweet will do.
It ain’t over till it’s over. Not yet able to breathe a sigh of relief is the harried clerk in the exchange department that appeared on our January 11, 1941 cover. This young lady is due for a day off.
It ain’t over till it’s over. Not yet able to breathe a sigh of relief is the harried clerk in the exchange department that appeared on our January 11, 1941 cover. This young lady is due for a day off.

Scrooge in the form of the IRS? Finding a notice from the Treasury Department among the Christmas cards is just not right. The editors didn’t want to be accused of creating “an image of the abdominal postman,” but hey, he did leave a special delivery package in the snow. width=

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Comments

  1. The last cover -the pipe guy watching his mail- is not Leyendecker’s. It’s Ben Prins’.

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