Christmas Culture

Although ubiquitous, Christmas cards are nonetheless cultural artifacts. Christmas may come the same time every year, but each differs slightly depending on the cultural environment its 'wrapped' in. Each celebration is a snapshot in time, thus our "greetings" contain visual clues as to what's on our collective mind at that particular cultural moment.

Christmas is an emphatically visual cultural marker in western society. A cornucopia of iconic imagery packed with subjective meanings and mixed messages. This card, courtesy of the CCRKBA, is a not so subtle visual that includes not only classic meaning-dense imagery, but also current trends in an ensemble that may require a double-take upon viewing.

"…Santa Claus points a handgun at a masked terrorist on a Christmas card that John Michael Snyder, public affairs director of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, sends this year to a number of recipients.

Named Dean of gun lobbyists by The Washington Post and The New York Times, Snyder includes the president and members of Congress as addressees.

The card wishes recipients a Christmas of peace and joy and a New Year of triumph over terrorism.

The card presents Santa guarding a group of small children from a bomb-harnessed suicide killer. The bomber appears ready to cast a stick of dynamite at an image of the Infant Jesus beneath a decorated Christmas tree.

Snyder thinks the original drawing conveys a definitive holiday message in keeping with these difficult times…"

Quote taken from this Newswire press release which also offers a link to a larger version of the card.

Link to Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

(via J-Walk)