The Other Side of Christmas

You may have heard that the giant, online retailer Amazon is experimenting with the idea of delivering packages in certain areas using drones — you know those strange, remote controlled aircraft that are deployed these days for everything from aerial travel photography, to police work, even pizza delivery! Addressing this lofty topic, a recent New Yorker Cartoon depicts a mother encouraging her reluctant little boy who is waiting in line to have his Christmas picture taken. Instead of the jolly old department store Santa, we see a strange looking contraption seated on Santa’s throne, beckoning the little boy to come forward. The caption reads, “Don’t you want to sit on the Amazon drone’s lap?” Who knows, maybe next year we’ll have drones helping the real Santa!

“The popularity of Santa Claus is astonishing. In one form or another he is almost universally loved around the world, even in places where the Christian religion is completely without followers. In Japan, for example, only one percent of…