OK I really missed my Christmas post this year but who doesn't send out Christmas cards late once in a while? But it is really never too late for a unique item.
While only a minimal plot, this 1970 coloring book highlights how Santa Claus is recruited to save Chrstmas for the men on the moon.
I like the details in the illustrations, and almost see this as lost storyboards from some late 60s Christmas special.
Of course Santa can't just go to the moon. He needs training first.
I am not sure if the spacesuit is airtight if he can't close his visor over his beard. Maybe that's why we saw few bearded astronauts :)
Chistmas comes to the Moon. Think of the cost per pound for the tree they brought (and you thought your tree was expensive!)
And the moral is simple, if we can put [anything] on the Moon we can [do anything]
There is very little information about the author except this final page (can it really say: Lord & Taylor?). Good luck finding your own copy.
I hope your holiday were wonderful and the return to work or school hasn't been too bad. Happy 2012!
Hi. If I may post a question here at John Sisson's nice site to those of you with early 1960s Aerospace literature collections: does the phrase "whole nine yards" appear? It does appear in the 1964 book Aerospace Pilot by Charles Coombs (p. 164) and in other NASA and Air Force publications, and a 1965 use adds "as the teenagers say." Hypothesis: in the post-Sputnik, missile gap, race to the moon era, was the WWII unprecedented building of Liberty Ships in nine new shipyards recalled in the space age for a new all-out project? If you find an early 1960s usage please let John or me know. (email at my web site).
ReplyDeleteI think I know why it says Lord & Taylor. It's something kids got for going to a department store Santa. I remember when I was a kid in the 80s they used to give us little gifts, including books.
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic, thanks so much for sharing. I love the artwork on the moon shots, with the swirly earth and hyper-twinkly stars!
ReplyDeleteI think Michael might be right on, it reminds me of similar books I would get from Woodward's other extinct stores.
ReplyDeleteThat is one of the most wonderful and space-tastic books I have had the pleasure of seeing. Thank you so much for sharing it, you made my day.
I love the Space programs of the 1960s and it makes me wonder where all that hope and creativity has gone.
It is my understanding that the phrase "The Whole Nine Yards" comes from the 9 yard belt of 50 BMG ammunition that was in each magazine of US fighter aircraft equipped with that caliber of weapon. As in, "I gave him the whole nine yards."
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the information on this book. I was digging through an old box of things from my childhood and came across this coloring book. Surprisingly it hasn't even been colored in . Yes, it was a giveaway at Christmas from Lord & Taylor (my aunt used to work at the one in New York back in the 60's / 70's). I guess I am going to throw it on eBay and see if anyone out there might have an interest in it.
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