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Mortimer and Charlie was a comic strip based on Edgar Bergen's Mortimer Snerd and Charlie McCarthy ventriloquist dummy characters. It was originally illustrated by Ben Batsford, and then by Carl Buettner, who did this particular strip. Even though the strip is credited as "by Edgar Bergen," at least one source claims he didn't script it, though it doesn't say who did. There are gags in the strip taken directly from the Charlie McCarthy radio show, so I guess at least some of Bergen's own material made it into the strip. This iteration of it lasted for less than a year, though there was another, longer lasting Charlie McCarthy strip in the late 40s and early 50s.

Here we see Mortimer Snerd somehow breaking a New Year's resolution in record time, and encouraging Grampaw to break his as well. The final punchline is fine, but I think the joke in the third panel is funnier. Besides, the other rollerskate was left there before Mortimer made the resolution, so it shouldn…

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To me, it doesn't seem like a barn roof would make a good ski jump, since there isn't a whole lot of room to build up momentum. Still, it does seem like one of those things that a kid would imagine working really well in his head, only to have it turn out much like this does. Still, if you have to run into a tree while skiing, I guess this isn't the worst result.

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It looks like Santa delivered on what Honey asked for in a previous comic. I guess the bribe worked. She's still not happy, though, because she doesn't get to play with dangerous objects, but maybe she'll get a toy can opener next year or something.

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Priscilla's friend Hollyhock is having the kind of Christmas I would love to have. Not when I was a kid necessarily, but now. Some nice classical music and new books to read sounds great. Priscilla doesn't seem impressed though, and I understand that. Books are great for kids, but they need toys, too. Since Hollyhock likes learning, maybe next year her parents and/or Santa can give her some educational toys along with all the books.

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This is not a great strip, and it basically just reinforces the "lives of the rich and famous" theme that is present throughout Annibelle, but I think the joke is kind of clever. I guess she'll just have to use all of that winter gear when she gets back from the cruise.

Here's to hoping that you got everything you wanted for Christmas, and happy Boxing Day!