Holiday-Adjacent Stuff ❆
ISSUE NO. 29 // HOLIDAY-ADJACENT STUFF! ❆
This issue’s theme is…
[deep breath]
Holiday things or things that are holiday-colored or reference winter or have holiday-ish names or things that happened in December
(How’s that for a punchy title??)
In 2024, I have more structure planned. Until then, this is what you get.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday! May the new year bring peace to all.
Presidential Doodler
PS The skier above is Gerald Ford. He had an undeserved reputation for being a klutz, but he was athletic (and an avid downhill skier).
RIP Rosalynn Carter
When she was nearly 60 years old, Rosalynn learned to ski so she could spend time with her husband on the slopes.
I pulled together a few of my favorite facts about Rosalynn (she’s fascinating and I need to read more about her). Take a peek or visit her official tribute website to learn more about her.
George Washington considered a sneak attack on ice skates.
His generals talked him out of it. Kind of a bummer, if I’m being honest.
In the dead of winter, Henry Knox performed a miracle.
With his 19-year-old brother and their crew, they trekked more than 300 miles with roughly 120,000 pounds of artillery … for eight weeks. Uphill. (Also down, because that’s how mountains work.)
Doodles inspired by The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch. Peek inside my sketchbook for more doodles (and no spoilers).
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During World War II, Admiral “Bull” Halsey was promoted after beating the Japanese at the Battle of Santa Cruz and turning around the situation in the South Pacific. Yeah, yeah… I know “Santa” means “saint” and including this doodle both a stretch and folderol, but I’m including it anyhow because I make the rules here.
(Both this doodle and the next were inspired by The First Lady of World War II: Eleanor Roosevelt's Daring Journey to the Frontlines and Back, by Shannon McKenna Schmidt.)
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Eleanor Roosevelt visited Christmas Island during World War II.
She found her cabin full of big red beetles. As the only woman around, she held in her response saying “I might have screamed if I had not been the only woman on the island.”
She put out a call for fishing tackle for the troops in her My Day newspaper column.
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One cannot beat Santa Claus.
I don’t remember what this referenced because apparently the quote itself was all I cared about.
Doodles from Roosevelt Sweeps Nation: FDR's 1936 Landslide and the Triumph of the Liberal Ideal by David Pietrusza. Peek inside my sketchbook for more.
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His Royal Saccharinity
Claus Spreckels. If that’s not the cutest name ever, I don’t know what is. He was dubbed “His Royal Saccharinity” which is a pretty sweet nickname. As the “Sugar King of Hawaii”, I’m not sure he was actually sweet. The history of Hawaii is complicated and, frankly, full of cringe-y “I can’t believe we did that” moments. (To learn more, read Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell, which inspired this typography.)
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For Theodore Roosevelt, “life was the unpacking of an endless Christmas stocking.”
At first, I thought this sounded kinda fun. But on second thought, it seems exhausting.
Doodle inspired by The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris. I had some gripes with this book, but was glad I read it.
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Follow along on Instagram for more doodles and presidential trivia.
Holiday things or things that are holiday-colored or reference winter or have holiday-ish names or things that happened in December