Baby Blues by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott for December 17, 2023

Zoe is gonna do well in politics when she grows up.

Because your daughter has a promising career as a shakedown artist. Or bureaucrat. Or purchasing agent. One of the three! Aren’t you PROUD?

Zoe is a double agent for her Mother?!

Zoe’s committing crime.

Brill! Sometimes “shenanigans” are necessary. Hammie would not have stopped sneaking the candy canes without some trickery. And, never fear, he’ll be doing the same thing to Wren in a couple of years.

Growing up, I don’t think we ever put candy canes on the tree, there were always plenty around, but not on the tree. We did string popcorn on thread and make garlands. Which we’d eat after Christmas.

wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to your tree, Capiche?

Zoe is a one-person Mafia.

Oh great, now I have that sad-sounding trumpet solo in my head…

So NOW Zoe gets paid to tattle and Wanda has stooped to a low level to encourage it even more now. Maybe time for Wanda to get bit by the hand (tattle mouth) she is feeding.

I get the punchline, but I always figured the reason not to eat the decorative candy canes was because they’d been out too long and wouldn’t taste good, even if they’d stayed wrapped.

Zoe the Fixer…

That is because, you ARE.

Ah yes Zoe, a recent graduate of Linus Van Pelt school of mythical holiday traditions.

Hammie learned “AUUGH” from Charlie Brown.

Hammie’s been raising cane, right off the tree.

Zoey has great potential. The mob better hope she never turns her attention against them.

The strips this week seem a little heavy on the “pleasing Santa” theme. Aren’t there some Christmas cookies that need baking or some Christmas carols to pervert at the MacPherson house?

You are…..

You can’t pop candy corn, and you can’t lean on a candy cane.

Candied apples and yams for festivals and hams but nobody wants a candy asparagus

Define “fully decorated.” I never put candy canes on the tree, so is my tree not “fully decorated?”

Just take the candy canes off the tree and put them in a bowl to be enjoyed. That’s what they’re for. If you’ve GOT to have candy canes on the tree, there are probably plastic ones out there specifically made for decorations.

As it is now, you’ve made a bad impression on Zoe.

She is a Protection Racket.

Okay, I have to give the win to Zoe on this one.

Alway’s one a s s h o l e gotta play the politic card…

Annnnd here, Hammie truly channels the venerable Charlie Brown’s – … … " AUUUGH !!! … :)

Had me chuckling, lol

Same problem for our tree back in the Seventies, but Mom always said the candy canes were ancient and no longer safe to eat.

I think they are still in their box, somewhere in the attic…

I’m very afraid of what Zoe might become when she grows up.

Now we know how Zoe got her job with the Mafiosa! As a shake-down artist!

She made her an offer she couldn’t refuse!

Wren’s bangs grew back fast.

Haha! (＾▽＾)