It took me a while too, partly because I was trying to make physics apply here and you can’t do that in the comics. It is far more likely he would be squished in the seatback than catapulted into the air. I think the law of physics never applies in this particular cartoon but I keep reading it. Hahaha
Thanksgiving always comes on a Thursday. When Thanksgiving comes late as it did this year, the eighth is the earliest second week of December there is. Thanksgiving never comes on a Tuesday so your example of New Year’s Day doesn’t work. We’re not talking about all the first weeks of the entire calendar. Just the second week of December.
Then there is a cloud of suds floating up in the air and no suds under his armpits. The cartoonist is just hiding his shortcomings. Haha