When I ordered a copy of the 1981 Hallmark Peanuts product Christmas Gift Certificates for You, I reckoned it would be one of those novelty coupon books, each page removable and offering the recipient a walk in the snow, help taking down the tree, or some Peanuts-y equivalent thereof.

I was half right, half wrong. Yes, each page has some treat being offered, matched with an image of the Peanuts characters involved in that treat. But this is intended as just a keep-it-in-one-piece extended greeting card. Not only are the pages not designed to be removed, but the offer that the “gift certificate” is for is on the page facing the related image, so it’s not even on the same piece of paper. There are eleven such offers in this booklet, including such things ranging from “a rendition of your favorite Christmas Carol” to “The top spot on Santa’s ‘nice’ list” (is that truly something a civilian is free to offer?)

The drawings are a little odd, in that the characters are wearing apparel that is both gay and queer (but neither of those terms in their sexuality sense.) It is supposed to be, I presume, the sort of things that one would wear around the house on a jolly Christmas day with family and friends, but that takes it enough outside the standard Peanuts realm that it seems odd. Lucy wearing a peppermint-striped turtleneck under green overalls, Sally wearing moccasins, Peppermint Patty wearing not-sandals.. it never quite settles in as right. (I do like the Joe Cool on the back cover, a sprig of mistletoe tucked behind his ear.)

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