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| Holidays were special to kids. And so was Popeye. So naturally, the sailor appeared frequently on these happy occasions. And not only as gifts under the Christmas tree, but also on the tree as ornaments and lights, not to mention on gift wrapping, greeting cards and adorning other traditions of the season. In addition, Popeye helped to market Valentines, Easter, and Halloween as well. Here is a sampling. |
| CHRISTMAS |
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Above, in 1934, Hallmark published a re-telling of the Clement
Clarke Moore classic in an illustrated poem titled |
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Above, 1935 Jaymar Wood Jointed Christmas tree ornament set.
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Above, an assortment of vintage Popeye Christmas cards and wrapping paper. |
  Left, in 1939, King Features head honcho J.D. Connelly mailed newspaper managing editors a portfolio of Christmas prints with each of the major strips carried by the syndicate represented. Right, the 1949 King Features Syndicate Christmas Songbook. |
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Above, 1939 Warren County NY Tuberculosis and Health Assn Christmas Seals donation reminder postcard. |
| VALENTINES |
 Hall Brothers of Kansas City MO or Hallmark, as they are now known, issued numerous Popeye Valentine cards in the 30s. The tradition continued with Hallmark and other card makers putting out Valentine messages of affection from Popeye in the 40s and right up to the present day. |
| EASTER |
   Far left, Puck the Comic Weekly promoted its Sunday comic sections by co-branding with IGA grocers and products like Ovaltine on store sales posters during the Easter season in 1953. Left, a 30s die-cut Hallmark Easter card. Right, a die-cut Easter Bunny Book for coloring was sold which included crayons and a Popeye mini-comic from Orbit Popeye Tattoo chewing gum. |
  Above, the Paas Dye Company of Newark NJ sent out a trade card to retailers saying that Popeye would be a big part of a special announcement that they would feature in their egg decorating line of products after Labor Day 1937. Left, Copyright 1936 Popeye, Olive, Wimpy, the Jeep, and other KFS character transfers for Paas food coloring throughout the year and egg decorating at Easter. |
| HALLOWEEN |
  Left, the Rainbo Paper Favor Works of Chicago, a novelty company, advertised these mail order Popeye and Olive Oyl Halloween masks for 79 cents each for children over the age 10. Right, 1930s wholesale catalog from costume maker J. Halpern Company (Halco). The Pittsburgh manufacturer produced Popeye costumes dated from 1935 to 1938. They also made costumes of Olive Oyl and Wimpy. Complete outfits are hard to find today. Popeye's pipe is very uncommon. And examples of the Olive and Wimpy costumes are considered rare. Collegeville Costumes made Popeye Halloween outfits starting in the late 40s and throughout the 50s. See Collegeville and Halco costume pictures below. |
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