‘Ding’ Darling Always Celebrated Holidays In His Cartoons

provided to Santiva Chronicle

“’Ding’ Darling never let a holiday pass without reminding his readers of the reason for that holiday,” wrote Christopher “Kip” Koss, Darling’s late grandson. Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling’s archives at the University of Iowa (digital.lib.uiowa.edu/ding) contain a number of jolly cartoons that, predating today’s holiday political correctness, celebrated Santa Claus and the merry sentiment of the holiday. This one was published on Dec. 25, 1924. Darling saw to the creation of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, which celebrates 75 years in 2020.