A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from December 11, 2016
“Three phrases that sum up Christmas: Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men, and Batteries Not Included”

A popular Christmas saying printed on many images is:
 
“Three phrases that sum up Christmas are: Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men, and Batteries Not Included.”
 
The jocular line has been cited in print since at least 1972, when it was credited to American humorist Robert Orben.
 
     
Wikipedia: Robert Orben
Robert Orben (born March 4, 1927) is best known as an American professional comedy writer, though he also worked as a speechwriter for Gerald R. Ford and as a magician. He has written multiple books on comedy, mostly collections of gags and “one-liners” originally written for his newsletter, Orben’s Current Comedy, and he has also written books for magicians.
 
7 November 1972, Philadelphia (PA) Daily News, Earl Wilson entertainment column, pg. 46, col. 3:
We’ll soon be into the Christmas season, notes Bob Orben, when the phrases you see most often are “Peace on Earth,” “Goodwill to Men” and “Batteries Not Included.”
 
Google Books
2500 Jokes to Start ‘Em Laughing
By Robert Orben
Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc.
1979
Pg. ?:
And so, in closing, let me leave you with three phrases that, more than any others, sum up the spirit of the Christmas season: PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWILL TO ALL MEN, AND BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED!
 
20 December 1979, Evening Journal (Wilmington, DE), “Friendly Foot” by Al Cartwright, pg. 29, col. 5:
Here goes:
1. Peace on Earth.
2. Goodwill to All Men.
3. Batteries Not Included.
   
Twitter
John Colin MacDonald
‏@JColinMacDonald
The 3 phrases that best sum up the Christmas season are: “Peace on Earth”,  “Goodwill to Men” and “Batteries not included.”
3:55 PM - 24 Dec 2008
 
Twitter
Santa Claus
‏@kringletalk
Three phrases that sum up Christmas:        “Peace on Earth”, “Goodwill to Men”, and “Batteries not included”. http://bit.ly/85I07e
2:51 PM - 4 Dec 2009
   
Google Books
Christmas Jokes and Riddles for Kids
By Christy Davis
Published by author
2013
Pg. ?:
Three phrases that best sum up Christmas are: Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men, and Batteries not included.
 
Bergheim Follies
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Sunday Funnies 2015.12.13
There are only 11 shopping days left until Christmas…
 
Christmas is in my heart twelve months a year. Thanks to credit cards, it’s also on my Visa statement twelve months a year.
 
Three phrases that sum up Christmas are: Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men, and Batteries not Included.

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityHolidays/Events/Parades • Sunday, December 11, 2016 • Permalink


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