Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for December 25, 2012

Now, if that doesn’t bring tears to your eyes, nothing will!

It brought tears to my eyes and, yes, I know it is only a cartoon!

Merry Christmas, Andy! And to the rest of you as well!

Better late than never…

So there WAS a father in him after all!

(sniffle)

Sometimes things not easily said and are tough to find..Enjoy the day.

Thank you for that, Stephan.

Merry Christmas!

Aw…

Pastis is more likely to leave you with an aching belly from laughter than a lump in the throat but this time he gave me the latter.

Aw….how bittersweet.

Well, Andy, your Dad gave you a gift as well. He got you off that stinking chain.

Well done, Mr. Pastis; well done.

This isn’t something I’d expect from this strip, but it make me choke up and it brough tears to my eyes. Very poignant.

the last panel really made me think about my dad and how I really miss him…“I love you dad,may you rest in peace!” :)

Thank you Stephan. This was a lovely arc.

Running to get my box of Puffs tissues …

Sometimes Mr. Pastis’ comics reflect real life events, like when he wrote one after his father-in-law died. I hope this comic does not reference the passing of his own father. [Also, for another tearjerker, you should look up the comic with the Crock dad and his son at the swing set]

We don’t need to bring religion into this.

This made me cry too…on the way to Conn. our son’s mother-in-law died an hour before they got there.

Andy has the best possible Christmas present under the circumstances. —A token of his dad’s love. This arc has been very powerful. Excellent work, Stephan!

Bravo, Stephan, bravo! Thank you for a touching ending.

…and Merry Christmas to you TOO Stephan!

I’ve never wanted to hug a comic strip character before. I’d adopt Andy in a minute.

It brought a tear to mine, too.

Wow . .

So tender! Thank you, Stephan.

Second day for Keenex….

Tomorrow they will be getting back in the groove – by dropping the old man off at the back door of a Chinese restaurant….

It was a touching moment. Showing even sarcastic assholes have a heart (and I count myself as one).

although some misanthropes are always be misanthropes.

Your alright Mr. Pastis.

I think I’ll stop by the pound tomorrow on my way home from work,

Aw man, my face is leaking again….

Ever hear of a tissue alert, Pastis?

As ever, LOVE Andy! Thanks Stephan.

I was surprised to get tears instead of laughing, just wondering why the change-up.

Way to go Stephan. You made a grown man cry.

Good job.

Since today’s is about Andy,

Merry Christmas!Religious eCardNot so much eCardDog waiting for Santa eCard (sorry, I couldn’t play it as a simple link, so it includes the wrapper website) or video file (if you have an FLV player).

Andy may find some comfort there. Merry Christmas.

An odd story (a dog on the run from the police with Rat wanting to give a tip to collect), to touching (someone visiting their dying dad) to tragedy (the dad dying) to wonderful (this)

This strip usually has me rolling my eyes or laughing til I hurt – today I am bawling my eyes out. Thank you Stephan. Well done.

unusual surprise indeed .. Merry Christmas

The story of me and my dad, thanks!

Nice save, Mr. P. We were feeling little hollow after yesterday’s strip. Well done!!!!

snif awwww

Well done, Mr. Pastis; well done.

sniff Merry Christmas everyone

My mom passed last week and this was a hard series of strips to follow, but worth it. Thank you!

Thanks.

Awwww… This is such a heartwarming strip.

xxx

MERRY XMAS, EVERYBODY!

Mr. Pastis, yestarday’s and today’s strips were just … well, Pearls. Merry Christmas!

Well played, Mr. Pastis

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Very cool.

This is just about the last strip I would expect to have this kind of emotional reaction to. Well done, Stephan.

:’)

NOOOOOO!!!!!!! How could you Stephan! It’s too heartfelt! sigh here we go with the smiles and rainbows……..

What an excellent story arc.. Totally caught me by emotional surprise

Thank you Stephan – I agree totally with everyone here – she said tearfully.I was estranged from my Dad growing up and in later years we had an awkward relationship. The last time I saw him alive was when he was being put in an ambulance. He couldn’t speak but did the sign language for I Love You. My last memory – but very powerful to me.Merry Christmas to All!

Thanks for this story arc……………….a well needed reminder to say “I love you” more often

bravo Stephan

I’m alone at my sister’s house in southern Virginia, far from home. She passed away a few weeks ago. But this strip is much more about my Dad for me. Thanks, Stephan (My tears rolled yesterday.)… and thanks, mabrndt, for giving me 3 cards to open; I don’t know what’s in the mail at home but it more than doubled what I got here.Merry Christmas!

Aww. Shucks. Sniff.

Well done, Stephan. Just a tremendous strip for Christmas!

I’m not sure I like this serious stuff…sniffle..sniffle…

Stephan, After your 12/28/20002 I knew you would not let us down. Thank you on behalf of Andy and all of us.

It takes an awful lot to choke me up but this came close. I will admit though that a movie I saw last night ( Marley and Me ) made me cry like a little kid. Big tough trucker, eh? Merry Christmas people.

I’ve never cried over a comic strip until today. :(

Somehow, I thought that Stephan would come through with something like this on Christmas Day. Thanks, Stephan. (Still feel as though I’ve taken my eye drops early.)

“Dont let your family or friends be alone durring the holidays.”Sorry to hear about that, Tacopielvr. It may be really small beers, but at least you have us. Merry Christmas to you!

Stephan, you are a master storyteller. Thank you.·And to all, a good night.

Fantastic

Good Pastis, not as dark as normal, good job

Wowsers.

Well done Pastis.

Thank you.

See? Steven is not Rat!

Mr. Pastis, I love how you ended this strip. You touched a lot of people today. Andy, your dad loved you, although he couldn’t say it out-loud. But I can say it out-loud: We all love you too.

Love you too, Stephen.

This was very sweet, Stephen, now do us all a favor and keep Andy off that chain…

Merry Christmas everyone!

MERRY CHRISTMAS Mr. PastisAnd to EVERY ONE ON PEARLS BEFORE SWINE MAY PEACE BE WITH YOU

The greatest gift my grandfather ever gave me was on his birthday. He had been very ill for almost a month. Didnt even expect to talk to him. But we did talk for around 10 seconds. In which we both said “I love you” to each other. Then he died the next day

Because my wife used to ride ambulances, we listen to an emergency monitor (a/k/a scanner). Before 9:00 a.m. today there were at least two sudden deaths in this area, and at least one was a suicide. Hate to say it; but these things happen even around the holidays. At least Andy gets — and appreciates — a memory that there was even a tenuous connection with his father.

Aaaaaawwwwww.

Merry Christmas Stephan! Thanks for the tear-jerker — a sweet moment and totally unexpected.

Andy..time to rejoice..you got your answer..:)

Andy rocks. We should see more of Andy.

And thanks, Universal Uclick, for making this space for us.

Bitter-Sweet

I’m blinking back tears – thank you, Mr. Pastis.

That was very touching, Stephan! Thank you for not having a pun or gag on Christmas. ;-)

Thanks

Just arrived home from St Martin to catch up and read this sequence — perfect for anyone who’s experienced similar deterioration in a parent. Touching. Thank you, Stephan.

This brought tears to my eyes. Well done, Mr. Pastis. That’s why you are one of the very best.

I lost my dad around this time last year. This brought back some bittersweet memories…

This was my husband’s favorite comic strip. He passed away suddenly in July. Seeing this one made us feel like it was from him. Thanks – means more than you can ever know…

I will hate the day when either one of my parents passes…. I don’t agree with them often, but I love them dearly.

Pearls is one of a kind.

stop it.

beautiful

Sniff sniff Still m

akes me cry..

Something to show the strip has a heart

cries again STEPHAN! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? THIS STRIP IS NOT SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME HAPPY OR SAD! sobs

Those who can make you laugh the hardest are also the ones most able to make you cry.

Once, in a playful mood, my Dad kidded my mother until she said “Oh you’re impossible!” Dad: “I’m not impossible, I’m just improbable!” How I miss him!

nice to know theres still love in the world

thats sweet.

I’m legit crying.

awwwwww

Yesterday and today have left me bawling my eyes out

my favourite pearls comic of all time

Stupid “pearls” making me cry

Best strip EVER

Anyone else think this story was based on Stephen’s experience with a family member?

Now, I have read some really heartwarming strips in my time, such as Jason in foxtrot giving money to the hospital, Jon and Liz in Garfield finally hooking up, but this one completely takes the cake. At the start, it looked like just another humorous strip, but it slowly transitioned to this masterpiece. If you don’t love this story arc, then you are not human. Stephan Pastis has become my favorite comic strip writer. Sidenote: His pun strips are good

This comic really resonated with me. It was such a tear-jerker and I can’t stop thinking about it.