Month: December 2025

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FRENCH NATION

Located in Western Europe, this global centre of art, science, and philosophy is also known for its history in American Sign Language.
In the 19th century, Thomas Gallaudet travelled to England, where he found methods of deaf education in France. Studying in Paris under Abbe Sicard and Laurent Clerc, Gallaudet returned with Clerc to the States in 1817 to open the American School for the Deaf. In that school, French Sign Language merged with local signs to create American Sign Language. Even now, ASL shares 60% of its signs and roots with Old French sign language.

My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of Joan of Arc illustrates the hand signs for FRANCE and FRENCH (including a French LSF hand sign for FRANCE).

FRANCE
The F hand palm out twists to the side with its palm in. The twisting motion mimics the old French tradition of pulling out a handkerchief to signal interest.
FRENCH relating to its country, its people or language
The FRANCE hand sign with movement or direction, sometimes opposite.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #lsf #france #french #joanofarc #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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BOXING DAY

Another holiday tradition is giving donations and money to those in need. This Offering day finds alms boxes left in churches to collect donations, or boxes of presents and gratuities left for employees by their employer. It’s also a prime time to spend Christmas money and Gift Cards on Store Clearance Bargains.

For this year’s Boxing Day, My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of a Shipping worker in a green apron shows the ASL hand sign for BOX.

The Flat hands palms facing each other, bend at the wrists to swing one hand over the other for the four sides of a box.

 
#asl #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #box #cartoon #room #dictionary #boxingday #education #myasldictionary
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AWAY IN A MANGER

Merry Christmas!
A newborn’s first bed can be a crib, bassinet, cradle, cupboard or drawer. For the first Christmas story, there was a more humble dwelling.
Luke 2:11-12 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

My ASL Dictionary’s 2013 cartoon of the Virgin Mary with her baby son Jesus showing the ASL hand sign for MANGER.

The two V hands come together in front of the chest twice, the fingers mimicking the straws sticking out of a manger.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #manger #cartoon #mary #baby #jesus #christmas #myasldictionary

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CHRISTMAS GREETING

After a quick shopping trip and a lovely walk in the snow, I posed by the Nutcracker Christmas Decorations in front of the Village of Riverside Glen to give my Christmas Greeting in American Sign Language. 
“Hey! Merry Christmas!”

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #christmas #merry #schlegelvillages #thevillageofriversideglen #myasldictionary

Here’s the link to the subtitled video on Instagram.

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C IS FOR COOKIE

Every December Holiday includes festive pastries in their feasts. My 2021 ASL cartoon of one of my favourite desserts, the Cookie. Leaving one on the plate for Santa is a Christmas tradition teaching gratitude and kindness.

A young chef wearing white gloves, a blue hairnet, and a Cookie Monster apron I’d like to own illustrates the ASL hand sign for COOKIE and BISCUIT.

The Loose C hand presses down on the opposite palm to lift, rotate, and press down again, like the imprint of a cookie cutter.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #cookie #cartoon #christmas #myasldictionary

First posted July 12, 2024

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HANUKKAH CANDLES

Another December holiday is the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights. A celebration marked by prayers and the lighting of a new candle for each day of the festival in a special Menorah. A commemoration of the recovery of Jerusalem by the Maccabees and the rededication of the Second Temple.
 
A cartoon of a young Jewish boy with a black kippah shows the ASL hand sign for HANUKKAH.
 
Palms side to side, the hands in front of the chest swing outward to represent the flames of the eight candles of the Menorah.
 
#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #hanukkah #cartoon #myasldictionary
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GIFTS FROM PETER

In Dutch and Belgian folklore, Black Peter (Zwarte Piet) is a companion of Saint Nicholas (Sinterklass) who delivers presents and sweets to well-behaved children. When I created an ASL Christmas T-shirt, I placed him beside Saint Nicholas to show the ASL hand sign for GIFT (even though in the dictionary he shows the ASL hand sign for HOLLAND).

Dressed in colourful Renaissance attire, Zwarte Piet illustrates the ASL hand sign for GIFT. To give someone in a formal way or ceremony.

Palms facing each other, both X hands move forward in front of the chest in a simultaneous arc, like presenting a gift to another.

#ASL #americansignlangue #signlanguage #gift #christmas #cartoon #blackpeter #comic #myasldictionary

Special thanks to my Dutch roommate Ann Kunst, who introduced me to this Christmas tradition. 

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FESTIVE SHIRT

After completing three successful ASL T-shirts with art from my dictionary: the Dictionary Cover, the Four Seasons, and Halloween, it was time to make one for Christmas. Collected together in front of the word Noel are four ASL hand signs for Christmas. A Herald Angel (Christmas), Saint Nicholas (Santa), and St. Nick’s assistant, Black Peter (Gift). Behind all three are green hands showing a circular wreath, another hand sign for Christmas.
Ugly Christmas Sweaters may be a fun tradition, but as a cartoonist, I aim for cute, adorable, and a little educational.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #christmas #tshirt #myasldictionary

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CHRISTMAS CANDY

The tradition of Christmas gifts began with Candy, as Children would leave their shoes (and socks) by the fire for Saint Nicholas to fill them with Candy treats.

For the hand signs for this confection, My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of the most famous Candyman of all time, Willy Wonka, shows the ASL hand sign for CANDY.

Wearing a fancy orange hat, purple jacket, and vest, with a flashy bowtie, a cartoon of Gene Wilder (1971 Wonka) illustrates the ASL hand sign for CANDY.

The tip of the Index finger is twisted on the cheek twice.

#asl #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #candy #cartoon #wonka #comic #christmas #dictionary #education #myasldictionary

Just like the Christmas treats left for children in wooden shoes and holiday stockings, one is never enough. It is the same for My ASL Dictionary’s hand signs and Willy Wonka movies.

Wearing a dark purple hat and suit, an upgraded cartoon of Johnny Depp (2015 Wonka) shows the ASL hand signs for CANDY, SUGAR, and SWEET.

Thumb out, the fingers of the U hand brush down the chin twice.
Similar to the hand sign for CUTE.

First posted in CANDYMAN, November 1, 2024

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GIVE FROM THE HEART

As Christmas draws closer, a hand sign from My ASL Dictionary on the most important part of the season, the Giving.

An evangelical part of the Christian Church, The Salvation Army brings hope, dignity, and support to vulnerable people in need. For this selfless generosity, I drew a Salvation Army Officer for the ASL hand sign for GIVE.

Closed hand on chest arcs forward with palm up, like giving from yourself. A Directional verb, this version of the hand sign means Give to You, while reversed means Give to Me.

#ASL #AmericanSignLanguage #signlanguage #SalvationArmy #Give #giving #cartoon #myasldictionary

Before being published in My ASL Dictionary, I gave a copy of this illustration to the Salvation Army officers who performed a concert at the Village of Riverside Glen.