The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-12-24
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY, "a

THURSDAY, DECEMBER "a.
CHRISTMAS is coming-goodo old Christmas, VEN
cradle from its sacred name and origin, the re-
viver of cheerful feeling and merry sports, when
we should forget the ills of the past and drink in
a fresh supply of the milk of human kindness.
To morrow's dawn will usher in another ''merry
Christmas" which universal custom unites TO
make a happy day, wherever it is observed, in
Europe, America, in Asia and Africa, and even in
these distant isles of the ocean when family re-
unions are reunions indeed, when gleeful little
children with merry faces crowd around their
TOYS, and talk of old Santa Claus, their patron
and friend. Some tell us this old Santa Claus is
a wicked imposition. They say he does not
Chamber up the sides of the house, and into the
windows, with his coach full of toys and his eight
tiny reindeer. Well. be it so; you can't make
the youngsters believe it.
There seems to be a sort of moonlight mys-
terry about the origin and identity of this Christ
mas elf, Santa Claus. Some persons are satisfied
with tracing him back no further than the early
days of New Amsterdam. Others think they find
him in the person of a worthy bishop, called
Nicholas, who lived in the days of Constantine.
He was noted for his deeds of charity and mercy
and among other things, for having, ESQ the
legend goes) raised to life two boys who had been
murdered hence, probably, he came to be re-
garded the particular friend of children. Some
centuries after this he was adopted as the patron
saint of the Dominicans. The Greek Church in
Russia always hold him in great honor. He was
considered as the especial patron of scholars, vir-
gins and seamen. Possibly it was through some
connection with this last class, that he acquired
- = 4 IL
1t is a little amusing to observe what a trans
formation this saint has undergone since his first
appearance. Once a bishop in Asia Minor, grave
and meek, now a fat and jolly little Dutchman,
capering about of a winter night with a four-in-
hand, over house-tops, down chimney-aues, max
ing all sorts of surprises for all the good children
of the land, and then whisking off out of sight
before cock-crowing. Here is a daguerreotype
of his appearance, taken by a skillful artist:
"His eyes, how they twinkled his dimples how merry;
His checks were like roses-his nose like a cherry;
His drou little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump Of pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircied his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face, and a little, round belly,
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full Of jelly
lie was chubby and plump. a right jolly old elf;
And I laughed, when 1 saw him, in spite OF myself"
The many pleasant associations of Christmas
commend it to our favorable regard. Whether
it be the true anniversary of our Savior's birth
or not, it may serve to remind us of that great
and joyful event. 1t assures us of Gods mercy.
Pardon is offered to the guilty. peace on
earth, good will to men y: Every other blessing
comes in consequence of this every other is
heightened by connection with it.
The return of this holiday carries our thoughts
away to that green isle of the ocean, merrie Eng
land, where the rich in their ancestral halls, and
the poor in their cottages, have for long centu-
ries spent this day in social enjoyment. 1t re-
minds us of many happy seasons in our own
childhood, when this festal day was the subject
of long anticipation, when, on the joyful eve
ming,
"T = so o;.et hing "a an i hung by . the chimney Hmm Z. With nth, care
and the children, snugly nestled in their beds,
spent hours in sage conjecture about the gifts
they might expect from their patron saint. What
gleeful shouts rang through the house in the
morning. No late sleeping to day. "Wish you
a merry Christmas ~ resounds in every chamber
and passage. And now for the stockings and
Santa Claus. Candies, toys, a raw potato or
onion, by way of joke, new dolls, picture-books
and a birchen rod Father and mother must
share in their surprise, and express amazementa at
the kindness and tact of Santa Claus and even
grandmother must relax her usual gravity, and
declare ssshe never saw such wonderful fine things
in all her born days."
1t is very desirable that children should be made
happy in every reasonable way. 1t serves to at
tach them to each other, to their parents and to
their home. And to a person of mature years,
the remembrance of a happy childhood is an un-
failing source Of pleasure, a solace amid present
cares, a stimulus to future effort. For this rea-
son, then, if for no other, because it is a happy
time for children, we rejoice in the observance of
Christmas. Nor will it harm those who are no
longer children. to be a little happy on such days
as this. We are too grave and care-worn. We
do not sing and laugh enough. We become old
prematurely. We are too much engrossed in
pursuit of the almighty dollar, to allow ourselves
rest or pleasure. Time is money, we say, and
should not be wasted in recreations ; sleep must
be abridged, food be eaten hastily, family endear-
ments be thrust aside, and man make himself a
drudge, a slave, in order to acquire a little more
money, or a little higher station and then, oh
then, he will be wondrous happy! Alas the
phantom viii Zee before him forever.