The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-12-24
TALKS WITH CHRIST
MAS ACTIVITIES.

| hiiHtlidS Coll!eS aealn IL begins VII
the first thought Of what we shall do fu
such and such 4 dear friend, or relative
or for the needy, in the way of gifts. O
hospitality; and it does not end so lon
as one CLEAN of pleasure or comfort
obtained from that which a Christina
has brought to us. In this sense indee,
| Christmas lasts much longer thai
| through the twelve months of one year
it becomes immortal. and each succeed
ing one rolls up FOR us its own store o
happy memories. The great charm O
! Christmas is its social aspect. and its uni
versatility. For the time being it take
us out of ourselves, and makes us thnl
of others,--i does more: it makes Il
| act and work for others. 1t is true, tina
the unseltish do not need the stimulus o
! Christmas to do that which is as thu
| breath of their bodies and the inspiration
of their lives. True. also. that thos,
| who live and work for others through
the year are pretty likely to do the lion
share at Christmas; while, on the othe1
hand. the selfish rarely give except 70
the sake of getting. and shift as mucl
of the burden of even their social re
Sponsibilities upon other peoples shout
ders as they possibly can.
Still. the Influence counts for some
thing, and it is for such as these it i:
needed. The naturally sacritical nature
always finds enough of opportunity fol
its exercises: but those who live in, anC
for, themselves-in the constant contem
plation of their own woes. their owr
greatness. their own virtues, their owl
requirements, and their own deserts
can only be reached morally by uncon
scious cerebration.-by the psycologic in.
fiunnce of wave in an upward and
nobler direction.
Fo" these Christmas is a boon in q
sense very different from that in which
it is apt to strike them-a boon, not be-
cause it brings them something they have
ardently desired, but because it makes
them give to others something that they
desire, and fills them with the glow of
that happiness which penetrates even the
humblest home, and which arises from
the fact that the Christmas love is filling
all hearts and employing all hands in
labor that is indeed more pleasant than
any play.
1t is a good plan to begin to think of
and prepare for Christmas early, and &C
custom the children-boys as we'll as
girls-and servants, also, to take part
in the prelimnaries. If the boys do it
as boys, they will also as men. and the
great drawback to social pleasures in
this country is that men have so little
part or lot in them. Thus they often do
not appreciate their force or value.
grudge the money that is spent on them.
and if willing to furnish, the little neces-
sary fund, do it as concession to the
weakness and tollieS of women and chill
dren. and not as "A tritling tax gladly in.
Cured for the charm of Christmas and
its associations.
That this is the case is not altogether
the fault Of men. 1t is more the fault of
mothers, who have not educated their
sons, from the earliest years of their ex-
lStence, to participation in the duties
and pleasures connected with the festival
season. 1t is their fault. also. in not
making 1t more of home and less of a
mere buying or shop consideration
One of our great faults in this country is
that we cannot do anything without
spending great deal Of money, and
Christmas not unfrequently becomes a
mere tax instead of pleasure. | pity
people from the bottom of nv heart
whose Christmas only begins the day OF,
the week before the twenty-lifth Of De-
cemher: who simply go into shop. pay
FOR what they select. and order the arti-
Giles sent to their destination. without
ever seeing them again or bestowing a
thought upon them. In a family that
wot of. Christmas begins at the close of
the summer vacation, when the children
have returned from the country and the
days have shortened and cooled so that
the usual circle can sit around the even
ing lamp. Zach of the children has a
weekly allowance. and can therefore rely
upon the possession of fixed sum- that
for months preceding holidays and brit:
days, is not broken in upon for taf1,y, or
string, Or apples, or marbles. or auy of
those small purchases in which the hearts
Of boys and girls delight. No Secretary
of the Treasury at Washington ever puz-
zled his brain over financial problems
more than these children puzzle theirs in
the endeavor to make five dollars cover a
wide circle of friends and relatives. or
felt more delighted when peculiarly
happy solu tion has occurred to a vexed
question.
Lessons are eagerly learned in the day
time, that the evenings may be given
over to making ont lists, to deciding on
who is to receive Il gift and who a
christmas card from these small
hands, and how much money must be de
voted to one mission and how much to
another. BY October knitting and GRO
Chef are in active operation;-etch
and painting a.e in prospect, and work
baskets begin to fill up with richly shad-
ed woods. bright bits of satin, and deli
cate fragments of lace and muslin. Home
made articles are, of course. supplement-
ed by some that are purchased for who
can go through the exhibitions Of dainty
wares that are made on every hand and
tailed to he tempted? Then comes the tug
of war-the slowing away on shelves in
closets and drawers. What a trouble.
and what Il pleasure. it is to have to move
them every time one wants handker-
chief OF a pair Of gloves. How certain
one is to pile the heaviest bundles upon
4uently. Yet the contact sends q thrill
Of anticipation through every nerve every
time it is felt, and makes us live our
Christmas over and over again. For if
" to feel is to live, and to remember, to
live again, surely the anti ;ipation is {.
still richer boon, for it is married by none
of the untowald accidents which may
disturb the reality.
AS Christmas day approaches there are
other activities which require attention
There is the cleaning and Frightening