Nevada County picayune., 1888-12-19
CHRIS MAS.

tiiihh ltdSt Nld0 NC sHUll No to make it season of joy and gladness around us. and to think, too, what Christmas means. wonder how many persons can think what Christmas" is meant to celebrate, and how many more who have never even heard.
 Many think that they ought to be glad without exactly knowing why :; that they ought to have good time, and that something unusual must be done to celebrate 1t. Some think it is time to get drunk, jolly" they call it-making themselves worse than beasts 1 call it. But what a dissertation of the day such an idea as that.
 It should indeed be day of joy and gladness to all, but innocent joys, for it celebrates the coming of our blessed Lord on earth, and we should rejoice. for He came to re- deem us and save us from our sins. Let us then celebrate it by trying to give all the pleasure we can, thus proving our realization of the mean ing of the day.
 Christmas is observed in all Chris tian lands in one way or another, and is looked upon as time when peace and goodwill to all should reign. How beautiful are most of our churches decorated at this time with wreaths of evergreens, anchors, stars, crosses, crowns and verses and sen- tences from the Bible, foretelling the coming of Zion's King on earth, all formed of evergreens.
 In the country churches all this decoration is generally done by the young ladies and gentlemen of the neighborhood, who meet at the church, a day or so before Christmas, to do the work. It is a happy, mer- " time with them, and is looked forward to with great pleasure.
 In some countries it IS made season of joy to the very birds. Of course they do not know why this extra attention, but they are cetain- ly happy over their feast. In Nor way and Sweden they tie sheaves of grain to the end of pole and set it up where the birds can flock and eat their Christmas dinner. 1t is pret- ty idea, think, making it day of joy to even the birds and animals, and if it is worth while pleasing them how much more is it right that we should strive to give pleasure to our friends and neighbors, neighbors in the broadest sense of that word. First of all, let each of the home circle be remembered, for they al- ways come first, I think. Then let us do what we can to give pleasure and help to those around us. We may be too poor to give handsome presents, and there great many too poor to give anything that costs money; but if we have leisure we can make something for presents, and these presents should really be the most highly prized, for they show that we are truly in the hearts of the giver. We must be on the lookout to see what our friends and neighbors need, or want, and then try to supply the need or wish. Some, perhaps, cannot make any thing; then let them be on the look out to do some kind act, or give some needed help, and this is as much of q gift as anything else.
 It is the spirit that prompts the gift that gives real value to it in the eyes of the receiver, not the intrin- sic value. Often very simple gift of some article for everyday use will give more real pleasure and help than a far handsomer one. The GUS tom of sending pretty cards at Christmas and New Year is very nice one, for it enables us to show our friends that we think of them with kindly and affectionate feelings, when SC could not send a present or share them so prettily in any other way.
 would suggest here, though, that those living in the country can glve much pleasure to some city friend by sending box of the lovely mistle toe, with its waxy white berries, or some pretty running or ground cedar, or some of the many varieties of beautiful ferns growing in our cliffs and hills. All of these are hard to i get in the cIty, even vii money. and