The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-12-17

celebration where there is even one olive
branch. The more Of these the merrier.
4 One OF the times when there can hardly be
too big a quiverluI is at holiday time
that is to say, so far as enjoyment is con-
cerned. On the financial side of the ques-
| ton opinions may differ.
Yet, properly trained children are
usually unexacting little creatures, who
have as keen enjoyment in cheap play
things and inexpensive gifts as in tile
costly productions of the French OF Ger
man toy-maker.
| MANY WONDERFUL TALES.
The wise parents, knowing how quickly
the time OF beautiful child-faith must
pass, cherish all the sweet baby beliefs as
long as they can. They tell wonderful
tales OF Santa Claus, or kriss Kringle, or
/ st. NlchoIas-the benetcent Christmas
saint Is the same under any alias they
| repeat and teach the blessed ballad OF
The Night Before Christmas" they raise
to the dignity of state ceremony the
| business Of hanging up stockings, and in
a general way make the most Of the
sweet, merry mystery surrounding the
great holiday.
There are some people who deprecate
| the teachings concerning dear old Santa
Claus and say that when a child learns
| that the saint is myth he loses a portion
OF his faith in his parents truthfulness
and in their instructions concerning
other and more sacred mysteries. The
objection seems of little force. If the
story OF the Christmas saint is told, as
are The tales OF fairies, gnOmes, and other
SpriteS, the child's serious faith is seldom
shaken by the gradual awakening to the
perception that the beloved Santa Claus
IS only another myth, parable, like that
OF Jack Frost, who paints the colored
leaves OF autumn with touch OF his
chilly finger, and locks the lakes and
streams by blast Of his icy breath.
1t Is not wise for the father and mother
who tell the Santa Claus fiction to insist
upon its truth!ulness as they do upon
that Of the Babe in the manager, but they
will readily learn to grade the emphasis
they place upon either story.
TEACH CHILDREN BENEvoLENCE.
Children are defrauded of their share in
the best lesson of Christmas if they are
not encouraged in making gifts. The end
in view is not gained when the elders
purchase gifts to be made in the name OF
the little ones. The childish givers have
then none of the joy OF planning their
presents, the pleasure of winning appre-
citation by their thought for others.
Some time before Christmas it should
OC Stts5 OSbGN " lLiG tllllllIEH IIldb IDGN laN
aside part Of their weekly pocket money
toward the purchase Of gifts. This plan
should nOt'be enforced against a child's
own wishes, but its advantages should be
pointed out and stress laid upon the bless
edness OF giving. The children are usu-
ally the souls of generosity, bless them
and willing to impoverish themselves for
the sake OF others.
But saving is not all that should be
taught. Even very young fingers may
be trained TO shape gifts, and the mother
or father will cherish the tiny book
marks or pin-cu mon or mat, worked in
curious stitches unknown i'll South kens-
ington, more tonderly than the costly
gifts that do not represent the labor Of
small hands.
DO not deprive the children Of the de-
light of being your almoners in your gifts
to the poor. They will never forget the
lessons OF benevolence they learn at this
age, and for the rest Of their lives they
will be unwilling to deny themselves the
blessedness Of giving.
SWEET LIFE RECoLLECTIoNs.
The 10y Of Christmas should never be
clOuded by any bitter associations in the
minds of the children. Never let a switch
find its way into the Christmas stocking.
The punishment Of such a modification
and disappointment may seem merited in
the eyes OF the mother 1t would not,
could she for moment enter into the
feelings in the depth OF the childish heart
wounded by the cruel rebuke. There is
no fault say it advisedly- Of so
bitter penalty.
On Christmas, ''the sweet o. the YEAR,
to the little ones, let there be no shadow
OF pain, Of rebuke, OF sorrow that the
elders can by any effort snare To the