The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20
CHRISTMAS FOR ADULTS.
The Real Spirit of the Day Must be
Supplied by Children.

Only the young really have fun; only the
young and persons of whatever age who
have managed TO keep youth alive in them
tions. Successes please them. They like TO
win; they like TO accomplish their ends. ana
to make them meet, too, and II possible
overlap. They like society and CONVERSE
ton, clothes. books horses, and various
qualifications of taste. They are capable or
finding a good deal OF satisfaction In Christ
mas gifts, not only because they love
the givers, but because the things given
please them. 1t is not altogether waste
of effort to give presents to adult persons.
1t pleases them after a fashion. If you
have enough gifts to go around let the
grown-up have their share. Be Kind to
lot. Scarcely any one evades it satisfactory
ly. 1t has happened to you, or, II not. IT.
will presently; and for your own protection
and in your own interest you should see
that grown-ups have due consideration
shown them. Feed them pretty well on
Christmas day. They like to be wei ied:
been hard-worked make it holiday for them,
and induce them to go out and walk about
them play too hard That is one of the
weaknesses of the contemporary grown-ups.
1t is the fashion-a new. fashion-for them
to play every chance they get, ana iney
ups play golf, persuade them that eighteen
holes are plenty enough for Christm 1 oay;
miles and back is far enough. grown?up
discreetly managed is capable Of absorbing
a good deal OF OnflSIlldS WdfHilH, anu u
radiating some of 1t out again. But OK
course the real Christmas fun must be APP
piled by the young. Some observers hold
that 1t has been unduly impressed Upon
this generation that its young people must
have a good time. Ever so good thing
may be overdone, and excellent as the idea
of making children happy is, there Is the
possibility of excess in it. But hardly at
Christmas. 1t is recognized that at that
season fun is indispensable, and that 1t Is
easier and more advantageous to groWn-upS
to get a good part of it vicariously. There
is time for all things, and the particular
time for holiday fun is youth. 1t is interest
ing, to be sure, to shift the scenes ana pun
the strings that make the puppets move,
to sit out on the other side of the foot
lights and see the show. That is where chill
dren have the best of it, They are the au-
dence, and the grOwn-ups are the actors,
ard the best reward the company can ask
is to have the audience thoroughly pleased
with the show. Happily the audience is not
critical. II is eager to be happy ana ready
nihes every gift, and supplements rudi-
mentary facts with a splendid bounty or
imagination 1t finds bliss in book, JOY IN
a pair of skates delight in dolls and loves
a holiday for its own sake and because IT Is
different. To be q boy at boarding Scnool
and come home for the holidays-who that
has known that pleasure ever forgets IT
To be a schoolgirl and be let out to Christ
mas dances-bless me, the excitement or II,
tho delight of H. There is a deal or run
i'm living before ne novelty or II mas worn
off There is Christmas fun TO be had al
ways but grown-up peoples run Is IKE goid
in quartz which is only come by after nara
work, while for youth It Is IKE klondike
nuggets waiting to be picked up out or the