The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-12
The ChiIaren,s sntnt.


It is one Of the wonders o. modern times
that Santa Claus. the especial patron ~
childish innocence and faith. the spirit %
toviaity. n5eralry and kindness, should
have enemies. Yet such is the case; AMI
these enemies. not content with saying
things about him. wish him banished. They
say he is an old tradition, heather myth;
that he has no excuse for living except
that he bears gifts. and that unless he
paid for his welcome nobody would be
g,ad OF his visits. They say further that
he deracts from the religious significance
of Christmas, making the holiday a secu,
lar one. whereas it should be observed IN
a spirit of religious devotion.
II may be that We got old Santa Claus
from the heather. but he is not the only
good thing which has come to US from
that source. As a matter Of fact, it might
not be well for US to repudiate every
ideal or custom originating in heather
sources. If we were to do so we might
be forced to deny ourselves some of our
most cherished customs. There are many
heather ideals and ceremonies which, in
modified form, are to-day accepted by civ
ilization as not being inconsistent with
the Advancement Of the age. or with the
Christian religion.
To warm-hearted loving, appreciative
childhood Santa Claus is the embodiment
of all of the graces the young mind can
conceive OF. He is jolly, thoughtful, kind
generous, affectionate; his mission is to
give happiness, and his field is the earth.
The blessedness of giving and the happi-
ness Of making others happy, are taught
by the yearly visits of Santa Claus, and
his benefactions put at least the whole
world of childhood within touch of ell
bows. But not childhood alone comes
within the scope of his benehcent infu-
ence. Busy men and women permit them
selves helpful healthful relaxation from
the cares and duties of everyday life I'M
der the magic spell of Santa Claus. The
hearts of the old Scrooges" are softened
by recollections of former Christmas days,
and civilization and humanity are the
better for it, An ideal which softens, re-
fines, uplifts, broadens the mind is worthy
of eternal preservation no matter what
the source The amount of charity an
nually done in the name of Santa Claus
cannot be reckoned and the value Of
friendships renewed and cemented through
his good offices is beyond computation. To
many young hearts the yearly visit of
Santa Claus is the one bright and joyful
incident of a twelve-months; to the over
whelming majority of children the visit is
a source of pure, innocent unalloyed de-
light. Should all of this good be banished
because perchance the source of it is based
upon a myth? If all of the ideal were
removed from our lives. and we were
forced to live by and for the frozen facts,
this would be rather a cold, cherries ex-
istence.
But Santa Claus is not merely an old ira
dition. heather myth. He is as real as
the spirit of love and tenderness which
animates him. He is no more a heather
than are the father and mother who hear
the devoted prayers of their little ones
on the night before Christmas and tuck
them in bed to dream of dolls and drums
and woody horses and sugar plums to come
in that wonderful pack He is an incen-
tive to those sublime graces, faith, hope
and charity, and is the embodiment of
that most tender of all sentiments, the
love for little children. Santa Claus de-
serves confidence and warmest apprecia-
ton. Long may he live; and may his
shadow never grow less!