The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-25

DIR OAsY HOLIDAY. TINE CHRISTIAN
SPn1T.

OUR OAsy itolDAf--EM s'SfSssa'ss
SPAH.
North Oarolina h2s n hsEasy ons)
Christmas
The birthday Of WashdnOtsa ass Lee
Memorial day, the IoWsA ~ July. LABOR
day, Thanksgiving day New Years eas
and other seasons devoted to vasstioa
and ratriotic eelebrst ton, which are CD
served with xest BY the people Of other
commonwealth. are either passed BY as
If they had not been made legal holidays,
mr. their observance 10 confined to fes
in the larger cities and towns.
The average North Carolinian know $
no day of merry making and frclic except
Christmas. In it are centered all the
round of jollity and pleasures which 9TH
er folks divide into half q dozen holi-
days. In the North, it is the Fourth OF.
July that witnesses the popping OF
crackers and the exhibition of fire works.
In New England Thanksgiving day mo-
nopolizes all the interest in the big tur
key and cranberries. In the big cities,
the great perades are seen on Labor
Day, and the social calls are the chief
feature Of New Years Day. Washing
toms birthday in all parts Of the coun-
try, and Lees birthday in the Soath
bring out an exhibition Of patriotic fer
vor, while Memorial day Is the occasion
Of tender memories when the graves Of
dead heroes are decked with flowers. In
the large towns and cities of the State
there is more or less observance Of these
Holidays, and the tendency to keep them
all is growing, but in the homes of the
great bulk Of North Cardinals popula-
tian, they are as If they were not or
dained OF law.
This does not imply that in the agricul-
tural heart of the State there ia no
warmth or cheer or merriment, for
v men the crops are laid by there Is a
season of festiyity ard sociability in
the country that is not confined to one
short Gays crowded joys The fishing
parties, dances, and pic-nics for the
young; the camp-meeting and protracted
meetings for the more serious minded
the horse-racing and other exciting sport
for those with sporting tendency; and
the spirit of neighborliness and sociabil-
fly that a respite from hard labor af-
fords-these are the summer pleasures
and joys that take the place of celehra-
tions of the glorious Fourth"in the great
great cities. The constructing by the
men and the quilting by the women are
converted into p;c-nics and parties that
are excelled in real joy only by the "hog
killing tines which prepare the way
for the Christmas round of pleasure and
fun which always embrace at least a
week. The delightful letter of ''Bab-
to-day's paper gives a glimpse of the
oh~orvance in homes of wealth. The
cheer and the Joy are no less bright,
and the generosity, though on a smaller
sca'e, no less in evidence, in humber
North Carolina homes.
As our chief and almost sole observ-
ance of national holiday, North Car
olinians make Christmas the gladdest
day Of the year. 1t is the time Of home
coming. The children, who have gone
out from the parent nest, return to
brighten the old home and bring to the
father and mother, now growing old,
sweet memories of babyhood and child
hood The old fashioned Christmas din
rer. with all the children at home and
running over with the pleasure of help
ing to brighten the lives of father ana
mother. will be the chief Joy in many
q Christmas home. Happy is that fam
ily of which all the members can sit
down together to Christmas dinner,
animated by the Christmas spirit and
full OF that youthful houyancy that
comes even to the oldest on this glad
day!
The summit of Christmas 10y Is in the
happiness Of the children. To their en-
joyment and pleasure. everything is
made secondary. Hard and cold is tha
heart tndt II rrv't naada warm and tender
by their merry prntt'e and elas--su.-
prise and wonder! The mystery of Santa
Clans In itself Ia creation of loving
hearts, and there Ia more good cheer "a
fond parental hearts in the letters Of
the children to their Christmas saing
than in all the wisdom OF the classics
Those whose years have carried fhnv,
beyond the days Of hanging up their
stockings, are not beyond the pleasure
which the generosity OF Santa CIaI,.
brings. In msny homes It is an optn
question. whether the fond mother lsr
the joyous child, receives most happiness