Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-12-24

and gold frankincensc and myrrh. are
soon poured Into the laps ~ the new
born Savior: and shall we forbear TO
make glad and merry the innocent hos
oms with little candy. nuts. apples.
oranges and toys7 say no. on more
than one occasion Jesus said. suffer
little children to come unto me-" how
could they come unless they could walk.
aud " old enough 20 walk. they are old
enough TO appreciate the little gifts 30
carefully packed away In their stock
irgs. u not by the mysterious Santa
Claus by Kind and loving mother.
] now conclude by wishing all children
and parents too, Merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year.
MRS. L. u. WELLS.
Having had my happy childhood In
WhVh Christmas played no part. The
writer ~ prepared O. say ChriHtmas for
children ~ not essential to the chiid's
liit or happiness. In New England In
IA early days no Puritan family kept
Christmas. The children never heard u
u until they We're old enough to read
about u. and then the explanation Civ
On me was that Christmas was fal.
lacy.
In she early days In the valley. and
IN the iOurneynEs uf the aaints here
ana there. Christmas was not observed
~ far ~ the wrltcr knows. After some
Few years here In Utah. the children
were treated 10 moinHsoa candy, dough-
nuts and new rag dolls. In their stock
inga. but thinking % over and knowing
80 much 90 Christmas stockings from
English people. ! am under the Impress
sion that the custom has spread more
widely among our people through Eng
llsh and German Influences. and from
hearing The description u Christmas ln
their native countries.
one Christmas and really the firHi one
that ever made much Impression upon
me with my rurltanicil trainnHl was
In tho Social Han, that dear Old place.
whore we OF tho older generation have
20 many pleasant gatherings ~ various
kinds. that call up from the past such
tender rocoilnctlnus.
"This occasion nc the Social Hall was
the firai time I had ever seen Christ.
mas tree. aithourh I was over thirty
years old. and had hung ~ stockings
FOR my own liitlo ones by the chimney
corner Tor several years and yet had
newer Hron anything no elaborate a.
Christmas time before
Tails tree was u rift from President
brigham Young e. the children % his
own family and those ~ his councillors
families. Tho little kris who had fhclr
presents from that wonderful trco arc
some or them vrandmotbrf'n now. but
rotten tho surprise and delight ~ that
evening ln the Social Hall. President
Young ana his rluuHeinrn George 4.
Smith and Daniel ~. Wells were there
AMI hundred or moro I should say %
PreHldru, IUunE's family. There was
ddntlnr and fonHtlng. but the tree load
81 with presents fnr the children was
she main object % Interest IN NJ nil.
one scarcely likes 10 protest AGAINST
custom which has given such pleasure
even On "a rare occasion. NJ course this
was an exception. John M.Young called
out the names and riffs. and never
have ! known n happier evening Tor a
marty than that one wnn made by thni
Christmas tree. though I have seen
many nicer trees md parties since.
~ was my good fortune 60 spend anc
Christmas In New England about
twelve years ara. up among the hills In
O. prosperous manufacturing town and
I noticed tho change from the days "
my own childhood. The household was
n very Htnli aud sober one. but few
presents were exchanged among the
children mot NJ al elaborate howevcr.b
baskets ~ ROOD things were sent 60
romr " tho poorer neighb1ra. and
otherwise one would not have known
a was Christmas evening 7 enlulrci N
tho host n thev kent Christmas. now
ndnys. 30. q little" he answered. I'VE
have n furfry and plum pudding. and
we ave going o. have u Christmas tree
for the sunday school children this
evening most ~ them are the factory
people. and they would not get much