The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-12-23

tide, coming, as it does. in the winter
season, invites to indoor cheer and
coy Inequalities. Besides. it is pre-
eminently the children's celebration
and their glad vacation from the rou-
tine of school. They say, with u
Hoosier poet:
Ust to almost cry fer Christmas, like a youngster
viii.
Fourth . July's nothin to it. New Years amt
a smell.
Easter Sunday and circus day--ies all dead ia the
shell.
1t is also the ~tenderest, hottest hoIi-
day because of the religious observance
of the birth of Him who brought Us
the new teaching Of peace and good
will to all men
If the fern is the ideal home, then
we should endeayor to observe this
home festival In the ideal manner. Our
great farmhouses must not be cheerless
barracks They must become the cen
tiers of old fashioned merriment, VISIT
ing. feasting and hospitality. They
.aust cling closely to the ancient tradi-
tons of the day and follow the same
spirit of geniality, of present giving,
minstrelsy, harmless revelry, and,
above all, Of kindly benevolence and
thought of others.
An ideal Christmas requires thought
long beforehand unless the purse il
unlimited. Costly gifts are not neces
sary for a joyous day. but loving kind
ness must illuminate each little remem-
brance, or the candles on the tree will
be but dim tapers. The glad day
comes. 'Ehe usual church or Sabbath
school celebration has been enjoyed
the evening before by all the children,
but it is in the home festivities we are
interested For an ideal day we shall
have the wee ones trooping down in
the early morning. waking every one
with their "Merry C~hristE2aslv to see
what Santa has put IN their stock
ings. A mouth harp. a jaekknife or q
doll. some joke and a bit Of candy they.
find and scamper back to bed happy as
need be. After breakfast the good
cheer of the morning is in the arrival
Of the married children or other rela.
tives and friends with the greetings
and joy of reunion. Now the gifts are
interchanged. Perhaps a real Christ
mas tree, with its queer fruit from all
lands and its gaudy trappfngs. glad
dens the heart of all. but the chief glo-
~ Of the day is the family dinner
When the gray haired father sees rsund his beard
The old. broken links Of affection restored;
When the care wearied man seeks his mother once
more
And the worn matFon smiles where the girl smiled
before.
What calls back the past, axe the rich pumpkin
pie2
Preceded by the typical feast Of the
day. from yearling gobbler TO plum
pudding, none can resist the influence.
With hearts meIlowed and appetites
appeased the whole company is ready
for the laughter and fun to follow. The
s.helps are all asked to join. ones
neighbors drop in, and there is soon 3
round of games and gayeties entered
into by old and young. Blind mans
buff hot cookies bob apple"
sshunt the slipper follow each other,
and the evening closes with the old
fashioned Virginia reel and Tucker, or
there may be charades and tableaux,
with some Rotations by the children.
or the young people and children may
black upand give ~theireIders a minstrel
show, sing "Suwanee River Down
the Ohio" Honey. Tou's Ny Lady
Love- recite Riley's Mighty Lone
some Waitin When the Folks Is Cone
or Little Johns Christmas one Of
Uncle Remus' stories Of his Hard
Road to Trabble." A single person may
give an evenings delight for the whole
party in reading aloud Birds Christ
mas CaroT' By Miss Wiggin. After all
is over the young people. disguised as
wandering troubadeurs, may serenade
their neighbors with Christmas CAROLS
Who would run away from life on the
farm because of its dreariness If the
homes were thus made attractiveE
Breeders Gazette
f.