The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-12-21

tide, coming. as it does, in the winter
season. invites to indoor cheer and
coy hOS!,italities. Besides, it is pre-
eninently the c!ildren's celebration
and their glad vacation from the rou-
tine of school. They say, with our
Hoos:er poet:
Ust to almost cry fer Christmas. like youngster
will
Fourth O July's nothin to it. New Years ain
smell
Easter Sunday and circus day-jes' all dead in the
shell.
1t is also the tenderest. hottest Holt
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 farm is the ideal home, then
we should endeavor to observe this
home festival in the ideal manner Our
great tarmhOuSes must not be checrless
barracks. They must become the cen
ters of Old fashioned merriment, visit
ing, fcastin@ and hospitality. They
must cling closely to the ancient tradi-
lions Of the day and follow the same
spirit OF genialitE. of present giving,
miE>trelsy, harmless rcvclry. and.
above ALL of kindly Ecnevoience and
thought of others
An ideal Christmas requires thought
long beforehand unless the purse is
unlimited. Costly gifts are not neces-
sary for a joyous day. but loving kind
ness must illuminate each little remeln-
brance, or the candles on the tree will
be but dim tapers. The glad day
comes. The usual church or Sabbath
school celebration has Hecn enjoyed
the evening before by all the children,
but it is in the home festivities we are
interested. For an ideal day we shall
nave the wee ones trOOping down in
the early morning. waking every one
with their Merry Christmas" to see
what Santa has put in their stock
1ngs. y mouth harp, a jackknfe or a
doll, some joke and bit of candy they
lind and scampei' 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
1nterchanged. Perhaps a re2l Christ
mas tree, with its queer fruit from all
lands and its gaudy trappings. glad
dens the heart of all. but the chief glo-
ry of the day is the family dinner
When the gray haired father sees round his board
The old. broken links of affection restore.'
When the care wearicd seeks his mother once
more
And the worn matron smiles where the girl smiled
before
What moistcns the lip and what brightens the eve,
What calls back the past, the rich pumpkin
pie?
Preceded by the typical feast of the
day. from ycarling g0bhler to plum
pudding. none can resist the influence.
With hearts melloWed and apDetites
appeased the whole company is ready
for the laughter ard fun to follow. The
''hclp' are all asked to join. ones
neighbors drop i'll, and there is soon a
round of games and gayetics entered
into by old and young. "Rlind mans
buff hot cookies" bob apple"
'hun1 the slipper" follow each other.
anu the evening closes with the old
fashioned Virginia reel and Tucker, or
there may be char2deS and tableauX.
with some recitations by the children,
or the young people and children may
black upand give their elders a minstrel
show. sing "SuwaHep River" Down
the Ohio" Honey. Iou's My Lady
Love" reclte Riley's mighty Lone
some Naitin When the Folks Is Gone"
or Little Johns Christmas" one of
Uncle Remus' stories OF his Hard
Road to Trabble.' y single person may
give an evenings delight for the whole
party in reading aloud BIRDS Christ
mas Carol by Miss Wiggin After all
Is over the young people. disguised as
wandering troubadours. may screnade
their neighbors with Christmas carols.
VINO would run away from life on the
farm because of its dreariness IL the
homes were thus made attractiye?-
Breeders Gazette.