The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-12-14

y peTSOnlHcatlOn OF the loving SplIlt
which gives because it loves.
Who can wander among the
crowded shops at the Christmas season,
watch the many happy purchasers, see
the matter-of-fact business man for
0uce throw care away and go home
with his arms full of bundles and his
heart full OF love for others and doubt
that Santa Claus is real, live influ-
ence in our community for good?
To TIE little child whose faith is IN
shaken. Santa Claus has a very i'm
portant spiritual value. To understand
this fully something of the workings OF
the childish mind must be known.
All spiritual truths and qualities
must come to the child through mater
iaI objects or symbols Even physical
qualities are not separated from the OBJ
ject for some time.
Love is at first inseparable IRON
mother a little girl four years oia
went. home one day from kindergarten
and Told her mother in wonder ana SUI
prise that the teacher had picked up a
little boy who had fallen and hurt him
self and had fondled him just like
mother.
children see the mother hen, the
mother bird. the mother dog, and hnai-
~ they abstract the spiritual quality
Iove-which makes them all alike. rms
is a stepping-stone to knowledge OF
the love of the Father. who says Even
the hairs of your head are numbered.
How many of us grown-up people
fully appreciate Gods gifts to us? How
many cf us know the meaning in all
it's fullness, OF Gods great gift to us IN
the shape of His beloved Son? Is not
the highest ideal OF Christian character
today one who gives-his goods, HIM
self. even his life IL need be-because
he loves?
Now, what is Santa Claus but a per
sonification of this spirit, a son OF
Faith and Love, so Eugene Field tells
US in his beautiful story, THE Symbol
and the SaintY'
Give Santa Claus TO the little child
the first few Christmases as man.
Make him as real as you can-iesh and
blood-but always emphasize the one
important fact that ne gives because he
loves. He is happy because ne gives.
and 80 his body expresses tollity. kind
nness and good win. He Is very old be-
cause he has given To 40 many genera
tons. hence his white beard and hair.
The next year call him a fairy or
a spirit, who can make himself large
or small; who can creep through the
tiniest cracks, SO that II you shut Up
all the doors and windows and stop up
the chimney. still ne Will find his way
In. BY this time. too. the child may be-
gin to wonder how he can And all the
children in one night. His being A fairy
or spirit will explain all such difficult
ties, for ne is no longer bound by phys
icai laws
The child can play Santa Claus and
plan all sorts of surprises for the differ
ent members of the family which will
give him quite as much pleasure as his
looking forward TO Santa Claus visit.
Probably the next year ne will still
believe that Santa Claus fills his stock
ings. although he takes n very active
part i'm the Christmas preparations
himself. Naturally and easily he learns
through this symbol TO know the
truth, and knowing the truth needs the
symbol no longer. His father Is Santa
Claus, his mother is Santa Claus. ~
IL Santa Claus; yes, everyone who gives
Is Santa Clans.
The great danger I'm the use of this
myth comes from the fact that so
many tIO"h-up people consider IL q llt'
and a delusion for the infant mind.
Let him believe In the lie as long as
he can" they say. and they take every
preCaution TO blind him to the truth by
planning a deep-iaid plot of deceit
Then. when the child is long past the
age when ne needs the symbol. they
suddenly say. 1T is all lie. We have
duped you into believing it," and then
wonder why ne rebels.
What We need is more imagination.
more belief in tire real existence Of the
loving and giving spirit. more belief in
. and love for God Himself. and then we
, can tell the story OF Santa Claus with
, reverent lips along with the story of
the birth of the Christ Child and be
. sure 1T will foreshadow n belief in and
love for the "All-Giver. the All-Lover
the One who gives because He loves"
KINDERGARTEN
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