The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-12-24

T"I On no
Goo whom doe. uuatmas uppoal7 EN-
,u. ..s to h, young. Du SO, Jolly
old Father christmas is never repre-
scented as young he b. O. rubicuud old
fellow with flowing hair and beard of
white hair, and portly pauuch with
"fat uapon lined" Tie Is the leader of
the young he brings gifts To the babe
the school boy and the school girl, but
DEE ughtens the hearts of both dodder-
ing age and dancing youth. Christmas
SIS for am times of life, and not for any
one time in particular 1t is the fesu-
val of the Christian world, and right
merrily It is carried out in many dis
tant corner of the earth
Christmas is TO the child season of
delight vague and glorious time
when aspirations and hopes may be
satisfied by that all powerful saint,
Santa Claus. To the Old it is a season
of memory sweet as the scent of laven-
dar long closed in some forgotten ar
moirg, and sweeter sun in the reju-
VeneScence of the old feelings in the
youthful present, one pities the cur
mudgeon who SCOTS at Christmas, who
can see in the merry children nothing
but dirty faced imps and hear in the
hearty laughter, that rises like the
sound of silver bells upon the crisp air,
only a discordant and disturbing sound.
Poor, unidealed being, what sad con-
dition of mind TO be in. He has been
described and he has been satirized
but the race Of Scrooges, in spite of the
lesson taught by Dickens is not extinct
yet Thank heaven the race which be-
lieves in Christmas lives and multiplies,
and is thankful.
Christmas is not the rich mans festi-
val. 1t is essentially the poor mans fes-
tivaL The preparation of the Christ
mas feast in the poorer homes of any
city is the great event of the year. 1t
may not be a grand feast, but it is one
out of the ordinary, and the hearts of
parents and children grow light as they
make their eager preparations. How
delightful to make those preparations
one self, and not have them made for
you. Be sure more joy is got out of
pudding which every little fodder in
the house has stirred and which
mothers clean white hands have shap-
ed, than ever is obtained out of the
pudding prepared Nv the most re-
nowned chef in two continents The
Christmas feast is the family feast, and
long may it remain So There are many
mothers who keep their hearts green,
and those of their grown up children,
oh la.
time.
And is it not beautiful idea that we
should have season which touches
I'LL hearts, which instructs the young
by example to be generous and kind
Iy, and which opens the callous and
world worn to that touch of nature
which makes the whole world kim"
The giving of gifts, the mingling of
classes, which at other times do not
mingle, is one of the happiest of the
worlds somewhat prosaic history.
There are those who would Danish gifts,
as tending to ostentation of wealth.
There is no such thing in the true
Christmas present A simple gift, a
book, bit of silk, a flower, are all that
is necessary to show the kindly heart.
The Christmas gift consists not in the
value, but in the good feeling with
which it is given.
Then again there are some who con-
slider our old friend Santa Claus, own
brother to Jolly Father Christmas, as
really immoral These stern precisians
would do away with the glamour and |
poetry of Christmas. Happily they |
have not got the upper hand of the |
world yet. The world would not be a |
good world or a happy world, if it lost
its Santa Claus and its many benef-
cent fairies who are clothed in the
most beautiful thoughts of the human
brain.
John Hendrick Bangs, and you GER
tainly don't expect sentiment from him,
touches the spirit of the hour in one of
his books. Said the Idiot, very wise
and genial Idiot,
Lets keep the children believing in
Santa Claus. eh?"
Il agree" said Mrs. Idiot. For the
secret is out. You are Santa Claus to
them"
Heaven grant ] may always be as
much" said the Idiot. For if a father
is Santa Claus, and a boy or a girl be-
lieves in Santa Claus as a friend, as a
comparison, as something that brings
them only sincerity and love and sym
pathy, then may we feel that Tiny
Tins prayer has been answered, and
that God has blessed us ALL"
Go then and be Santa Claus to your
families and if you have none, to your
friends and everyone who reads these
lines, will realize, what The Star hopes
for and wishes to all,
A MERRY CHRISTMAS!