Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-23


A DJOINING windows of state
~ street store. dressed as most OF
the shop windows now are, In
harmony with the spirit Of the Christ
mas season and shoppers two different
phases Of the great Christian holiday
are presented. The setting of one of
these windows shows white-bearded,
apple-cheeked, fur-clad, winklng, nod
ding, jolly fat old fellow i'm the act OF
comforting blessings in the shape OF
various toys on delighted urchin. The
other, above a snowy, wintry land
scape. unfolds the story Of the wonder
full birth in whose honor December 20
is celebrated as day of peace and
good will.
Both windows attract attention from
the throngs that daily pass the corner
on which the store is situated, but
there is no question as to which, is more
popular with the youngsters. who, more
now than at any period of the year,
form an important and numerous part
of the jostling crowds. The child
Christ may catch their eyes for mo-
ment, but it is Santa who holds them.
Various are the comments, but their
attitude toward the saint is unvary-
ing.
He is undoubtedly their saint, and
impersonates all that is best in their
eyes-generosity, fun, kindliness, jollity,
prn1
because he is the gift bringer it is
to be feared that in many cases he
means more of Christmas and repre-
sents it more entirely and exclusively
to the younger portion of the world
than even he whose coming gave us
the day.
And yet, oddly enough. the original
Santa Claus-the saint from whom the
children derive or obtain their pet
Christmas wonder-maker, who at times
seems fair to dominate the holiday it
self-though his day fell in December,
was not at first associated directly with
Christmas day Even now in some
European countries st. Nicholas day is
still observed on that saints own day,
and it is then that he brings the little
children tn Air gifts.
For always he has been guardian
of children and bestowed upon them
the sweetmeats and toys and trinkets
which delight them most. His day is
not his birthday, but December g. the
day when he died, and so was trans
ported to paradise. For the real st.
Nicholas, from whom comes our Santa
Claus, and who is the patron saint of
Russia and has many churches named
for him, lived and performed deeds of
kindness in the fourth century, at
And he died December 6, 349, and was
buried at Bari, Italy Here for many
centuries his day was observed as a
holy day, and 1t grew to be the GUS
tom for the children, whose special pa
tron he-was, to leave out their shoes
and slippers on the eve of st. Nicholas
day, confident that he would not for
get them.
In the morning these We're never
found empty of the things dear to
childhoods heart and it was their be-
lief that the good st. Nicholas left
them. In converts where young girls
were educated, silk stockings were
hung on the door of the abbess with
little notes informing the saint of the
special desires of each maiden and in
the morning, 10. the saint had heard
and answered. So Chicago boys and
girls find their stockings filled on
Christmas morning through the bounty
of Santa Claus, whom they call st.
Nicholas in Christmas songs and
stories, though the more familiar name
is oftener on their lips.
The little Italians expected nothing
from St. Nicholas on Christmas day. 1t
is the child-Christ the bambina, who
brings them gifts on his own birth
day. And the child's wax figure was