Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-25
WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER 25. 1907
sle CHRISTMAS WORTH THE
~ .-.-...- WHIIE2

a brief season made up OF days
busy with hurried last errands, the
writings of messages on Christmas
cards and postals, evenings spent in
anxious consultation over gifts for fam
{ lily and friends and then the final
bout with tissue paper, holly ribbons.
and Santa Claus seals. and another
Chrlstmas Is now Joining the muster
roll Of Yudetides past and gone. And
when the day Is done, when the first
enkerness has fled. and the time to
think IL over Is come, then there are
those who are sure to confront the
Inevitable question. has this Christ
mas been worth while? Has II becn
full OF the holiday spirit? And after
nll. what Is this holiday spirit of
which we hear SO much?
Never does Christmas seem more
worth while than when ono stands on
the very edge of the day itself, bit
tired perhaps with the strain of pre-
+ rarstion, and thinks of the pleasure
the well filled stockings and pretty
handles are to bring upon the waken-
Ing from rosy rest. The feeling of
each long receptacle till It bulges in
moat unexpected places Is itself n
a JOY, Perhaps there Is tree to be
trimmed, That too makes Christmas
worth while. The very presence of
tree Is In general the outward sign
OF q conspiracy, and secrets of the
5 holiday that We are celebrating to-
day are always fun, From the mo-
mant the tall spruce is struggled into
the cellar or back yard to the hour of
Its transformation into the dazzling
fairy tree of Christmas Eve, there Is
gayety abroad. Tiptoeing silently
about In search Of gay spangled fai-
4 ries and fragile balls. mounting the
stepladder with glance behind for
the pursuing Nemesis of curious
youngster, mnfllng the hammer,
when one is needed, and then survey
Ing the glitterlng whole with an ar
fists pride-these are part of the
fun of Christmas.
But there Ia the evening to reckon
with. Then the glittering tree of the
night before has lost bit of It's fresh
4 ness, the gifts concealed by the holly
wrappings have been looked at and
the charm of mystery dispelled. All
day long the tell has jingled at In
Z teryals adding to the store of treasure
ttoye, and safety has followed eager
Z enthusiasm. The dinner, too, Is a
thing of the past, with It's overabun-
dance of good things. Has anyone
considered the dampenlng effects of
bounteous Christmas dinner on the
spirit of holiday fun and frolic? on
il no q other day does the ambitious
5 heusekeeper so heap Ossa ON Pelon
In her desire to promote the proper
atmosphere. And yet more often than
not the result is the sleepy lethargy
that duils the liycliest spirits
Twilight comes. guests depart.
sleepy children, perhaps a bit fretful
from over indulgence In pettlng and
sweets. ase tucked into bed, and a
Tired mother and father have the leis-
nre moment that means taking ac.
count of stock. When next Christmas
comes, Will they do the same things
under the same way, or are there
saner and happier ways to spend the
hest day Of the year? Possibly they
long, and who does not, for merry
Christmas with most congensal
friends, the nearest and dearest OF
their friends, those who like the