Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-21
AT CHRISTMAS.
Means Most in Childhood
and Old Age.
All Should Join in Maintaining
Christmas Traditions.
No Day Of the Year Has Such Rich
Associations.

NSoUOtolIVuos
| 1t often happens that the festival of
Christmas has its most direct signii-
canoe to us only at the extreme Lcri1ds
of our lives-when we are children and
when we are aged.
To the child it holds sense Of delight
that no other day possesses. 1t is tn"
one day of the year in the mind OF the
child which is distinctly its own. And
when the mysterious charm OF myth
and legend has gone. though an in
terest in the day remains. the delight is
never again the same.
| In the one case it is Christmas in tho
delicious perspective-~in the other it is
the day in the quiet retrospectiOn. Too
often it happens. once the children are
grown and gone from the paternal roof,
the Christmas is al too apt to go with
| them. Particularly is this true when
the children marry and find their homes
in other cities. and leave the parents in
the old home No sadder time comes
into the life of a man or woman than
when the Christmas spirit is permitted
TO be regarded as thing only OF the
past. The day loses its delights, and its
coming is deprived of all its beautiful
significance. Surely if there are no
children in our homes their absence
should recall rather than allow us to
forget the children in other homes. who
may be made happy. In such remem-
brdnce there may vet be happiness for
many who now allow the holiday 20
pass with no touch of the Christmas
spirit.
If ever Il day IVES given to us wherein
to be happy and in which to add to the
happiness of others it is Christmas day!
1t should be as fully freighted with
happy moments ana pleasant deeds as
we can make then-happy moments
for ourselves: pleasant deeds for others.
No span of years can be bright which
allows the Christmas spirit to DC dor
mant between childhood and old age.
1t is the Christmas of the present that
we should ENJOY and make bright. We
must not allow ourselves to forget the
true meaning of the Christmas spirit.
1t will bring happiness to us JUS in pro-
portion as we bring happiness to others.
To some the day will this year bring
other than happy thoughts or memo
ries. Sorrows are harder to bear or
festal days than at any other time. But
no sorrow should crush the Christmas
spirit from our hearts. 1t is not in the
amount that we do. or are able to do.
that we shall find happiness for our
selves and for others. The simplest
pleasures and acts oftimes make the
hearts of others overflow with happi-
ness. To fail to do something because
you feel YOU cannot do much is wrong.
What seems ever 50 trliing to you may
make some little heart sing all the day
! long, which but for you might pass the
} day without a note Of happiness. Don
: grow imuatient of the Christmas myth
or legend. Keep it alive. God knows
| that we have few enough ideals III
these iconoclastic days of ours. Lot us
not disturb our ChrictmaS ira li.i"ns.
1t is i duty TO ourselves to keep TINS
) lay as unlike am other az we can.
And we cal only 10 This by tanning in
) to flame the smouldering embers of the
Christmas spirit which is in every one
of us.
/ The Christ Child implanted it there
5 1t was good that we should have 1T or
5 Bethlehem's angels would not have sung
their blessed message. Peace on earth;
! good will toward men" In childhood
the ire burned brightly enough within
our hearts. Ir old age the light OF
: Christmas should reflect in our faces
, and our natures. But in the meantime
, we must keep the spirit alive so tina,
it may glow the warmer and softer n
old age Let Us have an old-timt
merry Christmas this year-a rea
old-fashioned. happy one. Lei us make
everybody forget there is anything il
t the world but good fellowship and
: happy laughter.
Suppose your boy is particularly
NOISY on Christmas; what of it? Tel
me. if you can. Il better sign OF strOns
health than the noise from a boy
lungs Let the boys have their Christ
mas day. ard if your baby girl does in
u sist upon putting her sticky candiet
fingers On your dress-What Of it? Weal
n dress on Christmas day which those
3 little fingers will not soil. Let her bans
n the piano if she likes. Let her slam TIL,
q door. 1t will not seriously njure tn,
lpiano or the door, and if it annoys yOl
: some close your ears 10 the din OF TIL
day. Let her put her smutchv Iittl
fingers on the white paint of the doc
or wall. I know of q home where TIL
marks of four little Smutchy finger
may be seen any day on the white pain
of a door ard they ara treasured allow
the costliest ornament in that house
Nothing could induce the mother 0
that home 70 wipe of those finge
marks. and gaily would her heart sin,
if The little fingers that put them Their
could put others beside them. OH tn
joy of having little baby fingers T.
smutch the doors and walls in on
homes.
Thank God that your child is blesse,
with health, so that j, can fill you
home--evep if it is bit noisy.
Suppose there are tears in the clothes
n. Suppose the new toy is banged an