New-York tribune., 1911-12-24

TIE Santa Claus Myth
Highest Authorities Agree to Let the Children
Keep the Saint OF Christmas.

, him thoroughly." said Miss Grace Brown.
director of the kindergarten; but tell them
nobody ever saw him: so 1t is of no use TO
stay awake watching for him. And the
Santa Clauses on the street corners arc
not real Santa Clauses at all-they arc
only PLAYING Santa Claus. Then tell the
child he could play it. too, and give the
baby "a present Everybody plays Santa
Claus. father and mother and grandma.
and everybody who loves us. When the
child grows a little Older ho won't have
any trouble i'm realizing that the real
Santa. after all. IS just the people who
love him
Nino other kindergarten authorities IN
the city gave practically the same answer.
Santa Claus IS safe IN the hands OF the
educators.
Well. then. what says a real father and
/ mother-somebod with nice, big family
| on which 70 practise Santa Claus theories?
Madame Louise Homer! Just the person,
/ with her four fine children. ana a wee
| little Homer who came very near being a
! Christmas present this year.
"Oh. YES. we're old-fashioned We all
believe in Sasta Claus" said Papa Homer,
who does the talking for the family Just
now.
The twins we're resting wide awake on
their little beds when papa and the re-
porter put the question direct TO them.
Katharine kicked up her small heels and
souealed delghtedly.
Yes. Santies coming very soon now
and ] hope he brings us tricycle. ana
were going to the Christmas tree Anne
agreed.
Papa Sidney Homer has more ideas on
the subject however, for he IS not only
the proud father of five and husband OIL
the prima donna. but a composer OF music
and--is it proper TO say therefore '-oi
poetic fances.
The children know" he says that all
the presents come from the family ana
after they're a bit older they will under
stand that Santa Claus is only a nice, jolly
red old fairy. shall try 10 make them
feel too that he Is symbolic Of the some
thing above and beyond their money that
buys Christmas presents or their parents
who give them 1t is the spirit. of the
whole worll working together for happi-
ness Money alone did not procure theiV
Christmas pleasures. Some lumberman up
in the mountains cut down the Christmas
bought il in New York. Somebody over in
Germany made their toys for them, ami
somebody else made the nice candles they
buy in the stores Everybody in the world
is doing things for everybody else, and at
Christmas time We symbolic that relation
in the figure OF santa Claus. because he
is jolly and loving, like the Christmas
spirit.
"Now. we'I 80 in and see Nine. Homer
and tell her what I've said
So in We went, TO a room where lovely
woman smiled at us, and said that was
just what she thought too, but she must
warn son. aged nine, not 10 tell his little
sisters there wasn't any Santa Claus. They
were puzzled enough already between Santa
Claus who brings tricycles, and the Christ
mas angel who brought the baby.
Then out into the cold rain. away from
those warm, rosy Homers, TO seek poetess
Alice Mary Buckton. author ol the
Christmas mystery play, Eager Heart
What did she think about Santa Claus?
"Oh, do you know" she cried 1--WE don't
have Santa Claus in England? You have
him on the street corners here? Why, |
think that is charming. 1t is so like the
picturesque old English mummers and
waits, that go about singing on Christmas
night at home These old folk plays can
become one of the highest means of edu-
cation, and Santa Claus and the saints
should be classed with them. 1t is beau
| tiful to have Santa Claus collect money
! for the poor, because that associates
the idea Of giving with him, rather than
/ that of always getting, getting, on Christ
mas. II is a pity if the holiday passes
without rousing children's gentler feelings
OF love and pity for the Little Child who
was born in the cold, dark manger on
that first Christmas night, and through
that TO love and pity for ali who arc cold
or snrrn1yfnl ON Christmas DaN,,