The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-12-11
The Spirit of Christmas....
written especially for the Times
Record.)

written especially for the Times
Record.)
do your children believe in SAINT
CLAUSE" I asked neighbor.
y have always told them that SAINTS
Claus is the Spirit of Christmas" wa
the reply.
The Spirit of Christmas! What il
it? How shall we obtain it? TO wha
extent may we observe it in these hur
rying, over.crowded days of the TWEEN
tieth century? What are the charac
teristic elements Of this Spirit? LIE
us briefly analyze it: First of al
Christmas must be dedicated to gift
giving. This is fundamental, for il
not the whole observation of the day
in commemoration Of the greatest gift
with which this sin-cursed world was
ever blessed? Surely the Spirit Of
Christmas must represent that peace
on earth, good will to men" which
proclaimed it's origin. 1t must also
be calm, thoughtful of others, and, fin
ally happy.
In our Christmas giving are we not
inclined too largely to a mere ex-
change of money values rather than a
hearty, spontaneous giving of our
selves? Does not the close of Christ
mas day often find us with varied as
sentiments of more or less acceptable
articles representing the hasty choice
of those who felt themselves under
some fancied obligation to us? Are
not our own pocketbooks sadly depict
ed, our sense of the fitness of things
confused, the purchase of prosaic fam
lily necessities still further postponed,
while the true Spirit of Christmas re.
cedes to some obscure corner ignored
and forgotten? Do we not find that
while spending more money than we
should, while receiving more things"
than we should, and while hurrying
through the so.called happy season in
a mad rush towards the completion of
our self-imposed multiplicity of tasks,
/, we have done sad injustice to the
real Spirit of Christmas? -. .
/: Zone must be poor to know the lux
ury of giving" said George Eliot. This
refers to eral giving 7;giving which en-
tails perhaps some sacrifice, but at
least some careful and Towns. thought,
and which carries with it the person
ality of the giyer,. being peculiarly
suited to the recipient. Many of us
give too much Of our money and too
little of ourselves. The simple, hand.
made gift, into which have gone much
+, of self and due consideration of the
-fitnesiassss of things, is often much more
.fffghfy=appreciated than the hastily
chosen article which at the last mo-
ment. has. been plucked from some bar
gain counter because nothing more
suitable presented itself, but which
may represent greater cost than the
circumstances of the buyer would JUS
: tify.' - %...>
Practically no one is so situated as
to be unable to devise, if need be with
! little cost, many dainty and useful re-
membranes which may. convey the
kindly thought of the giver and the
cheer of the season. 1t may be moth.
ing more than little poem clipped
from a magazine, mounted in an at.
tractive manner and sent with few
well-chosen words to the person to
whom it is most fitting. Hundreds Of
gifts may be planned and made, even
.rby young children, which will give
'~real Christmas joy at a minimum ex'
%pense. This work requires the giving
Of ones self in odd moments Of time,
In thoughtful consideration and in the
exercise of those Christian graces for
which the day stands. Let those who
can, give bountifully; but those Of us
who in justice to our families cannot
do so, may win the greater happiness
which comes from thoughtful giving
of self.
The season should be full of that
calm joy which shone on the hills of
Bethlehem when shepherds watched
their flocks by night" This is impos-'
sible if forethought has not been exer-
cised in advance OF necessity we
must depend somewhat upon purchas.
ed articles, and if our shopping is not
done in good time we find ourselves
drawn into the maelstrom of belated
choppers swirling about the heaped-up
Christmas counters, and effectually
drowning the Spirit Of Christmas. In
the hurry and excitement of such shop.
=