Connecticut western news., 1914-11-26
OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS TREE
Why Not Have a Tree, Outdoors,
 With Christmas Singing2

With Christmas Singing2
 Ed. News: What wonderfully beauti- full suggestions and ideas are found in December issue of McCall's Magazine for outdoor Christmas trees. Shall we have an outdoor Christmas tree this year? No. Why? Because we have no time or money or strength left after we have toiled and pleasured all the day and half the night with the things connected with our own little circles of various sizes and-to us-import- ance. We want to spend what money we have on the things that we care most for. We have more than we can do now, and with the things that we keep adding on to our load of treasures and social activities, how can we add on still more! We cannot, unless we happen to want to. That makes a difference of course.
 This is the extremely logical way in which too many women excuse them selves from doing anything they don't want to do. The world is full of very delicate, almost feeble women with very little money so they say, but let some thing come along that these same women happen to want to do and the money is right there in their purse and they will perform incredible muscular and nerve racking stunts that would tire out a draft horse. This strange phenomena happens among men too, sometimes. But the men we feel sure, in Canaan, would certainly carry for ward the Christmas tree idea if the women would take hold of it. It is beautiful idea and many hundreds of cities and towns are making it feature of Christmas week. Beautiful beyond all words must have been that great Christmas tree and holy celebration of Christmas week in Madison square, smaller scale was followed out in many cities and even little towns last year. We wish every one would read the Mo Call article. All details, plans from | lighting the tree to bands and vocal music and even the heating of the pub | lie square are given. I am told that in an almost supernatural degree, the wonderful meaning of peace on earth, good will to men is impressed on the hearts of men, women and children, who have been present at an outdoor Christmas celebration. Just for one night. Why not step out of our little squdged up circles and widen out into one big entire town circle that leaves nobody snubbed, no one out in the cold. or rich or poor, or sad or glad, and Do plain human beings, which is all wo are anyhow. We all may not know how the Sicilian Circle is danced Groups of four form into one big circle. All take hold of hands and circle round, then each group of four goes through
 few dance movements among them selves, although they are exactly the same in each group, then they break, form into one big circle, take hold Of hands and its all hands around again The snob Spirit entered the ball rooms at one time and some women would not take hold of hands, which of course, spoiled all the beauty and grace of the circle, just as we lose the grace and beauty and deeper meanings of life when we will touch no hands in real human fellowship outside our own mar row circle or set, as it is called-A word we personally despise above most any other because of its cheap and narrow interpretation. Women make the plea that Birds of feather have q right to flock together, which is true. but humans should not need to be told that fine feathers do not always cover fine birds. Besides Christ never said he liked crows better than black binds The while He was on earth He preached the brotherhood of man which, we arc sure, must have meant the sisterhood of woman. We wish every man and woman in Canaan might read ''The Bigger Christmas" in December Mo Calls. It is this bigger idea of brother hood and sisterhood that these Outdoor Christmas trees are spreading with their splendid blaze of light all over the land, from sea to sea. The analogy between the Sicilian circle and the human brotherhood idea is a good one, but we can have nothing but an awk- ward unlovely human circle as long as women refuse to take hold of hands so- cially.
 We wish the social groups would break up for the short space of Christ mas tide and have a whole community civic celebration that we have Hkened NxR E