The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-12-15
THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.

IHEsGHRlSIMASHS PlRlI.
wv 1TH only eight more shopping days until Christ:
wv mas and the ground covered with the beautiful
white snow, it IS only natural that Christmas
should be the big thought Of the hour Those Of us
who look forward to Christmas as day of happiness
and 10y may have, perhaps fully realized that
there Is another side to the Christmas story We do not
perhaps realize that to thousands OF good honest
pie Christmas is day Of sorrow, disappointment and
regret Thousands OF little boys and girls will wake up
Christmas morning to find that Santa Claus has passed
them by; they will see others laden with gifts and they
can not understand the discrimination the part the
good Saint Nicholas Thousands OF mothers and fathers
all over the land will have heavy hearts they the
disappointed faces Of their little children and realize
that account of the fact that their money limited
they were unable to do for the children Christmas
day what they would have loved to have done. Imagine
yourself father or mother unable to give single
gift TO your beloved children and wish them "a Merry
Christmas You would feel sad would you not? IL you
Christmas day find that the coal supply was
low that the food supply low that your pocketbook
was empty 1t would not be much of Christmas? But
this is the case in thousands OF homes
But suppose you were in the above condition on the
birthday Of our Savior. And long about 10 o'clock in
the morning some charity agent who had collected funds
from the fortunate members OF society came to
your house and gave you some presents for those little
darlings whose red from the OF disap
home: gave you ton or two Of fuel; gave you good
big turkey with some side issues; gave you little help
fnancially-then Christmas would be like Christ
aud you would be thankful for the good people who
have the welfare Of the unfortunate at heart and you
would resolve that II you became comfortably xeo
you would fail to contribute to the Christmas fund
for the needy.
How often We pass by representative Of charity
organization the street who is soliciting aid for the
tron fhut fine andf
step into cigar store and purchase dimes worth OF
stoges, when nickels worth would have been plenty
and the other five cents contributed to charity would
have helped to bring happiness and Joy to many Christ
mas where it never could have come otherwise.
Did stop to consider what little self.sacr
fee In the month OF December will do towards making
happy Christmas for the poor? Suppose you spend
20 cents day for tobacco II you cut it down 10 10
cents day for the 81 days in the month Of December
you would be able to contribute 1910 to making some.
body happy Christmas. By cutting that piece OF
pie at lunch during December, you could contribute
S55 to the fund to buy presents for the little children
that Santa Claus misses Your health would be better
too And you could the good your money did on
Christmas, see the happiness 1t brought you would re.
solve to do the same thing the next year maybe
do even better Do you ride few blocks 10 your office
every day wher the walk would do you good? Gut it
out for month and give the money would give to
the Traction Company which has plenty of money any.
how, to the happiness fund.
ton of coal to the family that needs it will bring
more Joy and happiness than diamond ring or an au.
tomobie to that has abundance OF this
worlds goods half dollar doll will bring more Joy
to the poor little girl than the biggest preties talking
doll will bring to the little rich girl. There is much
more surprise and happiness in getting small gift
when you expected nothing could hope for nothing than
there is getting great big gift that you fully anticipated
r. And when you contribute to fund that will save
many home from dreary Christmas you are in keep.
ing with the real Christmas spirit
Christ whose birth celebrate December 25 gave
his life to save the world.