Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-14
cHRlsrMAs-IN THIS AND OTHER CITIES

\ beautiful and a splendid idea is thar of The IIo
nolulu women who are planning the Community
Christmas Tree" in the Capitol grounds on Christ
mas Eve.
Honolulu had for several wears the "MaIihini
Christmas Tree" a Christmas morning custom
founded on pretty sentiment. 1t was abandoned for
practical after series of successful wears
and since that time there has been nothing like Il
community Christmas The nearest approach was
that Christmas carolsingng of two years ago con
Quoted in various parts of the city by groups Of
young men and women.
The Community Christmas Tree. idea of the out
door Circle, is in line with nationwide movement
for encouragement of the Christmas spirit in cities
An editorial in that well-known periodical. THE
American City" recently referred to the municipal
Christmas tree as 'the most delightful innovation
of the country 1t has been a striking success in
large cities and small.
In Pittsburg the president of the city council ap
pointed municipal Christmas tree committee of
20 citizens, six of them women A private firm gave
a great Vermont evergreen and donated the use of
large vacant lot. In Birmingham, Alabama the
chamber of commerce headed the movement. with
the invited assistance of philosophical women of
the city. In Racine, Wisconsin, the Commercial
Club summoned the mayor. clergymen. superinten-
dent of the park board, heads of wOmens clubs
y. w. and Y. NJ. G.. A.. Boy Seoutmasters leading
musicians and other citizens and formed fine ac-
tive committee. In Syracuse \. Y, the local branch
of the Consumers League, backed by the Chamber
of Commerce, the Rotary Club and the Syracuse
Herald as well as many organizations and indvi-
duals, did the work-and did it well. Providence,
Rhode Island, had the inspiring leadership of the
Rhode Island Congress of Mothers. In Altoona.
Pa, the movement was headed by the Sunshine So
.iaf and fba Da Dali
in putting the plan in effect A public service cor
poration the Beaver Valley Traction Company,
with a wideawake superintendent led the movement
in Beaver Falls, Pa, and this company also stood
the major portion of the expense Organized labor
came to'the fore in Newark, Ohio, when the Newark
Trades and Labor Assembly launched the idea And
the idea was given permanence by the fact that the
Christmas tree used fine Arbor Vitae nearly
~ feet high, planted the same year, and will be-
used for every Christmas.
The great openair celebrations of San Francisco
around Lotta's Fountain, which mark the holiday
seasons annually are nationwide in their fame.
Grand opera stars with the musical world at their
feet have been glad TO appear here before audiences
numbering 100000 Chicago, New York, st. Louis.
Seattle, Los Angeles and other large cities have in
recent years begun the encouragement of the Christ
mas tree idea.
Springfield, Mass. has DEVELOPED nely-wrought
pageant which gives to the annual festival some
thing of the sweet and sacred spirit that ruled
Bethlehem the first Christmas, that of the
Nativity.
Honolulu's first Community Christmas Tree is
conceived for two main reasons to emphasis the
beautiful spirit of this occason--a spirit entirely
lacking in the raucous, rowdyish celebrations of
Christmas eve on the streets here-and to provide
for all lonely men and women a common gathering
place with lighted tree. embematic of hospitable