Williston graphic., 1918-12-19
JACK FROST ESSENTIAL TO
REAL CHRISTMAS

ed decadents may find delight in cel-
ebrating Christmas under an orange
tree and making monkey out of
Boreas by taking a, dip, in the surf,
but we hold that there can no no
proper Christmas spirit in a land
where hot plum pudding makes you
shudder.
No sir, the Anglo-Saxon race, the
race that kept Christmas alive on
earth, was race of the north. and
more especially alive on earth, was
race of the north, and more espe-
cially are the traditions and customs
of our holidays real holy days
frozen deep in the glacier deposits
of New England history.
The blazing yule log, the steaming
toddy, the smoking roast pig, the
sharp-ringing skate blade echoing
down the winding wintry stream.
The bob sled and the "belly coast
ers," with the turkey shoot and the
roast goose, they are as truly an es-
sential part Of Christmas, then the
!spruce or cedar or pine that breath
es the incense of the forest through
the house on Christmas eve.
Florida and Calofirnia and the
South Sea islands are fine places to
go if you have bad case of rheu-
matism and dependable bank ac-
count, but don't befool yourself think
ing that your Christmas Day under
| a Southern Cross is anything but a
double cross to your soul, because the
north, the friendly, manly, red-blood-
ed, happy north, whd Ire youth re-
joices and old age sits bubbling by
the open fire, is where the feel and
the spirit and the incense of Christ
mas are native. ~ -
Those who have spent the winter
ice bound in Nome, or some other
Arctic oasis in the wildness, always
remember the Christmas under the
northern stars where the sons and
daughters of men were near enough
the Great White God of Things to
sense the spirit of Christmas, which
of course is nothing but simple love.
Love without hope of reward, with
out pretense; abounding love that ex-
ults in doing gracious deeds to per-
feet strangers for the fine thrill of ii.
Imagine that sort of spirit in
, Florida resort hotel!
+ 4 4 Y &
THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
In the grim business of war, and
under the spur of conservation pleas
wrongly understood, there is danger
this year that something of the
Christmas spirit will be lost. Never
before has it been more imortant
, that it should not be. The Christmas
J spirit as well as civilization and lib
erty must be saved. The world is in
, the midst of war that is wrenching
mems hearts; nation that has made
peace it's emblem is throwing itself
and every resource into the conflict;
, on all sides sons have parted from
: mothers and fathers; news Of casual
/ ties is being received. Under such
circumstances it might be natural for
the weak to yield to depression. This
must not be. There is a brave and
CHEEKY side to the picture which
must be kept constantly in our hearts
and minds. a
Preserving and accelerating the
Christmas spirit of other years will
help do this; omission of the usual
acts of kindness and generosity will
add needlessly to the depression that
| all are trying to drive from them.
Hearts were never in greater need of
cheering than this year. Nor was
there ever greater need for an outlet
of the spirit of kindness and generos-
ity in man. We are engaged in the
unpleasant business of bringing to
her senses by force brutal govern
ment. That is the task of the hour.
But it should not be permitted to
blind our eyes to the things wholly of
the spirit, to dull sensibilities into
disregard of obligations less press
ingly important, but equally essential
to the preservation of the finest type
of American manhood and woman
hood. That is why charities in war
times should be more generously sup
ported than in days of peace; why
this Christmas should be made, if
possible, cheerier and happier than
any Christmas that has gone before.
i There are some people who cannot
afford to observe this Christmas as
they have observed it in years pre-.
ceding. There are others who can
better afford to be generous than
than ever. All should give in pro-
portion. There is no reason why they
should not, and every reason why
they should. Not to do so will be
unpatriotic and selfish. &..-. ia