The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1921-12-28


the mistaken impression that il
would be a pleasurable experience
It wasn't. To see what should have
been the browning occasion Of the
year to those children turned into
a confused complexity of excite
ment was a positive grief.
The room was small, the too large
tree was decorated in most hap
hazard and inartistic way; yards of
cloth on which Santa Claus pictures
had been printed for the Christmas
trade we're stretched along the
walls; various paper bells, wreaths
and festoons were hung on available
pieces of furniture, and a profusion
of gifts Uttered the floor, chairs and
tables. i took stock of these as l
gazed, supposedly spellbound with
interest and delight. i saw at once
that quantity, not quality, had been
the dominant idea and that a group
of grown people had been enjoying
themselves with little consideration
of the children's read needs or de-
sires.
There were breakable dolls in inn
practicable pinks and blues; there
we're numberless toys having neither
play value nor educational values.
Handkerchiefs, hair ribbons, dish
towels, sock and neckties had all
been given part in the scheme Of
decorations, 1t was chaos come
again and the children seemed fairly
bewildred with excitement.
In contrast to this feckless festi-
val it is JOY to recall the Christmas
which stands out in my experience
Of many as the one most nearly APP
preaching a kindergartners ideal.
On the twenty fourth small tree
had been beautifully trimmed in
white and silver by mother and the
children together. Father was the
one who was to receive the tradi-
tional shock of surprise in this case.
The living room was made lovely and
fragrant with boughs of Norway
spruce and as FIVE o'clock drew near
all was in order and the tree light
ed for Christmas greeting to the
passers-by. Then the whole family
went to a "Candlelight Service" in
nearby church, stopping on the
way home to see wonderful creche
set up with loving thought and care
by friend and neighbor After din
ner were Christmas stories, Christ
mas songs and Christmas music on
the Victrola, and then came bed
time with its excitements and antic-
pations and the hanging of the
stockings.
In the early morning father slip
ped quietly down stairs while the
rest of us waited for the music which
was the signal that all was ready.
Then, not with rush, but with de-
hberate intention not to lose single
thrill, we descended the staircase to-.
gether. On the landing it burst upon
us, and, oh, the beauty of it all
There was our tree sparkling and
beautiful in the freight which filled
the rooml There we're the stockings
-bulgingl There in the chosen
places were the gifts And what were
these? For each child one special
and long desired treasure, an cleo
trio train, a sled, tricycle., books,
three games full of promise of future
fun, and for the use of the children
together box of the biggest blocks
that could be found. In each stock
ing was lovely cornucopia full of
goodies, candies, nuts and raisins,
while under these were several little
toys chosen as jokes or for the
foolishness without which there can
be no real Christmas in this family.
The children's gifts to father and
mother and theirs to each other
were given at the breakfast table,
a time-honored customed.
The aftermath of this Christmas
was matter of great interest to
the fortunate guests. By o'clock
in the afternoon the neighborhood
children began to drop in until there
were at least dozen of them, one
of whom confded to me that Eat
Christmas time the B. children al
ways got presents you could do
things with" Indeed for weeks af-
forwards the house of my friend
was a rendezvous for that compell-
ing reason. Surely this was an ideal
Observation-Disclosures Beebe.
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