Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-23
THE CHRISTMAS STORY

We celebrate Christmas because OF
the birrh OF I,rist, Our Saviour, on
Deceinber tgenty-fifth about nine
teen hundred and twenty-one years
ago. This birth took place in Beth
lehem of Judea in the western part
of Asia. King Herod ruled at this
time. Joseph the father OF Christ
and Mary the mother had come to
the CITY of Bethlehem to register and
to paw their taxes. Reaching the
city they found it impossible to get
room in the inn, so the child
Christ, was born in manager Of the
inns stable which Mary and Joseph
were to stay in for the night.
The child was clad in coarse cloth
and straw was put in the manger so
it could have a soft cradle. When
Christ was born a bright star ap-
peared in the sky. Herod who had
been told by prophets that a child
had been born who would be the
king of all, sent three wise men
searching for the child claiming that
he wished to worship him. His real
objects was to find the child and kill
it. The wise men were helped on
their journey by some shepherds who
when they were tending their sheep
on Hill and watching the star which
had appeared in the sky, were told
by some angels of the birth Of Christ
The wise men followed the bright
star which moved before them till
they got to the place where the child
was. After worshipping Him they gave
Him gifts; gold which meant that
He would be king, frankincense,
meaning that he would be a high
priest, any myrrh which meant that
he would die the same as anyone
else. They were then warned by God
not to return to Herod and they went
to their country by%a different way.
God gave US His only Son that the
world might be saved from sin.
Joseph was warned in a dream
that Herod was going to kill the
child so he and his family went to
Egypt. Later he lived in Nazareth
the Nazarene. Little is known of
the early life of Jesus but when He
was twelve years of age. He as
tonished the learned men with His
knowledge of the Bible. After this
He worked as a carpenter. Then He.
preached the word of John blie Bap-
fist. In His life Jesus performed
many miracles.
Christmas. with it's stpries Of 4 fat,
old man who comes down the Chin
neys and leaves things to the people
who are good, appeals to the heart
of a child. In this country this old
man is known as Santa Claus, and
in other countries by different names
Older people should teach the small
children that there is a very old fat
man with a long white beard and who
comes down the chimneys of the
people who are good and leaves
things for them. The old story was
that he came from the North Pole in.
Il Sled He was supposed to come
down the chitaney. A better story
for the present day is that he comes
in flying machine and through the
front doors instead of down the
chimneys because the chinneys are
very narrow now. The people OF
the United States hang a stocking
for Santa Claus 10 put their gifts in.
In Germany :: piate is laided for the
same purpose. It is wrong to tell
small r:;arcr there is no Santa
Claus, IS Saa are robbing them of
a great Dieasure. You should let
them find out for themselves. When
you have learned there is no .old
man You should keep on giving in
the spirit which you thought Santa
Claus gave things for. "
When Christmas comes we should
go to church the first thing. In
having all the fun that we do on
Christmas, We should not forget who
was born on that day. We should
give things not because some one is
going to give us something, but be-
cause we want to give something
in the spirit which God gave us
Jesus. You should try to make
every one happy on Christmas.
Allen c. browns.