Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-12-18
Hargrove's for Quality, Value and Service
The ruth
About
Santa Claus
The author of this beautiful
Christmas appeal is Mr.. Lionel B.
Moses, a member of the Chicago
ROfnru Club.

Who tells child that Christmas Eve, while little
folks are asleep, Santa Claus comes and fills their
stockings and leaves toys for them to find when they
awake on Christmas morning-who tells child that,
tells the truth truth deep and beautiful and with
such power for happiness in all child-hearts, that
it is difficult to believe anyone could do such stupid
wicked thing as to tarnish that whole truth with
half lie.
And who says to child
"There isn't any Santa Claus really. Daddy is Santa
Claus dear; we only fooled you about that while you
were very young to make your Christmas happier
YOU must help us fool little sister until she is big like
you, because we don't want to spoil her Christmas
too,-whe tells child such rot as this is telling the
child lie and is helping to spoil Christmas for the
whole world.
Surely nothing could be more wicked or stupid than
that.
Daddy indeed! He flatters himself! He may be the
finest daddy in the land, but he isn't Santa Claus
Can daddy touch the heart Of all the world and for
day make loving kindness bloom where only
sefshness and greed appear every other day? Can
daddy make the surliest and meanest of men, and
women, too, awake newhearted on the day OF his
coming and greet everyone cheerfuly with heartfelt
good wishes for merry holiday? No; only Santa
Claus do those things, melting the cold indifference
around our everyday hearts and in the white magic of
Christmas bringing into blossom for day the
springtme of the soul.
Daddies may be good bad or Indifferent daddes CO.
but Santa Claus? Never! Santa Claus comes only
on Christmas Eve, when little IOlkS are asleep lie
fills their stockings and leaves toys lying around for
them to find when they awake on Christmas morning.
Of course there is Santa Claus True when
children are very small the figure of jolly old
St. Nicholas as the simplest, surest way to reach
the baby mind-a symbol yes; but symbol Of a
blessed and very real thing All our lives the deepest
truths of the universe placed before use In
symbolic forn1-not to deceive but on the contrary
to impress the truth upon us more convincingy.
The day your child "learns the truth about Santa
Claus" should be redletter day in both your lives
Instead of stupidity allowing the occasion to be Of
heartache dsiluson seize the golden opportunity
for one Of the happiest heart-to-heart talks of a
lifetime Take advantage of this moment to teach
the deeper holer truth about Christmas-the ever
living truth of the deathess power of Love- and OF
the supreme example of that power, returning year
after year, tanning into Christmas flame the spark
of love buried deep in the ashes Of human sefshness
bringing Christmas gifts and Christmas cheer to all
mankind.
Assuredly nothing could be more real than power
which has wrought this miracle year after year
through all the centuries since the good Bishop of Bari
tossed purses of gold through the windows to the
dowerless madens while they slept. What matter the
form Of the messenger if only the message be
brought home? The truth is so much more DeautlIul
than the make-beeve Santa Claus which babies
know, that it will make Christmas brighter,
happier time, day looked forward to with more
joyous anticipation than ever before.
"Hang up a stocking on Christmas Eve?" Certainly!
Ana why not! 10 you udIe W say oH tIidt
holy night no returning spirit of the Babe of
Bethlehem enters your home, blots out unkind
thoughts spreads peace earth to men of good will?
If not God pity your home! That loving, breathing
glorious spirit does enter homes and our hearts.
And we delight to give thanks to Him through gifts
to the children He loved so we'll That spirit Of
Christmas bids us fill the chidrens stockings and
give gifts TO one another the Wise Men gave gifts
to the Child Of Bethlehem
Call the spirit what you will. Every word we tell the
babies is the living, blessed truth It is spirit that
brings the gifts And for my part love the dear old
name we have always used l still love and believe
in Santa Claus.
To those of who read the above beautiful essay
"rThe Spirit of Santa Claus" and try-ever little
even-to practice tit cannot help but make
better daddys-better mothers-better brothers and
better sisters. And the endless weaving and
entwining of such beautiful thoughts within every
heart would surely make this world a brighter
happier and nicer place to live in-and each Of us
better patriot and finer ctizen-Rea Americans.
May the spirit of Santa Claus ever grow
H0rnrO1,Q'S