Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1922-01-05
CHILD TRAINING AT HOME
AN IDEAL CHRISTMAS
BY Katherine Beebe

Just a year ago I was invited into a
neighbor's house ito see the childrens
Christmas" and went under the mistaken
Impression that it would be a pleas
urafole experience. 1t wasn't. To see
what should have been the GROWING occa-
sion of the year to those children turn
ed into a confused confidently of excite
ment was a positive grief.
The room was small, the too large
tree was decorted in a most haphazard
and inartistic way; yards of cloth On
which Santa Claus pictures had been
printed for the Christmas trade were
stretched along the walls; various paper
bells wreaths and festoons were hung
on available pieces of furniture and
profusion of gifts Uttered the floor,
chairs and tables. I took stock of these
as / gazed. supposedly spell-bound with
interest and delight. I saw at once that
quantity not quality had been the dcmi
nant idea and that GROUP of grown.
people had been Enjoying themselves with
little consideration of the children's real
needs and desires.
There were breakable dolls in inerac
ticable pinks and hIues; there were num-
herless toys having neither play value nor
educational content. Handkerchiefs, hair
ribbons, dish towels, socks and neckties
had all been given a part in the scheme
of decorations. It was chaos come again
and the children seemed fairly bewilder
ed with excitement
In contrast to this feckless festival 1t Is
| a joy to recall the Christmas which
stands out in my experience q many as
| the one rose nearly approaching kin
| derganer's ideal.
| On the twenty-fourth small tree had
been beautifully trimmed in white am
Oh
Father was the one who was TO receive
| the traditional shock of surprise in this
case The living room was made lovely
| and fragrant with boughs of NORWAY
sor1Ice and as five o'clock drew near all
was in order and the tree lighter for ?
| Christmas greeting to passers-by. Then
| the whole family went to a "Carilelight
| Service in a nearby church, stopping on
the way home to see wonderful creche
| set up with loving thought and care by
| a friend and neighbor. After cinner there
| were Christmas songs. Christmas stories
and Christmas music on the Victroa. and
! then came bedtime with its excitement
and anticipations and the hanging OF thu
stockings.
| In the early morning father slipoe'
quietly down stairs while the rest Of rs
waited for the music which was the sig
nal that all was ready. Then, mt with a
| rush ts,t with deliberate intention not
| to lose a single thrill we descended the
| staircase together On .he landing ii
| burst upon u.s. and oh. the beauty of II
all! There was our tree sparkling and
beautiful in the freight which filled the
| room There were the stockings hulg-
ing! There in the chosen places wer"
the gifts, And what were thesA? For
each child one soecial and lonE-desired
trea sure an electric train. a sled. tri-
cycle. books. three games fur of prom
ise Of future fun. and for the use Of the
children together a bow of the biggest
block that could be found. In each stock
ing was a lovely cornropia full IT
gooFies candies. nuts and raisins. while
under these were several little toys chcs
as Jokes or for the foolishness without
which there can be no real Christmas j.
this family. The children's gifts to fathel
and moth and theirs 10 each other wer'
siven at hhe breakfast table, time
honored custom.
The aftermath of this Christmas wa.
a matter of great interest to the foriu
} nate guest. Bv four o'clock IN he after
: noon the neiehhorhood children began r.
drc7, IN until there were a. least dozer
IF them. one Of whom confded to M
that Eat Christmas time the b children
always got presents you could do thin"l
with" Indeed for weeks at; erwards thu
: house of my friends was 9, rendezvo"l
was an Ideal Christmas.
4 A wife is seldom Jealous Of her hus