Evening star., 1936-12-01
Teach Child
Real Spirit
Of Giving
Share Joys of Christ
mas Planning With
Little Ones.
BY ANGELO PATRI,

WE ARE drawing near to Christ
mas. The children want to
share in the giving and are hard put
to 1t to find things to give. There
Is one way out for many Of them.
During the year toys pile up and pos
sessions multiply. For some Of these
the children never cared very much.
They have lain on the shelf for
months. Others they have outgrown.
Let them have clearing-out day.
Gather all the things they do not
want and look them over with the
idea Of passing them along to other
children.
Those that are shabby can be re-
dressed. A coat Of paint on . wagon
or a hobby horse will make 1t like
new. A new outfit for a doll will
make her as lovely as on the first day.
Books that are in good condition can
have new jacket put on them. Brok-
en- things can be mended; torn and
ripped things can be sewed neatly
and made presentable If not perfectly
new looking.
Friends can exchange such toys and
possessions, so can brothers and sis
tiers. And the left-overs can be sent
to other children who will be glad
to have them on Christmas morning.
This Is a service of love that will
bring the spirit of Christmas to the
sharers on both sides. Buying gifts
has to be limited to q few articles.
Mending and restoring things extends
the possibilities.
In making the suggestion say moth
ing about the poor" children who
won't have as much as these others.
Just suggest that it would be great
fun to have q clearing-up time and
sort out the things that other chill
dren might like to have. There Is a
feeling Of smugness and condescen-
sion about getting things ready for
poor" children that spoils Christ
mas spirit. Just prepare to give out
Of the fullness of heart and store and
increase the Joy of Christmas.
Among the possessions certain bits
Of material, pretty odds and ends OF
paper, ribbon, decorations will be
found, and these can be made into
boxes and baskets that hold Christ
mas candy and nuts. All these little
things help keep Christmas as Christ
mas ought to be kept.
The store-made Christmas Is not
the real sort. Those who 60 to the
shops armed with Q long list and
handful Of money have the material
side Of Christmas well provided for.
And I am not saying that it is not
Q very pleasant provision. But it Is
not to stop there. The real Christ
mas has something very personal in
its expression. Along with the pur-
chased gift must 60 an af1ectionate,
selfiess thought. The gift must bear
along with its apparent cost Ger
tain close relationship to giver and
receiver alike. It must fit In, be
wanted, be an answer to q secret
wish. That's Christmas.
Let the little ones make, with their
own, furnbling fingers, some little
thing for their nearest and dearest.
There Is nothing that pleases granny
VI BIu1uP, OaOOy VI mOt11eI - AuSA
as that little hand-made card; that
crooked little box to hold the always
missing spectacles, the gay little hot
dish holder or the spool-knitted mat.
Clearing day offers suggestions for
many . gift, for many kindly
thought, and the house has to be
made ready for Christmas anyway.
Mr.. Patri viii give personal atten-
ton to inquiries from parents and
school teachers on the care and de-
velopment Of children. Write him
In care Of this paper. inclosing q
three-cent stamped. self-addressed
envelope for reply.
| Copyright, 1850