MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18278, 20 December 1922, Page 3 (Supplement)

MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.

If yet there lurks in a dark corner of any man's heart the spirit of old Scrooge, why not re-read Dickon's classic " Christmas Carol " "'. And if the heart then refuse to warm to the season's cheer, Van Dyke's exquisito "The Other Wise Man" may save the day. Though there are some features of our present Christmas observance not altogether admirable, it is yet a splendid tiling to put a child, into the midst of this busy world, to light the candles on the tree and to distribute the gifts. And to live at least one day in the spirit of goodwill—is it not an- anticipation of tho time when all men shall live in good-will rdl tho days? It is December the twentyfifth that keeps tho world from growing old ; every year on that day it renews its youth.

No custom is more beautiful than that of exchanging gifts. And is it not possible to preserve the giving spirit of Christmas, freed, from all taint of commercialism?

"It is more blessed to give than to receive " was declared many centuries ago. But when it comes to pass that he who ceives a gift feels that he must give another in return, and of necessity of equal value —when Christmas giving comes to moan that I select something for my friends and my friends select something of the same value for me—it has fallen into a game of quid pro quo and has lost the genuine ring of Christmas fellowship. Ho that gives thinking only of a return has yet to experience giving of the right Sort. If we are awing to rush and tear about and buy a lot of useless trash for peoplo who alrendy have more than they want, wo shall find our lives for the last few days before Christmas a horrid worry. Resolve to look out for something better than this. Begin by calling the season not Xmas, but Christmas. Read the appeals that come from this mission and that fund, and see if you cannot spare something out of your abundance or even out of'your scarcity. That is the way to enjoy the Christ Mass. Let us also drop all our greiv.ances and grumbling for once and forget our pessimistic outlook on ; ; fe and our grudging thoughts of the money we arc wasting. Let our giving bo to remember friends, to cheer the lonely, to relieve the needy, and all to be irr tho spirit of Tiny Tim's " Cod bless us, every one !" We wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas.