THE GOLDEN GIFT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18885, 6 December 1924, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE GOLDEN GIFT.

BY VIVIEN.

Perhaps there is no more exhilarating and innocently joyous sight during the period immediately preceding Christmas than the spectacle "of the crowds of eager little ones, who with delighted exclamations and shining eyes, throng the toy departments of every largo shop at this particular .season of the year. And yet,"with it all, there is Somehow a subtle difference between many of these modern children of 1924. and the little people of even ten or fifteen years ago. Watching the majority of them as they eye. a hot and weary Santa Claus with doubtful or frankly sceptical gaze, noting their absorption in elaborate and expensive mechanical toys and their lack of interest in the simpler playthings that were once so dear to the heart of childhood, one suddenly realises that it was the element of wonder which only a few years ago was the most entrancing and delightful feature of such scenes, that it is the element of wonder which to-day is so conspicuously- and almost universally absent, whatever other childish emotions ; may still survive. '

For it is painfully evident that comparatively few of tho children of to-day are really children at all. They are merely little grown-ups—critical, blase, pitifully sophisticated, or merely practical, matter-of-fact, lacking in imagination and enthusiasm, or woefully spoilt and pampered und over-indulged. They have already tasted tho independence, the lights—and the disillusionments—of maturity. They have already lost tho precious capacity to be radiantly delighted, or surprised or excited, or really enthusiastic over anything.;-- ' Santa Claus means nothing to them,; since they havo long ago lost all illusions concerning him—if they ever had any. Even tho sacred rite of stockinghanging has lost its charm, since foolish parents nowadays tend more and more to load their offspring with gifts and toys before the day of days arrives, thereby depriving them of the fun and mystery of IXmas Eve, and the thrill and excitement of parcel-opening on Xmas♦morning. Why, why is it that so many parents nowadays deny their little ones their birthright of youth, their privilege of real childhood ? Is it possible that they are so blind and stupid as to believe that an elaborate mechanical toy is really worth more Ho a child than its power to exercise its imagination and its creative instincts Do they really think that a frail and expensive plaything is of more lasting and exquisite value to it than its capacity for wonder, its sense of awe, its right to that thrilling atmosphere of magic and mystery which is childhood's greatest joy and delight ? Is it through ignorance or laziness or mistaken kindness or sheer lack of vision that they deprive their little sons and daughters of childhood's most priceless treasure, its sacred birthright, its inestimable boon and privilegethe golden gift of: imagination ? Alas! it'would almost seem so. This Is an age so hard and practical, so commercial and materialistic that _ many of us are in imminent danger of losing all sense of beauty and reverence, all capacity for wonder and inspiration, all feeling of delight in the things of the spirit. But let us at least try to foster or tolerate or even .merely refrain from discouraging these tendencies in our children, so that at all events they may have the privilege of choice, the right late* on to preserve or to stiflo those qualities and beliefs and enthusiasms which after all are the secret of eternal youth.