THE WEEK. The Otago Witness WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY (WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1904.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 51

THE WEEK.

The Otago Witness WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY (WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1904.)

" Nnnnutm sliud ntturi, allud sapientfa dlxlt."— Jurirut,.

Perhaps the most striking thing about the celeoration of Christinas is

The its universality. It is a Universality notable fact that n» great of Christmas, battle has ever yet been

fought on Christmas Day, and so far as the war now waging between the Russians and the Japanese is concerned, it is to be hoped that hostilities may be suspended for that one day at least in order to allow the combatants on both sides, if they so desire, to keep up Christmas. For if to the bulk of the Japanese the festival be meaningless, there will be those at anyrate amongst the Russian troops who would like to recall some memories of home, even if their

chances of again rejoining their wives and families be very slight indeed. Probab y of all undesirable places in which to keep Christmas, Port Arthur at the present time is the most undesirable. But Christmas hap been kept up in such unlikely places that it is not impossible an, attempt will be made to celebrate it even in Port Arthur. Just 11 years ago, as recorded in "Farthest North," Nansen and his brave party of Arctic explorei's kept up Christmas on board the Fram with tbe thermometer 36deg below zero. And this is how Nansen himself writes concerning the event: — "They will be thinking much of us just now at home, and giving many a pitying sigh over all the hardship we are enduring in this cold, cheerless, icy region. But lam afraid their compassions • would cool if they could look" in ifpon us, ] hear the merriment that goes on, and see i all our comforts and good cheer. They can ,be hardly better off at home. I myself •have certainly never lived a more sybaritic life, and have never had more reason to fear the consequences it brings in its train. Add to the good cheer our strongly-ftuilt, safe house, our comfortable, saloon, constant gaiety, card-playing, and books in any quantity, and then a good, sound sleep, — what more could one wish?" Not so fortunately situated were Captain Scott and the Antarctic exploreis with the Discovery at Christmas time two years ago, when they spent one of the strangest Christmases ever experienced by human beings — in view of Christmas Mountain, almost the most southerly point reached by the expedition, i^he adventurers who in charge of Captain.

Scott had left the ship on November 2, on Christmas Day came abreast of a shurfr eminence about 7000 ft high rising out ot an ice cap. This solitary landmark, in honour of the day on which it was sighted, was named Christmas Mountain. And amidst their hardships, suffering from insufficient food and extreme fatigue, the memories of Christmas Day gave the explorers new hope. Even here an attempt was made to keep up Christmas. They had a plum pudding, which, although only about half the size of a cricket ball, was a real Christmas pudding, and which, carefully shored out, was made to go round. Another special luxury was a tin of jam. which one of the party had sedulously kept for use on Christmas Day. Thus it is wherever mankind is found, no matter how distressful may be his environment or lioav poor his lot, Christmas comfs to bring good cheer to his heart. And every man, no matter what his rank or station, is all the better for an indulgence in some sorb of Christmas gaiety. One of the greatest blessings of Christmis is that it sounds so often the death knell of selfishness, and tends to deepen and strengthen that feeling of brotherhood which so much makes for tho> solidarity of the race. It is theextension of the Christmas feeling which,, will help to hasten the day when Avar shall cease and poverty and crime be no more.

One of the saddest times in any person'slife is when he or she beSomethhis gins to disbelieve in Santa

About Claus, and is able to trace Santa Clans, the stockingful of toys,

books, and other Christmas presents to other sources than that ancient and mythical personage who to the mind of every true child represents the spirit cf Christmas more truly than anything else. The first doubt of. Santa Claus marks the beginning of our downfall from the high estate of childhood, and we have neves been exactly the same since. Of late an animated discussion has been proceeding In one of the London dailies on "Do We' Believe?" But probably the first real theological difficulty which any human being is called iipon to face is the question of fc^anta Claus's identity. There are vandals who desire to kill all our fancies, and who endeavour to reduce everything in life ro the level of olank materialism. Such are the people who argue that the story of Santa Claus, not being a fact, is therefore a falsehood, and that the pretence that Santa Claus is the children's friend and the giver of their Christmas gifts is a deception and a cheat, if not indeed a lie ; that to teach children to believe m a delusion is to teach them to lie, besides which, when disillusionment comes, it weakens the. confidence of the children in their parents and leads them to question the truth of almost everything in' which they have hitherto been taught to believe. It was Napoleon who said that imagination ruled the world, whilst Rousseau declared that while the world of reality has its limits the world of imagination is boundless. Truth and principle need to be incarnated to be \mderstood, and incarnations are/ common in a world of imagination. Thus it comes about that fairy teles and fiction are the 1 " favourite ways of presenting truth to children ; and, after all, what are men and. women but children of larger growth? Children naturally live largely in a world ot make-believe, as seen in the dressed-up doll, to them representative of a real baby, or the broomstick, to them a feal norse. These are the poetry and drama of childhood, and should not be classified as falsehood and truth. As children grow older they separate these facts from heir fiction, only to deal with other facts in the same way in a world of ideals as in other realms of imagination. Every figure of speech must bs translated into its reality tc reach its fact. So this Cluistmas, once more, let Santa Claus flourish as the incarnation of the spirit of the fe&tive season, and may lie continue to biing to every child, high and low, glad tidings of joy.

The old-fashioned way of communicating with Santa Claus used to be Children's by * ne chimney. A letter Letters to dropped into the firepiace Santa Claus. just before bedtime was sure-

to reach him ; for as soon as the fire was lighted in the morning it would carry the letter up the chimney ; or if it was not safely carried in that way Santa Claus was supposed to come for it. But with the introduction of the penny post the children of the twentieth centmy are more inclined to trust their letters to the post box, and the postal officials tell some strange stories of the sort of letters which Santa Claus receives every Christmas. There is, of course, considerable difference of opiniom as to ihe correct address to ua put upon the letters. Sometimes the en* velopes ' are merely addressed to the "Arctic Regions," but more often to "Iceland," ''Snow Land," or to 'he North Pole. Occasionally a venturesome boy will try London or Paris as the possible abode of Santa Claus. The Hartz Mountains, in Germany, where such quantities of toys are made, is thought by many children to be the headquarters of Santa Claus, anot only last Christinas a little American girl, the daughter of Quaker parents, sent a. letter to that address, which concluded as follows : — "I will not ask thee, dear Santa, for a live baby, for I am sure that either. my grandmother or my aunt means to give me one. And I know thee is so busy." There is a quaint legend handed down: from generation to generation to the effect} that the chimneys of the houses of poor people are so narrow that Santa Claus ia nnabl? to make his way do-vn them '; hence the bulk of his gifts go to the homes, of the rich. It is a pathetic and picturesque fashion of conveying to infant minds the fact that the world's best things? often go to those who have the least need of them. Thus it com?s about that Santa.' Claus's letters which pass through the post offices of the world are Tor the mo?fc' part written by poor children, who, coveting the presents so profusely bestowed! upon more fortunate childra l fan«v they!

see a way of having their desires fulfilled, j JPor instance, one poor little fellow addressed a letter to Santa Claus at Alaska, .which ran as follows : — "I would like you to send me, if you please, good Santa Claus, one steam car, one little red waggon, one stocking full of candy. Much oblige. — Your little friend, Daniel Le May." '±"he hearts of the post office' officials at the Bead Letter Office were touched by this childish appeal ; and a collection being taken up, a sufficient sum was soon obtained to purchase the toys and lollies asked for. These were at once posted to Master Daniel Le May, with a letter bearing a | ■huge seal and ribbons, and stamped, "Palace of Santa Clans, Alaska." The letter read: "My little friend,— My last j train of reindeer, skimming over the cold snows and ice of my far-away home, brought me a big bushel bag of letters from ray little friends, and <<niong them I' found yours. After lighting my pipe, and telling my man to close all the doors of my palace to keep out the cold winds, I made him get out of my factory some things for you ; and after having them • packed I told him to harness my two fleetest, reindeer", Blitzen and Vixen, to my aled and take .them to- the post office for ■you. I hope you- will get them in time ; f or Christmas. * With my best wishes- for a, merry Christmas, I sign myself, your friend, " Santa _Claus." Tliis is only one - m the occasions on which the kind-hearted clerks at the Dead Letter Office hays put their pennies together to buy Christinas gifts for children whose chimneys were too narrow to let in old Santa- Claus. It is to be hoped that all over Otago there will be found many kind-hearted people who, having, no children of their own, will find ways and means to keep up the delightful illusion of Santa Claus for a few of the boys and girls with narrow chimneys. There is all the more need for this jusfc now, as circumstances haye combined this Christmas to narrow the chimneys for a good many people.