SANTA CLAUS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19730, 27 December 1926, Page 2

SANTA CLAUS

CHILDREN’S PATRON SAINT A COSMOPOLITAN ALLEN | Everyone loves to lalk of the good old English Christmas —a festival which brings memories of “Good King Wenceslas,” Santa Claus, ta turkey, a Christmas Tree, mince pies and toys. But notwithstanding all this, an inquiry into the history of things characteristic of Christmas, and the tracing of some of the seasontai customs, shows that the ‘‘good old English Christmas,” is very cosmopolitan. The merry band of c-tarollers stops . at the gateway and among a number i of hymns, sing of ‘‘Good .King Wenceslas.” Who was King Wenceslas? There are many of his name in the pages of history, but none English. His jauie is celebrated by thousands who do not know’ who he is. It is a pity when good old English carols like “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen,” are now gradually becoming forgotten. Who Is Santa Claus? i Then there is Santa Claus, the mystery, the joy and the idol of childI ren the world over. The snowyi white bearded Santa could no more I qualify for a British passport than j could good old Wencesltas. Santa Claus : derives his name from the Dutch title 'of St. Nicholas, which was corrupted •by foreigners. The name has, during recent years, been altered to Father ! Christmas, but the child of romance prefers to call him Santa Claus.

i St. 'Nicholas is one of the most highly honoured of saints. He is eom- ! memorated all over the world in stained • glass windows, but all the time he is the patron saint of the children and the benefactor of maidens. How cosmopolitan he is too! Everyone pictures the benevolent looking old gentleman equipped with ti Russian sleuge pulled .by Scandinavian reindeer, carrying a , bag of Swiss toys to hang upon a

| German Christmas Tree in a New Zea- ' land home. That is the reason some ■ would have Santa Claus banished and leather Christmas estabii;-;?;.*: .. • some kind of English tradition to ! justify his existence. Christmas Morning Happiness Everyone must feel r: nuinely ' sorry’ for the child who has l • r met • Santa Claus; the child who has received his presents on Christmas Eve | and for whom Christmas Day is nothing but a name. What could be finer than ; the home with the row of family 'stockings hanging from the foot of th? I bed or from the mantelpiece; the : happy children sleeping soundly until about 4 a.m., then the joyous shouts ■of delight and the merry peals of ! laughter which bring renewed life to j the parents and. at the same time comi plaints from the elderly maiden Ikdy | next door on one side and the Scroogelike bachelor on the other.