P.F.L.P

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 50, 17 December 1924, Page 37

P.F.L.P

My dear Little People, my Little Friends, It's just a few hours now to Christmas, only a day or two, and I've arranged my work and other things so as to have part of Christmas Eve free for us all to be together, . And I'm hoping you'll be pleased with an idea I've got to help things along on that most exciting of days. I want you all to come down to the "Joy," everyone of you, for tea and for evening. Then, we'll have a little sleep so as to be fresh enough for Midnight Mass, after which I'll take you home, in plenty of time to wish all your dear ones A Happy Christmas, and to find the treas--nres that Father Christmas has left for you. fltow does that suit everybody? I think it wilMjo splendid fun, and I know that your mothers and fathers will be glad to have tho house to themselves for an hour or two. Funny isn't it, how busy the grown-ups are on Christmas Eve, they're always so worried, anyone would think they had as much to do as Father Christmas. Will you come then, bright and early, at about four o'clock, so that we can have some games and things before tea? Also, there's something you can help mo with, a little job we can get Father Christmas to finish for us. We're going to tie up a number of small parcels for our Little Friends in the many Orphanages we know and if we leave them ready when we go to church Father Christmas will pick them up as he passes and deliver them for us, that's just the sort of thing he loves doing. Well then, I believe you'll all come along, and if you like, you may bring any other Little People who care to come. We'll get tea over early, then we'll make up the parcels, and you yourselves may bring just one little gift for a child of your own age — the boys for the boys, and the girls for the girls—and mind you bring a bit of paper and some string to tie them up, and a pretty OTteeting card to put inside. Wo should be finished at about half-past eight, and then we'll curl up and go to sleep, "Anne" and all. I'll set the alarm clock for eleven o'clock and when we hear the clock go off, we'll get up and begin to prepare ourselves for Mid.night Mass. A good many, perhaps all, will

be going to Holy Communion, so we mustn't talk very much and must get ready quietly, and at half-past eleven we'll start out for Mass. Last year, we went together didn't we, and we were early enough to have a peep at the Crib before the grown-ups arrived, We'll try to do the same this year. You all know the beautiful story of Christmas don't you, and remember how the shepherds were watching their flocks when they saw a. bright star which led to the Crib, Of course in this country, the shepherds don't watch the sheep this way at all, the New Zealand sheep mind themselves and each other, there are such hundreds and thousands of them. But in far-away lands a farmer has only a few precious sheep which he guards as carefully, almost, as he does his children, because if he didn't wolves and things would come down from the mountains and eat them. And as, in that far-away, country of Bethlehem it is winter time at Christmas, and the snow lies on the ground, that was why the shepherds were watching their flocks in the night. Well my Little People, as we walk along we'll try to picture what happened on that first Christinas morning, and if it's a nue night and the stars are shining we'll P ic k out the biggest and brightest, and call it The Star of Bethlehem. We're almost sure to have the streets to ourselves, as the shops will be shut, everyone gone home, and on ly the street lights will be lighting to help the stars. So, tuck up close together in happy bunches and be sure that all the littlest ones are safe and sound with us. Perl las even, the church will not be very brightI.V lighted, but there will be enough for us to see our way, and the bright gleam from the Crib will guide us to the spot we're seeki Q g- And when we get there what will we see ? Has every Little Person seen a real Crib before? Let us go up quietly and all kneel round reverently while we look into that rocky cave which has been made to look like a living picture. We see there the dear little Infant Jesus lying in His mangercradle with Our Blessed Mother beside Him an< * watching them both is the loving St. Joseph. Near by are the animals who are

sheltering in the stable, the ox and ass which were the only creatures with room to spare for the Holy Family on that first Christmas morning in Bethlehem. The shepherds are there too, and the air is full of music, for the Angels of God are singing the praises of the Infant Saviour, Christ their King. Dear Little People, isn't it beautiful, and don't you think that each time you look at the Crib it seems more beautiful than it ever did before? As we kneel up close to the Crib let us pray to tha Infant Jesus to make us a great deal better than we are. Let us ask Him to bless our parents and everyone wo love; to be good to all the poor little children who have no homes and are perhaps sick am l even hungry; to help the sick and. suffering, the poor, the unhappy, and all who are dying. I should have reminded you all to bring a. penny for the poor, there's always a box near the Crib for them, but I'U l e "d you something to put in as our offering to the Infant Jesus, and at the same time we will give Hi in the Thousand Hail Marys we've said for Him. After we've had one more look, we'll go quietly to our places in the church to wait for Mass, and indeed, it s a great privilege for us to be allowed to stay for Mass—Little People are not often allowed to be up so late. Just before Mass, . vou will hear the choir sing some of the Christmas Carols, and you listen how beautiful are the words. Midnight Mass is J us t the same as any other Mass, so I won't take you through it all, but we'll go to Holy Coimmunion together, and mind you all say one little prayer for your "Anne" who won't forget you. After Mass, and as soon as we come out of church, we'll wish one another A Happy Christmas and then we'll hurry to our homes, to find that Father Christmas has been and unloaded at every house some of the very things we wanted most, and of course, we'll hardly be able to wait while we untie the parcels. Now then, who's coming to the "Joy" on Christmas Eve? You'll find "Anne" sitting under the punga waiting for you. I wonder what you're going to do with yourselves during the holidays, would you

find time for a Competition, do you think? : I've been thinking over something which ( so\ae other Little People did . once upon a r.tiraKT couldn't we try and do something like it?/ And it was this little piece of poetry , that I came across the other day, which made me wish my Little People would take a fancy to the Competition I am going to suggest. - Read the poetry and fancy you're making a ■ beautiful book, and then read about our ' Competition: 4 SCRAP BOOKS. "I When rain comes down and spoils the lanes, ,i And wets the heather on the moors i : And patters on the window panes, We always have to stay indoors. But we don't mind if we may bring Our Scrap Book from the cupboard shelves With paste and brush and everything, And stick the pictures in, ourselves. But first of all the scissors sound, And from, the book that Mother gave We cut the pictures, square or round There are such lovely ones to save! We cut our fairies,, funny men, Old witches, nursemaids, dogs and cats, Some clover leaves, or else a hen, And ladies in their Sunday hats. And when they're finished, for a change, We open out our splendid book And all of these we soon arrange — And oh! how beautiful they look? Then each one has a dab of paste So that unstuck it may not come; And if they're big we have to waste Rather a heap of it on some. But when it's done and Mother sees, • We feel so proud it's gay and neat; She's such a jolly one to please \ind always says it's simply sweet. AiwLso we don't mind if it pours, 'When- we may play at scraps indoors. Don't you think we could manage to have a very fine "Scraps Competition," if we tried hard? All you have to do is to get an ordinary drawing book and paste into it all tile pretty scraps you can find. If you all try for it there will be a big lot of scrap books made, and we will have Four Prizestwo for the boys and two for the girls. And the scrap books will be divided up among the orphanages. Now, everyone knows how to make a scrap book, and you will find all sorts of wonderful, pretty, funny pictures in old fashion books, old magazines, old Christmas cards, etc., etc. Cut these out ever so carefully, and try in every way to make your books interesting and pretty. I specially want the boys to go in for this, as I want them to hunt out the sort of pictures other boys are sure to like. Will you all write and tell me if you like the idea, and also tell me who is going to try in the competition. I would like these letters to be in before the end of the first week in January. Next week I will tell you when the Competition will close, but please write to me as soon as you can so that I caM tell you what to do with the scrap books and where you're to send them to be judged. RIDDLE BIN. Just a riddle or two now. Mind you send me the answers: ' 1. What paper , reminds you of a sneeze? X2. What are the most sensible letters?

3. When is a farmer very cruel to his corn ? 4. I saw you where you've never been, and where you'll never be. And yet in that selfsame place you may be seen by me. Answer: In the looking-glass. Good-bye now, dear Little People. I hope you'll have such a' jolly Christmas, all of you. Mind you write to -your, poor old "Anne" and tell what you're going to do about the Competition. Cheerio, all of you. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The Sisters of the following institutions send Christinas greetings to the Little People, and sincerely thank them for their welcome donations: —Sisters of Mercy, St. Vincent de-Paul Orphanage, South Dunedin (10/6); Little Sisters of the Poor, Anderson's Bay, Dunedin (4/6); Sisters of Nazareth, Nazareth House, Christchurch (3/-).

Boys from St. Joseph's Orphanage enjoying an outing on the Beach at Tomahawk, as the guests of Mr. B. O'Kane.