A MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 75, 21 December 1907, Page 11

A MERRY CHRISTMAS.

I donot-know who it was that wedded the. Word Merry :to Christmas, bub I havo always wishedc tho union' could ,bo dissolved .though Christendom has long hold, the holier that , no divorce is possible... Christinas Day .raay como yisi- And f Blowing,', or . hot Wi a wilting heai.tliat Jeaves. ekch living' bbing half dead; Ofeistuias'Day us recovering from infliieriza -Or'} lenduring: agonies from 'toothache; it'hidy; find'us'■returning: to the bosom.-'of •ouri'family;, or saying farowell to them for -years';, it ;may- imdv us- achieving, sudden ;woalthj':s'or '■■where tho next penny is to como from, but in all weathers, circumstances, situations, it must find us'merry. With a blind devotion to a convention that is worthy of a great ideal, wo.aH'-set determined to bo merry, .and ~worso thivn -.that, wo expcct to be merry, .'(ind worst of'all w'o pretend wo are.' Tho na'tnraiJ fe'sult' l ' J is'' : t'hat . whiiri two. or threo 'p'cbplo''aYo';'gatHercd together ■in : a rarely.»Wu'thflil' mood,""'and■•'tho subject ■ of ChfistmasI'comes'-'tfp1'comes'-'tfp Idf discussion they will acknowledgb>'in':%hispcrs--that; tho dreariest day in.ethe year'.to'theriMs Christmas Day. Tho>troubloris:vrtot: itljat '.thero -is-anything radically-tffrpng-, 'alpput;.. Christmas Day, .that' thou'ghp,every,pthq'r;day in theycar.may have its pleasures it' is.'im'jiossiblo to bo, happy on December': '.ill .fortuno' or sinister'shadbw ovjbrHah'<jirig tho day.' Tho troiibla'rimply'is 'Hist tub word*'merry--sets-tho ' it is "only : fitted for childish-voieesj' afi'd 'tho .Voices of the grownups brflak- down in • th'o - strain. -Everyone, lias: kriown thq (Idlightful: feeling of waking in the very early Christmas 'dawn 'with tho sound of the carol singers cchoing sweetly in childish cars. Evoryono has known tho mysterious thrill and joy at the sight of certain' luijipy ~parcels ,or,-th'p feel of knobbly things .in tho. stocKing,'.V.pi;bt"ruberahces that unfofdOd' themselves'into ,Mys and boxes of ewtets/'fthd iili'on'ithb'joy . of showihg theso things -"to tho\ : 'farrfily fdii'd '"comparing notes with' brothers' ; nml''coiisms. ; '. That is-how a Merry -.Christmas': begins, and tho memory of onc'-sr childish ;excitement;;js woven into' tho 'expectation jtliatj still:') comes with tho word mqrry. • ■ No,"ffie-charm of, Christinas to a grownup is in the 'preparation for" it, tho cooking of sweet things. with aromatic fragrant ingredients, tho buying of presents for littlo folks, tho anticipation, hover too high, of their pleasures' and 'dilight. The discovery' of tho-right present for': tho 'right person brings (With .It a-.feolingvof prido and vainglory that. may. well takp the placo of lesser joys. Ohildrejv. °f ' co .y r .s°. havo.: this satisfaction' too,. fb'r nearly every child believes' firmly in thb: appropriateness of his purchases, and I remembor the prido of a little chap I met in a bookshop on tho Quay last year with his purchaso.ifor his father. "Ho will bo'pleasea I 'jjsaid '• .-tho .youngsteni triumphdn'tly; "holdingj-lup ■ tos my gazo a, "Book of Etiquotto for Gentlemen." "110 will find; it. so, useful, you know." And a littlo further Vnl met'tho small daughter of a legal light buying a toy pig for her fathor's study table.- That pic remained on tho tablo for weeks, and I really believo tho child's belief.■ in:tho ,-ple.asuro. it .would givo was.moro;than justified. Tho m'orb'-'chiluron ! ono'knows, tho more it is possible to buy presents for, tho happier does ono become. And it is not only tho child. ■ The charm of a Christmas present, next to its expectedness, is its unexpectedness. If you can find someone who requires a little gift, a sign of friendship and affec-

tion, someone ' who is away i . .vj Holio or frionds .for. the fcstalrday, sorr.-ho win. has no reason to look'for any pr> -.nt, t-ut is the happiest, diroction for yon. r And then (again, thero is-.tl - exYii.-,,'- for little .extravagances that Chr • w,i ives, tho suddon conviction it bring: Lli.it r,;io is : quito right; to biiy. a ,fow unnece :sr: things that members of the..family hav. boon wanting, for ever so long! . ■ What or. \v,>uid j s .>t fool able, to afford ill Novombci it. is noble to buy in December.'' Tho 'motto Sen Christmas should bo: "Spend'all you c ■ ; sr-nct all you can; and .then ,tako it'easy .i S . mas Day." ■ ..'■/•