Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24th, 1920. CHRISTMAS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24th, 1920. CHRISTMAS.

“AVe ring the belh and we raise the strain, We hang up garlands everywhere, And bid the tapers twinkle fair, And feast and frolic—and then we go, Back to the same old lives again.” “At Christmas play, and make good cheer, fray Christinas comes but once a year.’yit Christmas is with us onco more and it is good to be within sight of the familiar milestone on life’s journey again. It marks .a time which* introduces the Christmas* spirit, and that is good for old and young, for friend and foe. Christmas bespeaks essentially peace and' good will, and this spirit *is world wide, r I orn and racked as have been the events surrounding misguided- Ireland, the overshadowing of Christmas was felt in advance, and there was a striving for peace —even a patched peace —ore its joyous days were hero. Christmas arouses the humanity in us, and creates a desire to do good. Just why this spontaneous feeling should run round the world year by year, and the spirit should be common to almost all nations, is one of those fundamental traits of life which go to give the human race stability of character. “Age does not wither, nor custom stale the infinite variety of Christmas. Though ft is essentially the childrens’ season, their seniors participate no less joyously at this essentially festive season. It is a time for high holiday and rejoicing, yet “if all the year were playing holidays, to sport would be as tedious as to work.” Christmas has become a universal holiday, hut it is more than a time for mere rejoicing. The practice of the true Christmas spirit gives pleasure all round. It is the main stage on the year’s journey, and as we approach it all sorts of preparations are afoot for its celebration. There are the family reunions; the coming of Santa Claus to be thought about; and chief of all thoughts for others, rather than for ourselves. Christmas slays selfishness and enthrones mankind generally. We rejoice and make merry, and then as our first quotation to-day sagely remarks “back we go to the same old lives again.” They are “the same old lives,” hut Christmas truly spent will make those lives something different. There is the old routine of work, hut it is more cheerfully done, perhaps, for a kind thought there, a helping hand there .The Scout’s idea of life is a good deed done each dpy. Perhaps busy men .may not consciously always emulate this daily performance; but Christmas helps to bring them nearer the spirit of things, for with good deeds

to their credit at Christmas time, they have pleasant memories which make the effort worth repeating more often in the days to come. A Ghristmas

well spent leaves a happy record behind. AH may not rejoice, for shadows cross our path even in joyous times; but .in life there is so much that is pleasant, that after all our troubles should not weigh us down unduly. Welcoming the Reason in the right spirit all may enjoy what we now wish our readers, A Mbhiiv Christmas.