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Putaruru Press, Volume VIII, Issue 369, 18 December 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHRISTMASTIDE. THE greatest of Christian festivals, with its attendant joys and gaieties, has once again come round, too quickly, perhaps, for the elders among us, and too slowly tor tiie children. Yvith both, however, Christmas is a period consecrated to joy ana glaaness, carrying its own beneficent and noble ends. For many Christmas is a period of stocktaking, wiK.ii me is viewed in perspective, when men measure up progress, and look out on the future either haltingly or with confidence. They are apt to repeat the world-old questions, whither? and how? Contrasts are made between the ideal and real, the actual and the possible, men as they are and as they might be. Some may probe the future and ask “ -why life is life.” Each provides his own answer, and many pass away, “ not understood.” And by what measure shall men be measured? Few will douot that at this time there is a quickening spirit abroad among the peoples of the world, which spirit refuses to allow the old order to remain unchanged. It is the growth of the self-consciousness of the mass of people, and the great problems which lie in the lap of history are being tackled with mostly only one aim : “ Peace on earth among men of goodwill.” The quotation sei-ves to remind us that Christmas may be said to stand for three graces, Faith, Hope and Charity ; faith in the ideals of our forefathers, founded (as Queen Victoria was so ready to remind Englishmen) on the Bible ; hope for the future, that midst the hurly-burly of modern life these ideals may be ever present as guiding beacons in the life of men ; and charity, the noblest of all virtues, be it of thought, speech or material gift. All are typified in the story of Santa Claus, the beautiful legend repeated afresh year after year to the children of our own and other races. With due modesty one may at this season of the year glance with a thrill of pride at New Zealand achievement and at New Zealand people. Their all-round sobriety, their orderliness, their generosity and ready identification with the best ideals of Christmas afford the truest guarantee of a perpetuation of some of the finest characteristics of our race. Differences there may be, but all work to the one end, and the result has been the appreciative comment of observers of other countries. Temporary setbacks also there may be, but through it all faithfulness unto ideals enables New Zealanders to celebrate Christmas time in a splendid heritage of the true sunlight of life and to give themselves up to the enjoyment of all that is beautiful midst a pleasant and privileged environment. Here, in a Dominion where the seasons are topsy-turvy from an Englishman’s point of view, we may miss the home call immortalised by our poets—the garland of snow, the yuletide log and the family fireside group—so fondly recalled by the forefathers to whom our younger generation owes so much. Yet despite this changed environment the Christmas feeling has been transplanted with success. Though the form of observance cannot be that of the Old Land, the spirit is, and remains, the same. Laughter abounds, the heartfelt wish is uttered, gifts are bestowed and human kindness is given full play. To Christmas time we owe a wealth of our most beautiful music ; without Christmas what a wealth of goodwill might remain unexpressed. Christmas is indeed a hallowed institution venerated in the time-honoured and beautiful phrase which we proffer to all in its truest sense : A MERRY CHRISTMAS.