SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] MONDAY. DECEMBER 24, 1894. CHRISTMAS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4910, 24 December 1894, Page 2

SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] MONDAY. DECEMBER 24, 1894. CHRISTMAS.

" Christmas comes but once a year,' is an old refrain, and in Now Zealand j we may congratulate ourselves that it does not come oftener. Apart from certain associations, which a secular , pen is not expected to discuss, the Christmas time here is almost a conundrum. The Christmas festival . pre-dates even the Christmas era,and i, in remote ages was celebrated; as recording the passage of the shortest day in the year. Here, on the con- ■ t-rary, it celebrates the departure of - our longest day, and instead of being an indoor festival, it has to be taken as an outdoor jubilee: Cakes and ale abound, it is true; but these luxuries are easier to digest in" winter wild "■ than during the dog days." Merry Christmas, the universal wish in this Britain of the South, comes home tous with asomewhat differentmeaning than it bears in the mother country. Its signification here is a wish that a man should have an un--3 limited supply'of roast goose, when the temperature is possibly 80deg. in the shade, or a good time at the races 1 and luok with the totalisator, or a pleasant picnic or cricket match. No doubt, colonihl-born youths are in touch with the colonial Christmas, 'and understand how to make the 1 most of it, but it is somewhat difli-, cult for those who have taken part in an English Christmas -rejoicing, to 1 reconcile themselves to tlie Southern Hemisphere edition of the miniver- ' saiy. Still, Christmas always brings about reunions, and even in this land recalls family, and other gatherings), in .which many who have "in ' former' years passed awayj are; brought tojmind. ;i The Christmas dinner is often a family register reuniting either in person oi'in thought every member on iits roll, and it is perhaps the only day in the year, J whidh jfiecomplishes this kindly task. ' It does not perhaps so . much as formerly draw estranged : friends together, and bury old griev- | ancesj -but certainly l at 1 this season men are in a'better' humour -to sink ajiimositi« than at.any other time. : Tfere :virtue in :the season apart j frum $e cakes and ale,i and,in iWish- j ing'till oarreadei'S "AMerryClirist- ] mas"- we Jiavo lohio'urmindmore the higher inilnences of the dayman thosß ; pleasnres of the. palate, which, ■ at. this season ; of the year,sometimes j an after regret. ''A i JfeiTy Christmas" founded'on .the t old .qhaiTn of " peace and goodwill." f is still' soinetliing 1 wortH iVishing for { and wmething wortii boping.for. jit f ia the f STCrat ; bf,jm6sfc of r the pinMji:thatctlie;l,Cbi'ißtmM j ! Jbringß, |o<W ljed j aSlllllirtiJ