Mommy. ‘ what does
“Christmas” mean?
The snow is softly falling, building up on the rooftops and doorsteps, covering the ground with a soft, fluffy blanket of white as far as the eye can see. It makes one feel like a kid again. The temptation to run out and make a snowman or a snow angel is almost too much to resist. It also makes one feel peaceful, and puts everyone in the Christmas spirit.
It is a time of good will, peace on earth, and Christmas shoppers, pushing. shoving, screaming and shouting, trying to get at the toys that their dear, darling children want from Santa, Breaking each other’s arms and legs if that is what it takes. ,
Such has been the scene this year in department stores where the Care Bears and Cabbage Patch Dolls are being sold. This is the era of the commercialized Christmas. I stand back and watch in horror and amazement: shoulder to shoulder, shopping cart to shopping cart, "people getting short- tempered and nasty, bitching at the poor sales girl about something totally beyond her control.
One thing's for sure: if you’re looking for cheer and good will, don’t go shopping.
If we are fortunate enough still to have our grand and great- grand—parents with us, we can listen to them reminisce about how it all was.
We wonder if it was really the way they say. The Christmas carolling with a cup of hot chocolate or eggnog at every home. The truly happy faces on everyone, wishing good cheer and Merry Christmas to one and all. The candle-lit ceremonies. And most of all, the giving of a simple, often home-made gift, given and received with a trueness and love of heart they were meant to represent.
Even the idea of Santa has changed. St. Nicholas, alias Santa Claus, alias Kris Kringle, was a man who represented the true meaning of goodwill towards mankind. To receive a gift from St. Nick was a privilege, not the right that children believe it to be today.
It is really a sad comparison to the Christmas of today. We hear carols only on the radio. People seem to be more short- tempered then formerly, with little wishing of goodwill.
The greatest difference, I feel, is with the way the children approach Christmas. First thing in the morning, there are gleeful squeals from the kids, bright wrapping paper flying this way and that, all to be forgotten by afternoon without even a thought to what this day of gift~giving is all about.
Children of today seldom remember that it is a celebration of life, a new life, a new chance for the world: the celebration of a child born to save the world.
— The N etted Gem
Thursday December 8, 1983
Staff
Coming to you semi—live from our cozy little office way up on fourth floor Main, this week’s gem of a staff! We are Editorial Page Editor Dave Doiron, Sports Editor Phil Stanyer, Copy Editor Sharon Leighton, News Editor Ruth Edgett, Production Editor Carolyn Ryan, Advertising Editor Gus Hillstrom, CUP Editor John Dougan, Arts Editor Johnathan Orlowski, Editor-in—Chief Denise Richardson, and the dedicated and vital Howard Beattie, John Pendergast, and photographer Parker Grimmer. .
The Netted Gem is the weekly student newspaper of the University of Prince Edward Island. Views expressed in the Netted Gem are not necessarily those of 'the UPEI Student Union. We reserve the right to edit copy for space, style, or legal reasons. Letters to the Editor must be typed double spaced and be submitted before noon on Monday. Letters exceeding 500 words in length are prone to cutting and much abuse by the collective staff. All letters must be signed by their author(s). Our office is located on the fourth floor of the Main building. Our telephoneis 892-41-21,l;".,xtension 387. The Netted Gem is a member usually in good'standing with Canadian University Press. . . _ »_ . _ . , ,. , .,
i
Mistake made
Let me say how much I think the new format, the new name, and the new no-nosense ap- proach have improved your paper. I, for one, find it refreshing and have nothing but praise for the effort that you and your staff have so obviously put forth to raise its tone. Especially appealing is the hard line taken about what will be edited: everything! I firmly believe that the intention of maintaining a high quality paper can do nothing but attract serious stu- dents to your camp.
One tiny (as far as I am con- cerned) demurrer concerning your Senate story on page 1 of the 24 Nov edition: I am not chairman of Senate, but secre- tary. The chasm separating the two is wider than a church door, deeper than a well, and filled with all manner of demons. Thus, I have no ambition to leap the gap and am happy that the Senate chairman is someone other than myself, in this in- stance although I’m sure at times to his regret, University Pre- sident Peter Meincke.
LETTERS...
Best wishes to you and all your staff for continued success.
Sincerely yours,
Michael Hennessey Registrar and University Secretary
Business Society responds‘
“The judgement is in” (December 1), a message to the university community ceming the fourth year Business. course Management Policy con- tained some very important information for Business stu— dents.
However, there were a couple of points incorrectly stated. To reflect back, the business faculty
is presently looking into ways of ‘
improving the structure of the course, in order to better serve students.
There have been three changes proposed. The first change in-
volves preparing the students
better for the course. Any fine tuning changes can take effect
- immediately, unlike the changes
in the other two proposals. The second change would mean the passed-in project could
take on different forms; for
COI’I- _
example, a project could be done by an individual or group. The project might include a project researched over the summer with the help ofa professor.
The third change involves the length and timing of the Course along with the emphasis put on the marking of the project. An example could be stretching the course over a year or making the project worth only one—third of the course mark.
These last two proposals, if implemented, would not take effect 1 until present sophomore
.students were beginning their
fourth year.
We are interested in hearing your comments on these propo- sals, so that we can present them to.the faculty at our meeting with them in January.
Ken Mutter , President, Business Society
From our editor
As many of you may have noticed there has been an ad for an Editor of the UPEI news- paper in the paper for the last
two weeks. This job begins
for on?
v doh‘é (010a)
“144+ 4(( this fuss is 459L941! -
January 3, 1984.
Yes, I am giving up position as Editor-in-Chief.
In my time as Editorrof th paper, I achieved a goalthiit had set for myself: to make I UPEI student newspaper ausef and informative; branch of 1 media. I am fully aware ii. there are some rough edges y and it is hoped that with so help the new editor and t remaining staff will be able smooth these off and put out quality paper that will plea
‘almost everyone,
Since the first edition of Netted Gem came out, I ha received a number of co plaints about the new format a content. These were well app ciated by myself and the stat Thank you for the words encouragement.
There are always people I want to complain about thi that are new. Well, these co plaints tell us what people w and don’t want.
‘Bye for now. See you around campus and good I“ to the new editor and staff. will “be locking forward to first 1984 issue to come out ‘ January 12.
Yours truly, Denise Richardson
P.S. Merry Christmas
.s;an'_‘—¢-‘-.i~ta5ni~
\ Thiif‘s'day‘DcéemberliS. 19