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ls There A Santa Claus?

IT'S 40 YEARS OLD BUT EVER NEW

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pdiwrs Note: Due to requests “m year we are pubilshiifi the fol- lowing Christmas editori , 0118\n- ‘fly printed in the New York Sun,

Sept 21, 1897 .

. ke leasure in answering at “$111111 this prominently the com- o anication below expressing at me fime time our great tuioatloh 11,5 faithful author numbered

my“; the niends of the sun.

’ “Dfaf Editor-I ain eifiht Y9"!

ld ..so‘f,,,e o; my little friends my were i5 no Santa Claus. “Papa says, I! you Bite it k1 H10 Sign me the truth. is there , 1 "? ‘ San“ C auavirginia O'Haiilon, ‘i115 West Ninety-fllthfitreet.

p mp; your little friends are “ZQQ They have been affected by the skepticism 01 a chemical 88¢- Tlibv think that nothing can be that is not comprehensible by their mm. minds. All minds. V‘ min. "mg-no, they be men's 01- chil ren's m.» little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an mt, in hi5 intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as niéibllffd by the intelligence cupabln of ghqgpillfl the whole of truth and - ‘led’ - um“ {ifi-glnia, theremififl I

_ ll xists as cc y as We giiusgengrgsity and devotion exist, and you know they abound and give (a your life its highest beauty and I Alas! how dreary would be the world if there was no Santa Claus! n would be as dreary as if mere Wm no Virginia. Thre would be no childlike felt; no poetry, no m- mancc to make tolerable this exis- tence. We should have no enlvv- ment, ext-opt in sencc and sight. The ctonizil light with which child- hood fills the world would be extin- guished. _

Not believe in Santa. Claus? You might as well not believe in 111M168! You might get your mm to hi" men to ivatch in all tihe chimneys (m Christmas Eve to catch 5M1".

Santa Claus down what would that prove? Nobody sees some Claus. but that in no sign that there is no sum; ma,“ Th, "m5" m‘ "K1118! in the world are VX1066 that neither children nor mm‘ 5“- Dld You ever see fair- 1°5 dflflclnd on the lawn? Of course not. but thats no pmoti that they are not there. Nobody can conceive 01‘ imagine all the wonders that are unseen and unseeeble in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see whet makes the noise inside but there ls o, veil covering the un. seen world which not the strongest. man that ever lived, could tear a. Pert- Onlv with. fancy, poetry, love romance can push aside iihat cur- tain and view and picture the suver_ rial beauty and glory beyond, 1n 1; all reel; Ah. Virginie. in all this world ere is nothing else real a abiding m

No Santa Claus! ‘Ihank God, he lives and lives forever. A tiboua- llld years from now, Virginia, nay ten times ten thousand years from now. he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

“Christmas Man," Name Given to Kris Kringle

Santa Claus does not visit the children of Lithuania. on Christmas eve as he does the children in this country, but there are all kinds of Chiatmas celebrations in which they have a part, and many good things to eat. In Germany and Norway old Kris Kringle hides gifts for the children in many out of the way places, and Christmas day is spent chiefly in hunting for them. In Holland Saint Nicholas dispensed Christmas cheer, but when the Hollanders came to this country his name was changed to Santa (ldus. In Sweden Santa Claus ls much like he is in Am- erica, but he does not come down the chimney, but in the night he domes into the room where the Chirstmas tree is and leaves gifts for all. His name is not Santa Claus, however, for he is called "The Christmas Man."

P

“On Earth Peace..."

A PRAYER

With the lowering clouds of war liilln darkenin tine earth after u brief interval, how fervent is our PPBYBI‘ that peace shall once more prevail. that the words “goodwill toward men" shall cease to echo hollowly in a war-torn world.

Growth of the Christmas tradi- tion has never ceased since the Fifth Century when the birth of Christ was first generally cele- brated. With it has come a spirit of universal happiness; old customs have survived although time has b10118!“ changes in them.

And this year, the season will be

Jobeerved much as usual. It is not our first war-time Christmas and although the thoughts of many of us may already be sorrowful, those of others distracted, there will be much that is the same.

We who live in Canada may well count our blessings. We are a young. virile nation that is part of a. great Emlillii. Already we have displayed i1 §D1rlt of helpfulness and national "ml-Y in time of stress. And we i310? continue to fulfill our obliga-

111 ‘bite o! our wish for peace on 061th. l battle is to be fought —-e battle that right may prevail, that persecution may be wiped from the face of the earth, that men may move, work and play one with an- other ln a spirit of well-being. In this Canada ls playing her part — with her men, her natural re- sources and her material goods.

As s. result, it is our constant hope that the Christmases of the future will come to a world more worthy of having Christmases

i

THE REAL SANTA CLA US

This Chirstmas spirit is the real Santa Claus -a spirit that is universal —thet grows stronger with the years -ihat brings out the best in us— a spirit that is made up oi’ kindly thought and deeds. of hallowed memories and of "Good Will" to all.

IIIIMMIBIIIPilllifiiltlhhhlillillititl

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Christmas it-Bit Q Mi

The first Christmas card was de- signed in 1844 by W. C. T. Dob- son, R. A. _ ‘

I

December 25 was long observed by non-Christian peoples as a Festival of the Sun. . '

Although early observed as l. feast, the English tenn Cristes Mass (Christmas) is said to date from 1038.

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‘The first mention of Santa Claus in English literature occurs in a. Bret Harte sketch ‘written in 1812.

The eve before Christmas Day is celebrated "because Christmas Day, in the primitive Church, was al- ways observed as the Sabbath day, and, like it, preceded by an eve, or vigil." (BrandL.

I

The carol "Christiane Awake!" was written by John Byrom as a Christmas gift for his little daugh- ter, and it was sung at the door- way of Byrom’s house, Kersal Cell. neu- Msnchestcr, on Christmas Eve, 1760.

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The earliest authentic reference to a Christmas tree occurs ln s Strasburg manuscript dated i608, and the first description of one in modern literature is in "The Nut- cracker," a feziry tale by Hoffmann.

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It was once believed that ii’ we were to enter a cow-house at mid- night on Christmas Eve all the cattle would be found kneeling. ltlaiiy also firmly believed that bees sang in their hives on Christmas Eve to welcome the ‘Wroaching day.

The early Christians celebrated Christ's birthday on varying dates throughout the year, and did not definitely fix on December 25 until about the fourth century, when they transformed the old pagan sun festival into a festival of the Sun of Righteousness’.

A fitting conclusion to Christ- mas merriments in some places is the good old pastime, mentioned by Addislon in the "Spectator"-yawn- lng for a, Cheshire cheese. l-Ie,or she who yawns widest, and most na- turally, producing most yawns from the spectators, wins the cheese.

.0

The Christmas cake varies con- siderably ln different parts of Eri- tain. In Northumberland and Dur- ham, for instance, there is given to the children a cake called a "Yule Bobby" or "Yule Dough." It con- sists of dough flattened to rapie- sent a figure with head arms and body. Currents are set in its face for eyes. and pieces of candied peel represent nose and mouth.

. - t

In 1652 it was proclaimed that “no observation shall be had of the five and twentieth day of December, commonly called Christmas Day, nor any solemnity used or exercised in churches." The order was en- forced by soldiers. Ovens and lord- ers were searched, and where sea- sonable dainties or decorations were found they were carried away and destroyed. . _'

The old Christmas begging songs were mostly threatening in tone, as llltlS example, collected in Somer- se : Here comes I, liddie man Jan, With my sword in my han,‘ If you don't all do

As you be told by I, I zend you all to York,

Vor to make an apple-pie.

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"Christmas cheer” is mentioned in this verse, dated 1695: Now, thrice welcome, Christmas, Which brings us good cheer— Minced-pies i. .d plum-porridge Good ale and strong beer; With pig, goose, and capon, The best that may be, So well doth the weather And our stomachs agree.

Cromwell forbade the observance of Christmas and‘ banned, under very severe penalties, the ringing of church bells. Staying in Norwich at Christmas, he was angered by the Joyous-wind deflanv-chimlng of s. peel of five. The church was sur- rounded, but search revealed that. the bellry was empty, although the bells were still vibrating. The last stroke sounded as the Roundhezids entered.

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In the good old days country gentry kept open house for 'welve days at Christmas. An historian, after describing the usual faring - the beef, g" ‘se and puddings -

llutch llanor Santa

The early Puritans who landed on the sltores of new England ban- ned stints cvi Li‘ as a Popish iiivm tion, but the Dutch of New Am- sterdam (new New Yorki wel- comed and honoxu old Santa Tra- dition, in fact, llns it that the figure of St. Nlclzolas presided as the figuiehead of the Slllp tlzlt brought the first settlers of Mun- hattan Island, and he was esteemed the patron ssuit of the city, giving tits name to the first church built within its walls. As the little vil- lage grew llllO a town, the yearly celebration of Christmas was in- dorsed by the authorities, and the whole business of the community suspended, not only for one day but for several days in succession, even all unnecessary housework being laid aside until the end of the holiday season. Churches and houses were trimmed with ever- greens, and these. as a rule, were not removed until Candlemas.

Santa. Clause, in the mind; of the Dutch youngsters, was a. rotuiid rosy-checked old man. with a low- crowned hat. a pair of Flemish trunk hose and il pipe of surprising length, who drove his reindeer sleigh loaded tvilh gifts from tho frozen regions of the North over the roofs of the sleeping town, and stole down each chimney to fill with toys the stockings of all sood children, while the Christmas tree was adopted in New Amsterdam long before its appearance in any other colony-

remarks: “A roundabout fireplace was surrounded with stone benches, where the young folks sat and cracked nuts and diverted them- selves; and in this manner the sons and daughters got matching with- out going much from ‘home?’ I

It is still the custom to serve hour's head at Christmas in Queen's College, Oxford, as a form of thanksgiving for a. remarkable es- cape of a former scholar from dan- ger. The legend relates how the young ma.n, while strolling in a nearby wood perusing a weighty volume of Aristotle as he walked, encountered an enormous wild boar. The scholar escaped with his life as the result of ramming the book down the throat of the boar.

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It is to the Dutch —n0t to the Germans. as is commonly supposed —that we owe Santa Claus. His prototype was the boy bishop St Nicholas, who on December 5 used

to no round punishing little child- ren who did not my their prayers and rewarding the good children with presents. Gradually St. Nicho- las was ‘clumged from a boy bishop to a. jovial old men, and the sleigh and the reindeer are modern ad- ditions to the legend.

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When Christmas Day is on n Monday. Old lines run: “bet Christmas Day on a Monday

And winter long and cold you'll

see,

Whistling winds shall freeze your bones,

And farmers‘ men cry out in ‘QIDBJIS.

$911112. summer, autumn, all shall

show

How the tempest wild shell blow More men shall arm at battle’:

roar, And cattle die than o'er before.” I I I I

There ‘survives in Buckingham- shirea fine old game called "Lang- erloo’ -a sort of skittles, in which the score must mount to 32 exactly before a game is won. On a Christ- mastide evening, u you p35,; 3km; a Bucklnghamshire lane, you may chance to hear from some old inn 751R? Singing chorus of the game:

All along, all along, langerloo, T-Mlgerloo, merry-go-down,

Twice fifteen is half-e-crown, Half-a-crpwn, I lay it to you, The very next stroke is thirty-two. Meffli-go-down" is an old name

or a e.

Printed Christmas Card I

Was Issued Back In '48

'I‘licre is more humanity about the Victoria and Albert museum than its Sllfi brick exterior sug- $6515.

The director has sent me Q Christmas Picture Book says l. wrzicr in the London Slur It re- veals the fact that the firs: Christ- nus only as recently as 1843!.

The card, which was printed for Sir Heaiy Con, first dire"tor of the South henslngton museum is re- produced. along with many other efforts by artists to celebrate zhe nativity. They range from a. walrus ivory relief from Cologne to a modem woodcut. by Eric Giil. In is strange to see how the artistic wheel has ‘turned full circle back to the medieval austerity.

But I can’t help liking the first Christmas card, which ‘features,’ an the films say a hearty meal. As the at boy would say. "I likes eating

st "

SHEPHERD! AND WISE MEN

It is not clear from the Scriptural allusions that thv shepherds who visited the new 410m Jesus WON! the same ns the wise men who raw his star in the East. Only Matthew records the story of the magi, and only Luke mentions the shepherds Mark and John do not refer to either the shepherds of the wise men.

c1311; but even if they did not see -_.._.Z

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