HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1969-12-25, Page 28•
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Spirit of Christmas Spreads
Good Will an Good Cheer
In churches and ho2n.es, in city streets and stores; across the countryside — the spirit of
Christmas spreads its joy and its contentment. Soon now, the last-minute hustle and bustle
will give way to the highest moments of holiday celebration. It'sa time for fun and feast-
ing, a time for light-hearted laughter and heartfelt prayer, a time when friendships are
renewed and family ties are strengthened.
Throughout this community, and indeed throughout all the communities where Christmas
is celebrated, the spirit of the season t nds expression in innumerable ways — among them,
the gladness of gift -giving, the merriment of parties, the happiness of hearth and home
and, above all, the solemn hush of midnight, traditionally the symbolic time for heralding
the Birth of Christ.
From the holly wreath on the door to the packages under the tree, from the gaily deco-
rated windows of stores to the manger scenes in the churches, the customs of Christmas
contribute to the meaning of the Day — just as early Christian leaders meant that holiday
customs should.
When Christmas first began to be observed on December 25th, churchmen welcomed the
idea of incorporating ceremonies and traditions from earlier
beliefs into the celebration. They thought that people would
feel closer to the new religion if former ways and rituals were
not abolished, but instead united with the new rites to honor
the birth of Christ.
Today, nearly everyone celebrates Christmas because Christ-
mas belongs to everyone.
For the 'Christian believer, Christmas is cherished as a re- •
ligious holiday of paramount importance, and as a time meant
for joy and festivity, too.
For people of many different faiths, Christmas is beloved as
a happy holiday, a secular celebration that gives meaningful
expression to universal good will and good cheer.
Giving Gifts
Since the Wise Men gave of
their treasures to the Christ
child, giving has been part of
the tradition of Christmas.
The idea of gifts as homage
dates from even earlier times,
When kings demanded special
tribute from their subjects
during holiday seasons. Thus
the Wise Men, in offering pre-
cious gifts of gold, frankin-
cense and myrrh, expressed
their reverence for the new-
born King of mankind.
Giving to celebrate a happy
time was a familiar part of
many pagan festivals.
The Romans honored Sat-
urn, their god of agriculture,
with a winter festival called
the. Saturnalia. During this
joyous feast, .they exchanged
gifts— wax candles, clay dolls
and various trinkets.
When these pagan customs
of exchanging gifts were trans-
ferred to the celebration of
the birth of Christ, church
leaders added a new idea;
selfless giving. Through .the
ages, giving to help the less
fortunate has been a special
tradition of Christmas.
Sending Greetings
Perhaps even more than the
giving of gifts; the sending of
Christmas greetings symbol-
izes the seasonal spirit of good
The personal exchange of
good' wishes at holiday time is
a custom that's older, prob-
ably, than Christmas itself.
In ancient winter festivals the
renewal of the earth at the
coining of spring *as linked
with the renewal of friend-
ships.
t, Though greetings and
Christmas have long been as-
, sociated, the printed greeting
card is a relative newcomer to
the Yule scene — introduced
little more than a century ago.
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Nowadays, Christmas greeting log had to be kept burning all
cards go out by the billions, through the 12 days of Christ -
carrying their messages of mas.
"happy holkday" and "best Later, the "blazing Yule"
wishes." was primarily associated with
In the glad tradition .of the feasting and festivity, of
sending greetings, today's edi- the winter holidays.
tion of this newspaper pre-
sents the special greetings of Ringing Bells
local merchants, as they ex- Among the merry sights and
press their good wishes and sounds of Christmas, none is
gratitude to customers and merrier than the ringing of
friends. bells.
Burning the Log
From a miraculous Star to a
tiny candle, gleaming lights
have cast a glow dyer holiday
• festivities for centuries.
Pagan sun -\worshippers lit
candles and kindled fires at
winter festivals to help the re-
turning sun gain strength.
Traditional for •both light
and warmth is the blazing
Yule log. Like all "Christmas
lights," it has both a religiotiS
and a festive significance in
holiday lore.
Because legend says that the
Christ Child was washed and
dressed beside an ash wood
fire, the people of early. Eng-
land always had Yule logs of
ash wood. Ash had a practical -
aspect, too, because it was the
only green wood which would
'burn.
The Yule log of England and
continental Europe was often
believed to have mystical pow-
ers to protect. the home. To
give this prOtection, the Yule
Since earliest times, the
pealing of bells has announced
iniportant events, both happy
and sad. The first use of bells
to call Christians .to worship
took —p-Tace,. it's believed, at
Christmas in Italy, abotit 400
A.D.
Tradition once held. that
Christ was born exactly at
midnight. In medieval Britain,
church bells tolled sadly dur-
ing the hour before midnight
on Christmas Eve. On the
stroke of 12, a joyous pealing
announced the Miracle of
Christmas.
Today, church -spire bells
and carillons ring out the glad
tidings of Christmas.
"GOD REST YE"
"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentle-
men", actually means "God
Keep You Merry, Gentlemen".
This stems from the history
of boisterous celebrating of
Christmas in England during
the 1600's.
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Across the land, in
farm, village, town and bity,
the spirit of
Christmas is everywhere. May
it fill your own
world with happiness,' joy
and good will now
and throughout the coming
year!
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A.,..M.P REW. DAI '11
DISIRIRUIOR$ OF SILyERWOOD$ DAIRY oiopucrs
Origin of Carols
In 1859, Dr. John Henry,.,
Hopkins, Jr., an Episcopal
rector, composed the
words and music for "We
Three Kings of Bethlehem
Are."
." , Little Town of Beth-
lehem" was inspired by a
trip to the Holy Land. It
was composed in 1868 by.
Phillip Brooks, an Epis-
copal minister. The music
was written by Lewis H.
Redner,. organist of
Brooks' church.
It is curious that one of
±he best-known carols,
Charles Dickens' -"Christ-
:pas Carol", written in
1843, is to be read, not
sung.
How seldom Christmas
comes — only once a year;
and how soon it is over — a
night and a day! If that is the
whole of it, it seems not much
m o re durable than the little
toys that ojze buys on the
street corner. They run for an
hour, and then the sp rin g
breaks, and the legs come off,
and nothing remains but a
contribution to the dust heap.
Surely that need not :and
ought not be _the whole of
Christmas — only a single day
of generosity, ransomed from
the dull servitude of a selfish
year — only a single night of
merry -making, celebrated in
the slave -quarters of a selfish
race! If every gift is a token of
a personal thought, a friendly
feeling, and unselfish interest in
the joys of others, then- the
thought, the feeling, the
interest, may remain long after
the gift is forgotten.
GREETINGS
FOR
To you, sinare gi etings and
thanks . . . with ery good wish that the
joy and delight ,f the Yuletide will be yours.
SERVICE ELECTRIC
30' VICTORIA ST. N.
..e :e 7.e •---,allr-Magg-AtAter,41W
(GODERICH)
.41-4"'w4VAt-MINIV-
and suddenly the shepherds saw, on
their peaceful hillside, the
angels come ,to proclaim the birth
of a Saviour. their
hosannas e(r.hoing through the holy
night. As we shi-re the wondrous tidings
ot Christmas, may we also
share love and kindess with our fellowmen.
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