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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-12-23, Page 9es Vi rgnia • . • • from page 8 When Bob Cratchit came to work the day after Christmas, his employer greeted him: "A Merry Christmas, Bob! A merrier Christmas than I have given you for many a year! I'll raise your salary, and endeavor to assist your struggling family, and we will discuss your affairs this very afternoon." Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the city knew. He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but ever after- wards, it was always said he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed , the knowledge. May that truly be said of us and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless us everyone! ]bickers set festive style There was never a greater apostle of good cheer and kindliness than Charles Dickens, whose neglected boyhood of debtors' pri- g) skins, of hard degrading work in a blacking factory, taught him what the Christmas spirit ought to be, by the bitter contrast of what it never was for him. He was born in 1812 at Portsmouth, of lower middle class parents. His father was a good-natured never -do -well, always in debt, like the famous character, Micawber, in David Copperf ield. • His mother was a real life version of the silly, flighty Mrs. Nickleby who appears in another of Dickens' great books, Nicholas Nickleby, Poverty was their inevitable lot until Pickwick Papers brought the 24 -year-old Charles Dickens fame, and the *inning of wealth. Standards For Christmas And it is to Pickwick Papers and his later books, particularly The Christmas Carol, that we owe much of what is most typical of our Christmas ;festivities. Before Dickens there were no universally accepted -stan- dards" for the English Christmas. • Dickens, in his books, chooses from many old English customs, and invents others, , and describes Christmas festivities time after time, which by their jollity, their spirit of kindliness, their appeal to the British character, took a lasting hold on popular im- • agination. It was the immense popularity of Dickens' book which did this, and they were popular because of those very characteristics, the essehce of which is found in his accounts of Christmas- joviality, kindliness, pathos and humor inextricably mixed, love of .the poor, and indignation at their oppressions. Within 18 months, Dickens. was the most widely read author of his day, or of any other day. Only Sir Walter Scott had ap- proached Dickens' popularity, and his work, Utterly different though it was, had paved the way for Dickens by educating a huge public to find pleasure in good novels. Dickens and America In 1830, at the peak of his fame, Dickens made a trumphant tour of America, offen- ding the Americans on his return by some of s the. descriptions of their life in -his book Christmas memories American Notes. But the life he had led as a boy not only gave him the qualities which made him famous, they gave him another quality which'killed him. Haunted by the fear of pov. erty, Dickens life became a furious drive to put him and his children beyond the reach of want for ever. Book. after book came from his ceaseless pen, but they were not enough. In 1850 he started a magazine, Household Words. He found that his genius as an amateur actor could be turned. into huge sums of money when he.toured the country giving readings from his own works. Those readings drained his vitality, and when in 1867-88 he toured America, he was in a semi - fainting condition after every reading. He earned $100,000 but was a broken man. Yet, after a brief rest on his return to England, he started them again, and on June 9, 1870, he was struck down at his desk by an effusion of blood to the brain. Christmas season again is here, Bringing fond memories of yesteryear. • My Childhood . Christmas remains in my thought; How year after year the snow hanks we . fought, To Gr'andma's home by cutter or sleigh. ( no slowploughs or blowers in Oldenl)ays I. The bells on the horses chimed so sweet, Saying "Hi - Merry Christmas to folk we. meet. There was Grandma welcoming us at the door, We all rushed in leaving snow on the floor. - The table was laden with sumptuous food. Everyone said "The plum pudding smells good." It is the 1920s I'm talking about: When One gift for Adult or Child was reason to shout, "Just what i wanted," exclaimed Muni and Dad Santa's One gift iwide a Child's heart glad. Aunt Gertie was there the piano to play, • OH! how joyfully we sang that day: Men, women and children joined in the fun, Choosing the (Tirol or song they wished sung. That beautiful day was over too soon, Ai All returned home by the light of the moon. Thankful Jesus was born thatlir first Christmas Day The Star in the East knew where the (Baby On ('hristmas day we exchange gifts with those we love, ,� Our tribute and worship to e.1s1 above, Knowing as the day's quickly glide - Our Saviour Jesus walks by our side. • Beth Knox, Cheerio Club Christmas. commandments. Clinton News -Record December 15, 1910 CLINTON NEWS-RECQRD, MONDAY, DFCSIOE 23, 1985—I?ago9 The Grade 5-6 classes presented the play, "A Song for Christmas" at the Clinton Public School's Christmas concert Wednesday even- ing, December 18. Based on a true 'story set in Europe on Christmas eve over 160 years ago, the play is about the song 'Silent Night' 1. Don't arrive half an hour too .soon' and joculary explain that. you've "come early to avoid the•c'rush." 2. Don't entertain the company with a humorous description of the old gentleman you saw coming up the street. He may ar- rive later. 3. Don't always catch the same gill when playing blind Aran's bluff. 4. Don't attempt to do conjuring tric'ks unless you've tried them before. 5. Don't say, "I thought so," when you are informed that the mince pies are homemade: it's ambiguous. 6. Don't say that the plum pudding is "just like mother's." it might be considered a poor compliment. 7. Don't say. "That yarn of yours always makes me laugh" when your host in- troduces his annual joke. It sounds like another way of saying "chestnuts,' 8. Don't sing more than half a dozen songs in succession, because - well. it's bad for the voice. 9Don't. when asked to take a glass of port wine, sip it, and then inquire whether it's port or sherry. You.may lx misunderstood. 10. Don't, when conversing, harp on the "ripping time.' you had at Brown's the other night. it savors of odious comparisons. which organ. • Kenny photo) was composed for the guitar because of a broken church Playing the guitar was Darrell Lavis. Robbie Marriage and Steward were two of the choir members. (Joanne Buchanan iflcrrg Christmas to Bit YOUNG FROZEN UTILITY GRADE TURKEYS PRICES IN EFFECT UNTIL CLOSING DECEMBER 28th. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT PURCHASES. PRODUCT OF U.S.A. CALIFORNIA N0. 1 GRADE RED EMPEROR GRAPES ALL SIZES PRODUCT OF U.S.A. FRESH BROCCOLI 1 LARGE BUNCH TIJ 2.18/k9 ALL SIZES OVEN READY `A' GRADE 2.62 /kg 1.13. `A' GRADE MIRACLE BASTE OR BUTTERBALL1 ALL SIZES 3.06/kg Ib DIETRICHS 100% WHOLE WHEAT BREAD 675 F LOAF CUT FROM CANADA GRADE 'A' BEEF SPECIALLY TRIMMED FOR EXTRA VALUE° BLADE ORSHORT RIB ROASTS 4.14/kg 1.1111, 9 FINE QUALITY HAMPSTEAD MIXED NUTS VACUUM PACKED FOR FRESHNESS 350 g TIN • PRODUCT OF U.S.A. SWEET m TART FRESH CRANBERRIES CANADA NO. 1 GRADE 12 oz. CELLO PKG. FINE QUALITY LOCALLY GROWN MULTI -BLOOM POINSETTIAS • WESTONS FRESH BROWN & SERVE OR CRUSTY DINNER ROILS PKG. OF 12 FRESH! AND DELICIOUS! BEATRICE EGG NOG ONE 119 LITRE CARTON GREEN GIANT EVERYONE'S FAVOURITE FANCY QUALITY MILK CHOCOLATE FROZEN VEGETABLES SMILES TURTLES 400 g CARTON • • PEAS. CORN. CUT GR. BEANS, FRENCH STYLE GR. BEANS, P 1 FINE QUALITY ZEHRS FRESH POTATO CHIPS REG., RIPPLE. B.B.O.. OR SALT & VINEGAR 200 g PKG. 88 kg CELLO BAG SPRITE ORREGULAR ALL VARIETIES OF YLE COCA-COLA CASE OF 24- 280 mL TINS APRICOT, BURGUNDY, GRAPE, CHERRY LEMON, LIME, ORANGE OR MIXED FRUIT JELLO POWDERS s1 ENERGIZERS ow DURACELL YOUR CHOICE PER CARD ALKALINE BATTERIES *ED, %I Tie GARDEN COCKTAIL 2II ox. GLASS BOTTLE WE WILL BE PLEASED TO ASSIST YOU BY MAKING FANCY FRUIT B ' SKETS MADE TO ORDER "PRESIDENTS BLEND" 0 NAME GOURMET GROUND COFFEE 737 q BEATRICE BRAND FRESH 2% COT AGE CHEESE OCEAN SPRAY ELLIED OR WHOLE 4.99 CRANBERRIES 500 g STOKELYS FANCY QUALITY PEAS, BEANS, CR. CORN, OR KERNEL CORN VEGETABLES 14 oz. TINS as KERNEL CORN 12 oz. GAY LEA DAIRIES 1A9 ONION CHIP DIP 14 02 250 g 1119 BLANCHED OR SPANISH 99C ZEHRS PEANUTS 500 g 1.29 OPEN DEC. 237AM1IPM1 1 PAL & OPEN DEC. 241AM6rM.