The Abbeville Press And Banner

What Christmas Means to Children,

What is Christmas not to the children? It is their golden milestone, the landmark from which they measure everything. As soon as they stop looking back to one Christmas, they begin looking forward to another. An atmosphere of mystery—always delightful to a child—enshrouds the Yule-tide. It is more than a family gathering, and a big dinner and presents and candy unlimited. It is the Christ-child, and Santa Claus, elves and fairies, singing angels and kneeling cattle, worshiping shepherds and gift-bearing Magi, a Star of Bethlehem and a manger, "a sleighful of toys and eight tiny reindeer," all blended in the blissful confusion impossible outside of a child's brain, that knows not reverence or irreverence, but bestows wonder and love with impartial generosity upon Christian story and Pagan myth.

So it is, after all, to the children that Christmas is dearest. Next after them it is most loved by those who have never lost the childish heart, those greatly to be envied ones who still feel "Christmas in their bones as the holiday comes around and rejoice in the joy of others more keenly than in their own happiness; for the true meaning of Christmas is lost as soon as the element of selfishness finds a place in the celebration.

Even the children soon learn this, and they are defrauded if this lesson is not early and tenderly brought home to them. They must not be deprived of the joys of giving, and they will not be slow to learn that their merry-making is sweeter and gayer for the thought that by sending happiness into the homes of the needy they have made themselves one with the spirit of the Founder of the feast day, whose whole life was one continuous gift. The sweet solemnity of the thought will not cloud the mirth. It will, if it is rightly taught and apprehended, be the brimming drop in the cup of happiness of old and young.—Philadelphia Times.