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OBSERVING OUR GRACIOUS HOLY-DAY r > ( »Y UAE NOLAN. Some fo'r-.s have solved th» problem of having n ically eiijoyab.e hmiM '.'hrUrtntka in!iiUr worry ari'l much of th« work and alao minus tl*e fretful children and th« tired and Bick diges- tive organs that make rattl trouble. They have achieved this beautiful re- sult by a strict adherence to certain wall-thousht-out rules. There is first the necessity of em- phasizing the unseltlih side of the Chrlstmu.s Hea.son. Contributing to the comfort of others is the first step. It is great training for John and Il.ir.el to buy the raw m.vterial with ttx-ir dimes and quarters and make better for them and for everybody around them. Tho delicate digestive system becomes clogged and irritabil- ity and "nauKhtinens" result. Nuts and fruits covered with milk chocolate make tlio best kind of candy for any- body. One way to (five pleasure with '.ess over-eating is to have the table at- tractively decorated. It will bo much bettor to have flowers and other dec- orations ih exce.sa than to have meat and sweets in excess. Tho use of dec- orative lights, cand'es, may take the place of .so many dishes. Tho table must, of course, HUK(?C'«t plentifulnes.s their good-will offerings, much better jind 5* can do this by having appro than for them to buy gifts with money thoir parents have given them. It is us bad to indulpre to excess dur- ing the Christmas season k-^ at any other time and violates Nature's laws priate decoration as well as food I have this story of a happy, sane Christmas-keeping from a mother of my acquaintance, ."ho says : "We save our Christmas tree decora- as truly. It is just as bad to be glut-lt'on». and at convenient times during tonous in food or drink as in gifts.! the year I help the children to make Untess these things are guarded ' others. We also make a litMe cele- against, children mav be really injur- br.-ition of trimming the tree and we ed in both their physical l>oing and iheir character buiMinp. If they think a'lout indulgence, they arc sure to for- pot service and good will and thought- fulncis and self-rv-.stralnt. all do it toirether. This meani< that the tri« spells nothing but plea.sure and costs no moro than a few pennies now and then, during the year. "I fill tho stockings early â€" a month Blanche and Jimmy do not need to bef'Tohand if I can. To accomplish .vc and should not have bursting | ^^'^,,^°'"f";^«^^""P'-,"*'""' ^f**' ^.'""t Btomachr reaiiylo "hlve"a Vod ^'ime ' ^I^,".^!..!!:"'.;'!!":"'!"' .hTfl""'!!^ .^ff, on Christmas. Everything tliat we do at Christmas time that over-empha- fi/.es eating, drinking and receiving of gifts, positively injures the finer development of our little men and women. It would be bitter to have and-vvhite stockings, which are used every year. I fill them when I can, with inexpensive odds and ends. "On tho shelf by each stocking I place u strong pretty ba.sket used only at Christmas, full of fruit, nuts and no Christmas-celebration at all, than ""le oat-cakcs and no candy. Oranges one given over to mere selfish, phys!- 1 =»!>?'««' n"ts. bananas, figs, dates and oat-cakes make a first rate breakfast cal indulgence. There must be some feasting, sc- rording to custom. Eating together in joy is a deeply significant act â€" a sort of sacrament. In choosing the bill-of-fare for Christmas me"ls, a mother can give prominence to foods that will appeal to tho aesthetic scn.M and which will gratify the palate for each child, eaten with a hilarious sense of independent unusualness. "Their father and I have our bas- ket lunch like the rest and my morn- ing work !s cut just In half. "The pre.sent.s aro put â€" wrapped up â€" in a washtub or clothes basket and one of the boys or girls acts as Santa Clau&dres.sed in a big adjustable suit •vhile not overloading the system and : ^^ ^,-1 ^j^-j^, ^,^^ y^y^^^^^. ^^^-.^^ ^^0 over-stimulating the animal which' 'liour Santa Claus - I wanna doll, tliats all." Now does It Bcwn that that Is asking much? For thus H la that tiny Itttlo tots fingers scrawl A plea that's batwl on Santa b'Uof and such. A nifiigeJ Wttle urchin who ha« never come to know That money brlnfr.s oiw fondoRt wishes true. Just write*. In wonder Innocence, a JaggiKl liue or to! Her faith In Baiita Claus U up to you! "Dear Santa (Jiaue â€" I klutla Hko aa engine and a csr." The noto Is printed- -lottars large and bold! The youngiators niaUier reads It and It laaves a hoartacbo scar; Somehow, tt seems, the urchlp must be told That Santa's only my&tio and that wtebos fadu and (lie; And yet It hurts to kill a child's belief. So mother waits- so hopeless -as tho shopping day» pasu' by; It's up to you! Ileal happlne&s, or j?rlef! "Dear Santa Ctausâ€" Pleftse don't forget my mama and my dad." The parent-love of chBdhood's centered there. Such plea alone is quite enough lo imuke the parents glad, It simply means, to mom and dad, "I care!" But Santa often falls to heed the note an urchin writes ; ThaX fact, it seema, S'hould interest you and me. * For we can tave the wis-hee of the world of needy mites, Making Christmas si)irit what it's ni'Sant to be! cA CliristnLas eve tBEDTWE the happiness you lives in all of us. 1 once attended a Christmas dinior where we were served with soup, loaet turkey, goose, baked ham, tongue, both sweet and Irish potatoes, four kinds of vegetables, half a down varieties of pickles and preserves, pumpkin pie, mince pic. plum pudding, cake, fruit, nuts, candy, coffee. Similar meals, although perhaps rot quite as "bad," are not at all uniisual.jby thcm.^elvcs. I jingling of l)el!s. Ho distributes our I gifts to each of us. There is this rule, I however, that each gift must lie open-! cd and looked at by the recipient be- fore another can be presented ; so I each anxious little giver sees his long-] planned offering properly appreciated by everybody. These pre-sents repre- ."sent weeks of enthusiastic planning â€" and I ^pe that they should have the staging they deservp and be featured HOMES WITH WINDOWS AGLOW WFIH CANDLES INVITE CHRISTINAS SPI Windows should be bright and shin- 1 ing before Christmafl preparatory t^j the candle light illumination. It ia; pleasant to realise that thia idea of: having candlte-lighted windows on , Christmas eve is becoming a nation-^ wido custom. This year homes far J and near, in cities throughout thej length and breadth of our country, ' will have the windows illuminated. THH BKAUTIFUL LEGEND. Like most customs, this one, of the candle light in tiie window on Christ- 1 mas eve, has its legendary origin and ; significance. Tho candles are typical j of the Star of the Ea.st that so un- ; erringly led the three wise men to; Bethlehem, where the Christ child lay: on that glorious holy night long cen- turies ago. The years since then have come and goiv>, yet the spirit of love is still sought to-day. The legend as- sures us that wherever even one light- 1 ed candle shines out through a win- ', dow on Christmas eve it guides the Christmas spirit to that home to dwell there throughout tho year. This beautiful idea back of the custom makes it doubly attractive. So Ifet us remember to have lighted candles in j our windows. It is a happy thought as well as a decorative one. AVOID DKAPEKIGS AND DB.\UGHTS. r,ifcifcii4a There is a beautiful legend connected v/ith putting lighted candles in the windows on Christmas eve. All draperies should be either taken down from the windows where the candles are to bo lighted, or else they j ^ r^^. jf t^ete were two candelabra must be pushed far back and be fas- 1 .^^y pouM be at each side of a central tened securely. Also there should beLy.ij,jow etc no draughts, for even a gentle breath During the window illumination of air will make the candles burn un- j t^e^e should be no other lights in the evenly and far more quickly than they i rooms to spoil the artistic effect. The otherwise would. I r„om will be sufficiently bright from WITH AND WITHOUT CANDIESTICKS. | the windows. No candlesticks are es.sential; Tho end of each candle may be softened just a trifle over a flame and then pressed into position on the. window- silt or frame. When candlesticks are used they are featured and not used in any haphazard way. For instance, seven, five or three branch candelabra la it any wonder that long-suffi'ving stomachs rebel and that tho post After the tree and church .ind dinner thore is the afternoon when holiday season is marked by nLimernu'i] the children can entertain their; can^s of dyspepsia pnd doctors' "i.'its?! friends and go to their friends' homes, j A strange way indeed, to celebrate the I In the evening, wo all get together. hirth of Jesus of Nazareth! for a regular program of Christma.i A sane bi'l-of-f arc makes vegetables | pictures on the screen. One of the .ihd fruits more proiir.ent thai meats; boys tolls the Christmas story. Thia in the Christmas dinner "fend 'n all | is an honor, for it is told each y«ar. dinners, for that matter. A normnl j We cannot afford not to keep alive the child wili not be likely to over-ic.duUi.' heart and spirit of Chy.stmas by yoar- nt any meal in whith veg<'tahles andlly recalling the Old Story, fruit play a promivcnt part fionij "We make three distinct celehra- start to finish. I tions over the Passing of the Tree. There is need t> ;'uard against too} We all get together to dismantle it much .sweets. Cakos ;.nd cookie? seem land put everything away. The tree is to â- e demanded by cii-lom b'j'. tiny : thcilf taken to the yard with various can bf sweetened by currants, raisins, ceremonies and there trimmed with dates and other fruits, thus avoiding ears of coi-n, netted chunks of sxfct an excess of refined sugar. and little boxes of wheat and oats for If parents could take their children the birds. In early spring with song through the Christmas season with-, and dance it is burned. Everybody out giving them candy, it would be helps at our house with Christmas." Santa Claus is coming to visit you Christmas withou to-night. I win have. After you are sound asleep he will [ Even though he may not bring you slip down the chimney or mayt)e ! everything you have wished for, he j are frequently placed on window-sills through the front door, and he is go- i will leave you everything that he can. ' °^ tables drawn close to windows. The ing to leave you presents. | He must save something for the Mk^* from the candles and the graee- Aritl he will leave hurriedly, for he; other little girls and boys. Little | f"' sticks form tha complete window must see all the millions of little boys j Jimmy Thompson must have a sled tiecoration. and girls who are waiting for him ^ and Mary O'Toole would cry if she I some artistic .vrrange.ments. ^aT^- , u u V •â-  «^*t"" ^ * ^'^ *"'" ^" P'^y ^'^^- i There must be symmetry to' hive All year long he has been wa.tmg So to-morrow when you go out to ; the lighting of the windows artistic for the time to pay you this vsiit. In | play, remember that Santa Claus has ' and well balanced. All windows .should his homo in the far north he has-been very good to you, and if you see ^ bo treated alike, unless the ones that worked day and night o have a well- , a .itt:e gtrl or a boy whom Santa are different are introduced as motifs filled pack of joy for litt.e boys and i missed, give them gome of your candy. ' in a complete .scheme. For instance, •^u , XV. . ,. -.,,'* L '^, them play with your toys.; a homomaker would scVcely have He knows that he wul make you For if you do Santa will like you And , enough candelabra for every window happy And to-morrow, when you see â-  when you grow to be a great big man where several were to be lighted. The what Santa has .eft for you, you must Santa will bring you joy for having, sticks could be used either in the first be happy ren'o"bered to he.p him spread Christ- or the second storey windows. Or if It will bo impossib.e for him to see mas happiness. ; there was but one candelubrum, it every little boy and girl and there j For Santa loves those who love could be put in the ci 'itre wnidow will be some who will pass their (^ther.s. | ^.-here there were three windows in The Shepherds and the Holy Child. CANOLE LIGHTS I.WVITIXG. â- Candle lighted windows on Christ- mas eve are inviting. Passers-by stop to see their friends within the houses. A cordial welcome av/aits them. Host- esses expect callers and are prepared with Christmas cakes, confections and hot coffe*. There is nothing approach- ing formality about this -hospitality, but a hearty Christmas cheer prevails. The whole custom is appealing In its legendary signilicanee and in its beau- tiful development. Christmas Eve. Oh, hush theo, little T)ear-my-soul, The ovening shades are falling, â€" Hush thee, my dear, dost thou not hear The voice of the Master calling? Vocp lies the snow upon the earth, But all the sky ii ringing With joyous .song, and all night long The stars shall danro with singing, i Oh, hush thee, little Dear-my-soul, ' And close thine eyes in dreaming, I The angels fair shall lead thee where! The singing stars are l>eaming. A shepherd calls His little lambs. And ho Inngeth to caress them; ! He bids them rest upon His breast. That His tender love may bless : them. So hush thoe, little Dear-my-aoul, Whilst evening shade.s are falling, i And above the song of the heavenly ' throng j Thou shalt hear the Master calling. --Eugene Field. A Fireside Talk. The main thing to remember about Christmas is NOT to keep it to our- selve*. If Christmas Is anything, it is tho »eaf>on of the open hand and the warm heart. When one thinks nbout it, ore foel.i that it is tlie only time in the course, of the year when the Christian world realty gets anywhere near the pattern It is supposed to be always copying. Christmas does one thing; it brings us all up to scratch. It says: "Ixiok l»5-el For .Sfl4 days yon have thought i mainly of S«!<f â€" for one day think of Others." I If we could only spread Christmas ' out a bit, wo should arrive presently, without any fur^.t, at that pleasant hostelry "The Four P's"- -Permanent Peace and Perpetual Prosperity. It sounds simple, and given Goodwill, It is !>imple. Our Best Holiday. If all the children were entitled to a vote in a referendum upon the most popular of our holidays, sure'y Christ- mas would pile up a remarkable ma- jority ; and, while it makes its strong- est appeal to the Ixiys and girls, Christmas is not without u compensa- tion to every meml>er of the family from grandmother down to tho mite that coos in its crib. Of course, tho.se occasion. 1 out- croppings of ill humor, those Scrooge- like bur.-vts of temper at annoyances, come when our digestion h a little off and we are in the swirl of the Christ- mas mob. The pushing, crowding, twisting and squirming one is obliged to pass through to get even a glimpse of the face of .'-.ome cheerful but over- worked clerk is indeed trying. But all this, when compared with the sum total of anticipation and realization on the part of those within the family circl*^ and among the close relatives and friends, makes the joy of Christ- mas time the greatest joy of ail. Then, too, as we look back over the Christmas festivities of tho years gone by and reflect upon the joyous family reunions when we sort of cut loose from the workaday world, gave freedom to the spirit of love and friendship within us, pot real close to thoso of our own neighborhood and blood, yes, and when this very spirit was everywhere in the air, it had a compensation that could not be reck- oned in dollars and cents. And so, we feel .strongly that the strentrthening of family ties and tho actual building up of that bond of brotherly love among folks make Christmas really the best and most valuable of all our holidays and the one fullest of the real joy of life. For somehow, not only for f'hristmaa, But all the long year through, Tho joy that you give to others la the joy that comeii back to you; And the more you spend in blessing Th^ poor and the lonely and sad, The more of your heart's possessing Returns to make you glad. â€" Whittiar. The Holiday Cake. Usa any good cake recipe that will make three largo layers. Bake one layer in a pan at least two inches larger in diameter than the other two layers. , When the cake is done, put together with your favorite filling, using the largest layer on tha bottom. Cut the centre- out of the top layer to within one and a half inches of the edge all around, thus making: a ring and leav- ing n hollow place in the centre of, the cake. Ic-? the whole with a cook-i ed white icing. With^ a pastry tube filled with; ornamental frosting make rosos by; forcing the icing through a medium "ro.se tube" and twisting slightly around at the ssnio timo. Before the icing begins to set. thrust a smooth^ white or red thres-ineh candle firmly, down into the centre of each rose. If the cake is to symbolize the New Year, space nineteen of these roses, and candles in the hollow in the centre of the cake. On the rim at the bottom of the cake, made by the first layer, e.xtending beyond t'le others, spacA twenty-five more roses and candles.! On the ring on top of the cake space, i tiny Cihristmas trees, each may have: tucked into its branches a little .siipi of paper on which h«3 been written ai wish, grcetins: or a New Y;«ar for-! tuae. The Christmas trees are made a*. follows: Procure very small pinoconelj and dip them into cooked icing that', has been melted oter hot water and! tinted a soft deep gresn. When tho' icing begins to harden sprinkle on a! I little granulated sugar to resemble I snow crystals and touch the ends of, some of the branches with red fruit I coloring. A bit of fresh icing placodj I on the cake, and the tree pressed downj I firmly into it will hold it tightly up-' j right to the cake. ; A jjood ornaments! frosting !s Made; ! by b?ating an egg white slightly, add- j ing n tiny pinch of cream of tartar : and enough powdered sugar to maka. I tho icing hold its .shape when forced j thr,.>ugh the 'pastry tube.â€" Elizabeth! â-  ! Rest. I Christmas Prayer. I (Jreatest Bubt' of eveiy age, i Teacher, Prviphet. Moijurch, Sage; ] Send n vision now, we pray, I For rampant sin beclouds our way. I j While v.D eo'tbrato Th,v birth. Blind confusion .sways the earth; I So w^e kneel and hur.iLly pray, j In compa.ssioii guide our way. i I Mo.ot gracious (Jod, lx)rd on high, i Spread Thy light and come Th nigh; ! Help us tide our flery day, I Lift us from the miry clay. , Lift u.T- up and out of vlf, - Cure us of our love of pelf; Still tho din and fearsome strife. Teach us sf th:»t hisrhtr life. Great Jehovah, only King, •fhrone pccure. Thy prnis," we sinjrf j Hearts illuminate again, I Let. good will forever rei.«!T(. I â€" Anna Wall E<ln»rdi. .-*• •«â€" ^'5 .