PAGE 6. WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 19. 1979. WHITBY FREE PRESS CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMEN T O'ld-Fashioned Chrïîstmas Holds .Appeal This is the timfe of yearý when our- thoughts travel backward in timfe, to Christ- mases of recent memory, or perhaps to'Christmases of long ago. For even though most of us have neyer celebrated, an,, 'old-fashioned Christmas" its meoyis lovingly -per- petuated through song and art. "Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh," sing youngsters whose only. acquaintance with a'horse may be through television. Choirs sing, "God- rest ye merry, gentièmen," bring- ing to mind scenes of Vic- torian ')Englanid at Christ-. mastime, when car'olers gathered beneath lanterns. Nostalgic Christmas cards recai such scenes to us with fond, artistry. 1Today's tree glitters with bright baubles, but we speak wistfully of the old-fash- ioned, tree, strung with pop- corn- and cranberries, by the childreni's hands. And, in the good old days, Dad and the youngsters .would, have chopped down the tree themselves,, and brought it i triumphantly> Junior's sled. In days, gonc stockings really1 by the chimney w' and, in the rire'r would be' Crack] ,with cheery warn homle 'on There. was muçh visiting back and forth, among fam- e by, the ily and friends, in horse- 'eehun drawn coaches that wended 'vit creun th eir way along snowy olae. 02sthoroughfalres. Jing away riih. The sounids of Christmas were very special in those days. Sleighbells .had their own magical music' and church belîs called ouf to the faithful with a joyous peal.- But, most of ail, Christ- mas was a time for laugh- ter. The laughter of ,chli- dren skating merrily across a1 pond or neighbors, ex- changing greetings of the season as -their sleighs passed. Perhaps no other era sym- bolizes the spirit of Christ- mas so well as the Victorian era, however., No doubt the popularity, of Dickens stories -have helped perpetuate this' image of Victorian Engiand, mer- rily -celebrating the. holiday season. The 'exchange of gifts and cards wer e an im- portant part,.of the Victori- an Christmas, as was .the holiday fe ast. Couples kissed under the mistletoe and children % ex- claimed delightedly 'at the arrivai ofthe blazing plum pudding at holiday tables. Ail these 'activities cre.- ated a -tradition of revelry and plenty that still influ- ences us to this day. But, though theexrns have changed ýgreatly - we now go off to Grandma's in the family car instead of a .sleigh - we still celebrate ,Ceristmas in the same spirit of joy and generosity that characterized Dickens' England and the America of yesteryear. Joyful carols are still part of every Christmas today, as are gifts lovingly chosen and' holiday dishes that h.ave been painistakingly pre- pared.- Whateverthe era, Christ- mas isstili Christmas . . . a season of love and laugh.ter that transcends 'both space and time. Thée &Spiritof'Christmas Rather- than be caught up in the -many meaningless chores of Christmas, why no t let s'ome9-f them"go un- do'ne' and concentrate- your efforts on the, true emeaning of Christmas. Immediately ,after Thanksgiving, *befoîre- the <"exëtras" of Christmas 'plan- ning, confuse and wear you down, start dispensinglove and largesse, and perhaps the. custom will sn owball into the New Year! For deep-down satisfac- tion,_ show oneiyplie off-beat bit of kindness for those who are less fortunate than you. It might be ages--. ture such as inviting a group of foreign students to the house for doughnuts- and Christmas music; or invit- ing the -regular baby-sitter to lunch and a miatinee - with- out the chores of dealing with children; or giving a: party for somne forgotten senior citizen. Thils amounts to "giving, of one 's self." It costs so lit- :*tle, in effort, in time and- in monley, we can afford to give ours'elve.s generously., Espe- cially when you can be sure of beingrepaid with a warm "good" feeling afterward.: You can remind yo ur youngsters and yourself of. the true meaning of the sea- son by including a manger scene under the Christmas tree, with ail those beauti- fully wrapped gifts. . When Christmas arr 'ives, plaçe the Christ Child- in -His crib, lovingly and' reveren tly, while you sing a joyous carol. prrf e dueU~£10 jjd Matthew 2:11 Welcome-the magical season of Christmas -a tmewhen» anything and everyýthing is possible! CHENESPINE& ART. 112 COLBORNE ST.- E. (Jim Cheyne) -â;wtj e7l * ,. .* .N ~ b b 4 h * * ~ '. 1.4 i 4~ I,,.* 4.4 $ ,*.$ .4.f.t.<.$.*.t.,*.j,'. '~ *1 taern -%teak hou,«t. HWY. 2, WH ITBY - 668-2751' S CLOSED: MON. DEC. 24 & TUES. DEC. 25.' <OPEN: 'BOXING DAY -FROM 4P.M. an~ï nt~rrI~ Christmias Blessings Leét us adore the newborn Chld who has saved us from darknessand despair and brought peace to earth! K&M Cleaners 112 ýCoiborne St. W., WhItby 668-2831 t4 Suùý > rý ý t4je , -vi < aung