Show T 1 1 U. U Y m. m I L' L MR TIDED WHAT SHALL WE TELL THE THE i c CHILD AbUT ABOUT SANTA CLAUS I 3 Just st after Christmas last year ear r Q I has haa such auch reader wrote ono Everyone 1 different nt e-nt ideas of oC what to tell teU their i I wish children about Santa ClaUs Glaus I you fOU would express your Our opinion At limo tho time I 1 pointed out that the subject ct was waa dead since Christmas was as Ayer yer TU but I 1 would answer her questions next nut year That I ne-d ne only yesterday yet hero another Christmas Is just around tho the corner and there thera are arc moro more children asking about Santa Claus and more parents demanding Shall I tell ten them about Santa Claus as M s if he were a real man mann when I J know hue absolutely that ho Ito Isn't Wont Won't tho the children lose baa faith falth I In 10 my truthfulness s If It I Idor do Do parents suffer such l I guilty su t t I I I children the pangs panga when they read nad ln Mother Goose classics Do 1 0 they feel f el i themselves overcome o with remorse monse and shame shamo when they talk about t John Bull Dun and Uncle Sam SainT There never were any such uch per persons ons as I those two and yet yot their reality r warms tho the childs child's early years All around us wo we have personifications personifi c 0 of mf Impersonal Immaterial I things which wo can cnn understand I better when they are ore translated into personalities Take for example the thc Goddess of Liberty Justice with her hex r scales seales They b become omo realities because be be- cause causa wo I Invest th them with the tho as as- aspect aspect poet and garments of human buman beings J. J which and the they express something otherwise would w uld bo ho b difficult to ex ex- press Santa Claus is that typo of ot per per- Once Onca y years yar ara ago there lived Jv 11 a monk called caned St. St Nicholas who whose e goodness to children won him al c I I 1 i I I i t I r I I r J. J 11 e eternal reputation rep n. n out but of oi reality Hy there thero ruis grown roy up up In Iney country the blend of a a m individual dual who ho spends am alUMs hia hi Ua time working for tor th tho of chit dren d n JJ Ho la Is not nol an actual person perso for actual persons r cannot accomplish pUsh miracles but h ho is iia ba a spirit and ami c his spirit accomplishes miracles ml lN It ItIs ItIs ItIs Is the spirit of or good wod Will a and d tho d sire alro to confer con er which lead mothers to alt up halt half tho the night finishing the tho dolls doll's new wardrobe it lend leads t father ther to stand for lor halt half the tho night and b hammering and aDd pointing painting to make mako the tho doll don bed that Susie Sule has longed for While w we cannot cannot can can- not actually see aeo the tho spirit of ot 1004 will It Is a 3 reality Just the tho same measured by its deed deeds f fI TELL TRUTH FROM FIRST It Is la deplorable to tin tell children that every corner Santa Sant Claus Is la a areal areal real on one oxe ready to bring them th the toys toy that have havo be been earned by C Ct goon good behavior It Jt Is undesirable to lay Jar stress upon the tho reality of ot SantI Santa SanU Claus It Is thoroughly Admirable to tor tell telI children of at tho spirit of good goodwill goodwill will wUl and happiness and of tho deuc to unselfishly bestow it it which la I personified by Jy tho the jolly r red flanI flan flan- white whiskered Santa Claus There can enn bo nothing harmful harm CuI I. I In th tolling telling this as a 0 story Tho The tiny child should understand 1 that his dressed up father or lor the bell ringing saints on the cornet corner an ri just pretend Santa Santo Clauses No Noone Noone one can see Santa Claus but we can Se- Se see his deeds Wo We can understand his spirit anI and tr try to emulate it Il tj by 1 working hard bard and un unselfishly to tc tomake 1 make some somo ono one else cillO happy Then Itis It 1 1 1 Is easy casy for even time tho smallest child 1 to understand why h so many y people i seem scent to bo be Santa tanta Claus A The no joy JUT and all J warmth of ot the delightful old l legend and tho the happy old saint MInt pan n be bo felt fell b by everyone e |