Show I Keeping the Light of the Christmas t e Spirit Shining Throughout the Year j In a Christmas article in the December December Decem- Decem I ber issue of the Readers Reader's Digest there was a statement which we would like to use as the theme of our 1948 Christmas Christmas Christ Christ- mas day editorial It was We Ve do not spend Christ Christmas as We Vc k keep ep Christmas There is a good deal of meaning in 1 those few simple words So many of ofus ofus us seem to regard the occasion of Christmas and the whole holiday season a as something to be expended expended expended-as as oncI one I would while away a Sunday afternoon I at the beach or spend a week end visiting visiting visit visit- ing reI relatives a thes i It is very easy to fall into the habit of spending Christmas once a year year and and l J f having spent it U forgetting all about it once the holiday is past But Christmas and the Christmas season is something for too precious to fritter away as one would fritter away awaya it I a Saturday night Christmas is indeed II something th this that at should not be spent It Itis II is something that should be kept H Oddly enough the idea of keeping Christmas rather than spending it I doesn't mean hoarding it at all It isn't t necessary to put the light of the Christi Christmas Christmas Christ Christ- i mas spirit under a bushel in order to keep it In fact that is the opposite of i keeping Christmas He in whose honor Christmas is is celebrated cele cele- ce c- c f told His disciples that men do not light a candle and put it under a bushel but rather put it on a candlestick so it light unto all that are in the house And then He urged them to let their light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven Surely that same teaching applies to the keeping of Christmas We Ve should keep it in such a manner that the light of the kindly forgiving benevolent Christmas spirit will spread its beneficent beneficent beneficent benefi benefi- cent influence over the world It is quite astonishing how the Christmas Christmas Christmas Christ Christ- mas spirit exerts its mellowing influence at Christmas time There is something about this day and this season which affects all people regardless of their religious beliefs or lack of them There is a greater feeling of brotherly love of good neighborliness of tolerance than at any other time of the year That spirit is the Christmas spirit spirit spirit- and its it's worth keeping not spending The light of of- of that spirit is worth cher cher- It is worth trying to keep the flame from dying out during the night of December 25 It might mean much if we could keep the light of the Christmas spirit spirit spirit- the light of human decency and understanding under under- standing standing pouring pouring forth its message of kindness of faith and of peace throughout through through- out the year And the way to accomplish that is for each of us to try not to spend Christmas but to keep it alive it-alive alive in our hearts And with that thought we wish you a merry and a lasting Christ Christ- mas |