UV CASTLEGAR, NEWS 15 CENTS PER COPY Spirit of Christmas Spreads Good Will and Good Cheer In churches and homes, in city streets and stores, across the countryside — the spirit of Christmas spreads its joy and its contentment. Soon now, the te hustle and bustle wa tive way to the highest raoments of holiday celebration its a time for fam and feast. a time for light-heartec, laughter auc heartfelt prayer, a time when friendships are renewed and family tles are strengthened ‘Throughout this community, and indeed throughout all the communities where Christmas is celebrated, the spirit of the season finds expression in innumerable ways — among them, the gladness of gift-giving, the merriment of parties, the happiness of hearth and home and, above all, the solemn hush of midnight, traditionally the symbolic time for heralding the ‘Birth of Chri From the holly wreath on the door to the packages under the tree, from the gaily deco~ rated windows of stores to the manger scenes in the churches, the customs of Christmas contribute to the meaning of the Day—just as early Christian leaders meant that holiday customs shoi When Christmas first began to be observed on December 25th, churchmen welcomed the idea of incorporating ceremonies and traditions from earlier Art Spreads bellets into the celebration, ‘They thought that people would Story Of CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA, DECEMBER 20, 1973 feel closer to the new religion if former ways and rituals were not abolished, but, instead! united with the new rites to honor the birth of Chris! fill the hearts of men every- Today, nearly everyone celebrates Christmas because Christ- where with the good will that its true meaning offers to all. His Birth The Nativity scene has always stimulated and challenged painters and sculptors. In turn, great. works of art art depicting the story of of Christ have, throug the years, en- the lives and en- hanced the spiritual as clear and easy to appre ciate as a com a Later, jous it~ ings became stilted. Then, Italian Renais- sance painters instilled re newed warmth ciation, through their tural, lifelike creations. new approach to art, fos- tered by the ‘support of the commissions for, forpintingsand sculpture from the chi from Florence to do afres- co decoration in the Vati- can at the same time that Michelangelo was painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Artists from other coun- mas belongs to everyont For the Christian peliever, Christmas is cherished as a re- ligious holiday of paramount importance, and as a time meant for joy and festivity, tou. r people of many different faiths, Christmas is heloved as a happy holiday, a secular celebration that gives meaningful expression to universal good wil Giving Gifts Since the Wise Men gave of thas, treasures to the Christ id, givi been part of fhe traditions of Christmas, ‘The idea of gifts as homage dates from even earlier times, when kings demanded special tribute from thelr subjects ise Men, in offering pre- cious gifts of gold, frankin- cense and myrrh, expre: their reverence for the new- King of mankind. Giving to celebrate a happy time was a familiar part of many pagan festivals. The Romans honored Sat- urn, their god of agriculture, with a winter festival called the Saturnalia. During this joyous feast, they exchanged gifts — wax candles, clay dells and various trinkets. se pagan customs ofexchanging gifts were trans~ ferred to the celebration of the birth of Christ, church leaders added a new ide: selfless giving. Through the. ages, giving to help the less fortunate has been a special tradition of Christmas. UNDER THE PALM Some say the traditional id good cheer. St. Nicholas Long before San' led by sleigh, St Nicholas, special guardian of chil- dren, set forth on foot, or rode by horse or donkey, to bring ‘eifts to European none good saint's day is December sth, and “on th eve of his festival day, writes an Encyclopedia Americana authority, “St. ceptacles for the gifts, which St, Nicholas is expected to let fail down the chimney. metimes shoes are neatly polished for wae par- pose, at other times plates, or baskets, or stockings, or specially made shoes’ of porcelain. it. Nicholas’ steed not forgotten. For him’ the children put water and hay, or carrot or potato peeling, or a plece of bread in the shoe, or basket, or stocking “In the morning front the tipped-over chairs and gen- eval disarray in the room it is evident that St. Nicholas has been present. “Replacing the oats, or good. For are left, and the fodder is untouche