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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1984, PAGE 5 "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." - Thomas Jefferson 4' SOL WAY The "series" on downtown and what makes it work will have to wait. Two reasons. There's at least one other item I have to unburden myself of before the "Season" swings into high gear. The other is that perhaps if I wait a bit longer Ill ac- cumulate all the angry letters from people who disagree with me and besides they never cared much for me in the first place and who cares what that big-mouth has to say anyway. Whew! That was a mouthful. Let me be the first to go after the Christmas Grin- ch, the Mrs. Grundys whose thin-lipped disapproval of everything that is fun makes life bearable,. if you're the member of an ascetic order of monks that is. The Christmas Grinch I refer to is the voice that is heard every year proclaiming sanctimoniously (although with some sincerity, I guess) that "Christmas is just too commercial. I can hear them all now. "Christmas is Peace on Earth and Good- will. It is not buying things and making the world a safe place for the retail business." I'm fed up with it all. I was fed up with the great Stan Freberg, making a buck I'm sure, with his once-famous "Green Christmas." For those to young to remem- ber the high point was a singing commercial jingle to the tune of a well-known carol. It went: "We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas And please buy our beer." Let me be serious. Christmas is all the things the prayerful, thoughtful people say it is. But it is also a time for gift giving. Certainly no one complained about the gifts the Three Wise Men brought. If you think that "it's not the value of the gift it's the thought that counts," I suggest you check the price of an ounce of myrrh. Never mind what gold would cost, even in those pre-inflationary time. Maybe they should have brought a little cake or a card. Some legend that would have made! Following "The Star" carrying a congratulations rhyme on a piece oft ardboard.r Gift-giving has always been a reflection of celebration and of caring. In, olden days you reflec- ted the size of your caring with the opulence of your gift. Which suggests that the frankincense stores must have rubbed their hands in avaricious glee. We rarely hear complaints about commer- cializing birthdays or weddings. The bigger the gift thegreater the kick. Why is it only at Christmas that we start mouthing unctuous words about the spirit" of giving. Is it terrible to be given a gift- wrapped red convertible for Christmas? Is it sacrilege to suggest that Santa represents everyone's yearnings for a material representation of love and remembrance? Is it wrong to create a smile courtesy of Mattel or Chanel or Generai MotorscOn the one hand we hail "enterprise" as the engine of our economy and the spice in our social structure; on the other hand we condemn it for being praise of the Temple of Mammon. Gift-giving is part of everyone's heritage. Jews use Chanukah to give money or gift items. Other cultures do celebrate the Saturnalia (which is why Christmas is celebrated when it is) with revelry and the exchange of gifts. Neyer mind the sociology lesson. It may be good for business (which I still don't think is the Eighth Deadly S ) but it also is great to make people smile, to get what they have longed for, coveted, yearned after or yes (horror of horrors) envied! Whether it is a bicycle or a computer game, or a gift certificate to attend the Marigold Dinner Playhouse (snuck that one in) give and enjoy giving. The Mrs. Grundys can prattle on about " commercial." Wile I still have paper left, I will from time to time do this: Item: Last week's column in this space. It is not Advice and Consent, it is Advise and Consent. Item: From recent local newspaper ads. A well- known restaurant special "Chocolate Moose." (Well maybeit really is a variation on the chocolate bunny, only bigger.) Item: From another restaurant ad. "Complete dinner includes desert." (I wonder if that is with or without sand?)J Item: My favourite. A review of "Mass Appeal" praised the oldr priest who could "illicit" al kinds of 'emotions. (Listen, who am I to question what priests do in their spare time. t More of this rambling whenever I collect a few more. 'ni-se find ohm& 5