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a) ' als -- i Ten ROR = EE > eT Net oN oe HOS oe AS Sr a aS ST EAs Bh BX A A oy x 3 y HE RIN A ete MOLE FAP AR A pot NE SA PAOLA REDE R SCALES 3 an NE GE I RS A 4 3 a RAINY OF 3 DAD TE i A EB Et HP i LEARY TOC MA LS FEL, LB yr fk A EN 'TRY TO PREFEND HEY RE 72NK'S OF /HLA < "A Christmas message By REV. DONALD C. PAYNE _ Port Perry Baptist Church ; Of all the days in the year, we look forward to Christmas most of all. What is at the back of it? Why all the beautifully lighted homes and tinsel decked trees? Why do childrens eyes sparkle with- anticipation, why the exchange of gifts, why the carols, the holly, and why are the stores, offices and schools closed, as we rest from the strenuous rush and metalic clinking of our modern life? How come love and goodwill 'is displayed during this mystic, hallowed season known as Christmastime? What is there about this season that casts a mellowing spell - over us and finds us all in a mood where meanness is out of place and selfishness is outlawed, and kind- ness, with the giving of gifts, is the order of the day? : C= ; It is all because of the song the angels sang - Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord... .. But what if there had been no song to sing - what if Christ had not been born?:In the first place all the promises given by God in the Old Testament of a coming Redeemer would have been broken, and the prophesies "of the glad event would have failed. The bright hope of the ages blasted, and bitter disappointment take its place if He, who was to (continued on page 5) PORT PERRY STAR "COMPANY, LIMITED En Serving Port Perry, Reach. Scugog and Ba Cartwright Townships P. HVIDSTEN, Publisher - Editor JOHN B. McCLELLAND, Associate Editor WM. T. HARRISON, P. HVIDSTEN, Jr., Plant Manager. Advertising Manager Member of the Canadian Weckly Newspaper Association Member of the Ontario Weekly Newspaper Assiciation Published every Wednesday by The Port Perry Star Co. Ltd., Port Perry, Ontario. Authorized as second class maill by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for payment of postage in cash Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 Subscription Rates: In Canada $4.50 per yr., Elsewhere $6.00 per year. Single Copy 10¢ --ePTHE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST 'Looking forward to Christmas has become something less than, unadulterated joy. The thrice-blasted cards, the seven-times- blasted tree with its inevitable crooked stump, the ever-increasing cost of gifts: These and other aspects of the festive season have turned the festive part of it, at least, into an exercise of hectic futility: I think many will agree when I say that there's a huge: sigh of relief on Christmas night when the last of the wrappings have heen put away, the last of the dishes washed, and we can sit back look at the lights, and - listen to music. It's a lot easier on the nerves to look back on Christmases of the past. They were probably just as frantic, but in retrospect they have a sort of rosy glow about them, There's one that still causes me a pang of remorse and shame. My_. mother was making the usual huge turkey dinner, with all it entails. We were to eat about four. Around two p.m., my kid brother and I sneaked, yes, sneaked off to the matinee. About the same time, my older brother and sister went for a long walk with a friend None of us got home until about 5:30, and there was Mom stuck with the ruins of a magnificent dinner,/on which she had toiled for hours. She didn't 'say anything, but I, for one, felt like a rat. I was about ten; and it was the first time I ever realized how thoughtless and selfish kids can be. Which reminds me that my own two thoughtless. selfish brats will be home this Christmas. Hugh's a vegetarian and will have his little bag of whole brown rice. Kim's on some kind of a crazy diet. By some strange, coincidence, the vegetarian becomes a carnivore and the diet goes out the window. when they're home. It's temp- ting to think of making them .a nice nut salad. and cobking a small duck for their parents only. Another Christmas I'll never torget was that of 1944. deep in the heart of Pomerania. behind barbed wire. We didn't have to worry about buying gifts, sending cards or making long-distance calls to relatives, Maybe that's why it was so much fun. Not even a tree to wrestle with. We exchanged gifts. 1 gave a pair of uloves toone.of the artists. and he gave me o caricature of myself. Someone else gave a PICE pack of smokes and received a razor blade (hat. Had been used only one week. . And-there was thie Christmas dinner. We had saved every scrap we could from the - last of the Red Cross parcels. We had two tins of salmon with delicious creamed sauce made Irom powdered milk. There were potatoes au gratin (we'd hung onto a hunk of cheese.) And there was that fantastic cake . .. crumbled Graham crackers and mashed turnips held together by a bit of marg, with two melted chocolate bars stirred in. It was cooked on top of the stove, and weighed about. 18 pounds, one pound per man. With dinner went kriegie brew. We'd saved enough prunes and sugar to make a _potent potion (just add water and let it fer- ment for a couple of weeks). Alter scoffing the lot, we lay around on our bunks, with the lirelight flickering from the battered stove. Did we talk about home and loved ones? We did not. We just lay there and 'groaned, like 18 pythons who had Council. -- 50 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 22, 192) A large attendance was on hand for the Port Perry Christmas Fair. There was the largest amount of poultry ever shown at a Christmas market. About 8 ton _was sold. ' Mrs. William Davey is in Buffalo visiting Mrs. J.S. Rodman who is quite ill. Mr. Wm. Elty was elected" President of Old England Lodge No, 9. Mr. Herman Kerry won tirst and second prize on his "driver at Port Perry Fair. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday. December 19, 1916 ~ Friends and neighbours spent a pleasant evening with Mr; and Mrs: Norman Crozier of Scugog as they will-be moving to Woodville soon. ! The Norman Mein's house in Port Perry has been sold to Arthur Gordon of Sun- - derland. The Port Perry Yacht Club are holding' a New Years dance in the High School. 15 YEARS AGO Thursday, December 20, 1956 The -~Scugog . 'Island congregation formed a new church; '*'Scugog United Church". Over 40 new members were 'received by . letter of transfer, as well as ninety-one_ from the three * uniting' corigregations. Kev. J.K. Brham conducted" the morning 'service. ; Miss + Ruby:-Wilson + for- merly of Epsom now a missionary, in Nigeria is enjoying a holiday at home. Mr. Arthur Hyland, Blackstock was. clected by acclamation to [fill the vacancy in Township 10 YEARS AGO Thursday. December 21, 1971 Al the regular meeting of Council in Port Perry, J.J. Gibson reported that-the new 300,000. gallon water tank is nearing completion. At the same meeting a resolution simultaneously swallowed 18 goats. oil sick half the night, but it ~ that the Corporation enter was worllt it. It was the only time for months that we hadn't been hungry, and the only time for months that we wouldn't be. Other Christmases swarm into memory. I'll not forget the one when my wife was having the family, for the first time. She tussed all day and had everything just so. She was going to show her mother and aunts that she was no slouch of a housewife. Her eyes were darting ceverywhere, making sure that everything was in order. The at- mosphere was about the same as that at Cape Kennedy when they're going to fire at the moon. Finally, -the supreme moment. She ushered everyone to the table and rather grandly ordered me to take the turkey out of the oven. I did. but the dam' pan was red hot and 1 dropped the whole works, gravy, grease. dressing and turkey, on the shining Kitchen tloor. I'll spare you the details, but I've never come closer to sudden death, even during the war. In parting. I have three wishes for my loyal readers: that your Christmas tree doesn't tall over just after you've finished decorating: that you don't drop the turkey; and that you have the best and happiest Christmas you've ever had. with people you love, : 2 into a three year lease with Canadian H. W. .Gossard Co. ; A fire completely destroyed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Bueman of Prince Albert. Two hundred friends and neighbours gather at Utica Hall in honour of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lydne's of Ash- burn 45th wedding an- gversary. "He's not responding well to the anesthesia!"