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What is Christmas really about By PAYNE What is Christmas It Is the glorified that took far- ward lo year Their favorite of course How many other days out of the year do they get bom with Christinas is a definite learning experience for kids They learn what it mean to be greedy We celebrate Christ mas in tribute to the birth of Jesus Christ Apparently no one knows the exact date of His but roost Christians observe December at Christ mas Day During the season we celebrate by decorating our homes and places of business with holly mistletoe and the famous Christmas tree word Christmas comes from an early Engllih phrase that means mats of Christ The story of Christ mas Is derived from the gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew in the New Testament According to Luke an angel appeared and told shepherds near the town of Bet Menem of the birth of Christ Matthew told how KNOWN The first known cele bration of Christmas oc in AD Is according to an early Roman calendar It was celebrated on December IS In the late Chri stianity became the offi cial religion of the Roman empire By 1100 Christmas became the most important religi ous festival in Europe During this time Saint Nicholas became a sym bol of giftgiving In many European coun tries In 1500 Protestantism was born During this time many Christians began to feel that Christmas included non- religious customs In the leoos Christ mas was outlawed In England and in parts of the English Colonies in America because of these feelings Despite the outlawing people continued to exchange gifts regard- In the two more customs evolved and became popular deco rating Christmas trees called a On January the children of Spain put their shoes near a window or on a balcony The following day is Epiphany which is the reumo last day of their Chrlst- In Spain people dance in the streets after midnight posed during this time- In countries Including the United SUtes San ta replaced Saint Nicholas as the symbol of gift giving The Christmas tradi tion became important to different businesses for economic reasons Today companies manufacture Christmas decorations and sell trees for the occasion Many places hire extra help for the Christmas rush People celebrate Christmas all over the world In Spain for example people dance in the streets after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve Most Spanish homes dis play a Nativity scene mas season This day celebrates the vail of the Magi to the baby Jesus According to the Spa nish tradition the wise men visit each home and distribute gifts lo all the children in their show In Poland the people attend Paslerka This means the Shepherds Mass They then follow the Christmas tradition by breaking an onla- which Is a thin layer of wafer mode of wheat flour and water Nativity scenes are stamped on the The head of the family holds the wafer and each person then eats a small piece of It The Christmas dinner consists of fish sauer kraut potato pancakes and beet soup So every different cul ture has its own way of celebrating Christmas with one thing in common Christs birth day HUMBLE In some cultures it is a very humble celebrati on In the United States and Canada however it is quite the opposite Around Christmas time every year people basically shop In depart ment stores while toy manufacturers work all day and reap in the anticipated millions This generation of children has grown up receiving toys by the Iruckload for Christ mas How many of these kids understand why they are being loaded of these wonder ful gifts When you mention Christmas to a child today the first vision that may pop into bis head will be a new Barb doll or Vadar toy It might not be that holy wonder in Bethlehem so many cenUitles ago Recycle this news paper To oat hew The Ontario Re cycling Information Service Kin tree sales begin December 2 Have we got a tree for yout Thats what members of Georgetowns Kins men Club are telling people as they prepare for the clubs annual Christmas tree sale be ginning Dec I The tree sale is never short of a wide selection of quality treesMi of hem will sprout over night on the A and Parking Lot it the com er or Sinclair Avenue Street Twelve Scotch Pine will be over eight feet tall for churches and homes with high ceil ings Theyll sell for while the smaller Scotch pines win retail for Balsams wOl sell for Trees wul be sold on a firstcome firstserv ed basis The annual sale which raises money for Kinsmensponsored charities and communi ty projects has been a victim in the past of overnight tree thefts The club advises that the people most hurt by the loss of trees are community residents who enjoy a number of Kinsmensponsored pro jects like and the ice cleaner at Gord on Arena The sale will continue until all trees are sold Annual toy drive The Club of Georgetowns annual Christmas Toy Drive Is underway once again with many local groups already collecting new or nearly new toys for needy area children TheToyDiiveheldin conjunction with The Good Neighbour Service has been a Klnette pro ject for the past eighteen years and each year the Kinettes are amazed at the generosi ty of local citizens Toys can be dropped off anytime at the borne of Joanne Stiles Heather Ct 877- or at the office of Arthur P Johnson Real Estate on Guelph St 877 BUY AT HALF THE NEW PRICE AND LESS MAKE MONEY WE SELL FOR YOU Main St A SPECIAL GIFT Fa Friends Christmas Cindlcs made with dairy country butter Christmas Candles from Got them fresh from 8772761 BEAUTY OF THIS CHRISTMAS ORGANS PIANOS FROM DEC 2 DEC OPEN EVERY NIGHT 1 AM to PM BARBERS JEWELLERS Main St South FREE WRAPPING Affordable Luxury CHRISTMAS PARTIES AND FUNCTIONS Reserve now for your office SO people STARTING pm SUNDAY BUFFET HILL ST GEORGETOWN PARKING LOT ENTRANCE 8731444