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^aitta QIlauB KrFUB 3Faoar y S'l'.S as the story of the Christ -ChiUl never grows old, the custom of iclebrat- ing the Yuletide a-tains its iiUenst and joy each siic- ceedirin IH-ceiiitxT. St. Nicholas retains his |K)|)iil.irity whcihir he is |)ro|)hesie<l is <lescemiing ufxm the chimney (and just fancy the catastrophe that niixht Ufall the world if it U'carne the f.ishion to build houses without chimneys) in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, or in an aeroplane. Tis-siie papers ntay drift the floor in red and white and green mounds and ribbons of scarlet and silver tangle the feet most hopelessly, but Mother smiles happily in the midst of chaos. Christmas Eve may nnan ncne-throbbing, aching IkxIIcs and fagged minds, worn out with strenuous preparation, but Christmas finds the family indulging in bigger plans for next year. l>ccorating the church with evergreen on Christmas Kve is as old as the hills. Polydore Vergil says that "Ttiniming of the Temples with bangynges, floures, Iwughes and garlondes was taken of the heathen [X-ople, which de<ked their idols and houses with such array." In old church calendars Christmas Eve is marked "Templa ex- ornatur." However this may \x, the greatest charm of Christmas is the decorated church, the pow^r which makes man sec Ijeyond the bare walls of the church and which carries him back through the ages to wor- ship with thir shepherds at the nunger cot in Bethlehem. Christmas without its religious od- •ervances for all the feasting, gaiety and re- joicing, would long ago have jxissed away. Christmas carols as they are known to-day are a literary inheritance handed down from an a^e when there existed neither (lopular songs nor drama. At fixed seasons of the year the British people used to congregate to sing simple ballads in which sc-cular themes wr-re close- mingled with religious. Of the store of popular poetry nothing now survives in actual use excep' the Christ nas carols. But in those old days the Christmas carols wi-re only a |x>rtion of a larger rollrction of semi- religious songs, each group of which had its 8|)ecuil association with the ecdesiislical year. Easter had its carols, so had Whitsun and May- day, and many other religious holy days. These were not part of the church service as they arc to-day. They were mostly associated with those early dramatic representationsâ€" mystery plays. The fcstiN.iU^ the Christniastide is a herit- age of the l(>ii)^H, anil tin: date of its origin is unknown. Traditions tell of celebrating in mid- winter with feasting and merriment in the days of antiquity. I'erhaps the most widespread of all festive institutions is the Christmas In-e. The present form of the tree decked in candles and hung with colored balls and images <locs not seem to date back prior to the seventeenth century. In luigland there is a legi-nd of Joseph of Arimathaea which tells us tb.it wlieii the S liiit settled at (ilastonbury he pi inted his st.ifi' in the ground. It i»iit forth leaves and l)li)ssoiiieil every Christnuis. 'Ihe tree very likely is a sur- vival of the older laurel decorations which were tietl to the dcx>riK)sts of houses. The Church of the Natixily, by com- mon consint admitted to Ije the authentic site of Christ's birth, looks more like a formidable fortress than a (;hristian church. 'i°he d<irk, massive walls, with small, hi-avily barreil windows, standing in a roughly (tived square, sugg.sts <lurance V ile rat her than religious |x>ace. The only doorway is a small hole in the great thick- ness of the wall, so low that one has to stoop to |jass through. There is no spire or dome; only an ugly looking Udl, liadly projecting from the medieval masonry which liK)ks incajiaole of ringing out glad tidings. On Christmas Eve great crowds come from Jerusalem and the surrounding vil- lages to attend the midnight -mass hehl in the Roman Catholic [wrt of the Church, the rest of the buihling lx;ing reserved for the Greeks and Armenians who hold their Christmas on a different date. The interior of the church which rather resembles an enclosed market with great pillars and huge flagstones, presents a cold and cheerless scene. A surging Eastern mob Ix-sieges the building, pushing and fighting for places, while the aisles are guarded by police with gleaming bayonets to prevent disturbances l)ctween religious factions. Religious antagonism is so bitter that should a Greek or Armenian priest set (tH^rt^ttnaa ta (UhnatntaB all tbp Wiht iSarli (§vn CUKISTM.^S till' world over! I'erhaps in some dLstant ^ulrlide the applied science of television will jXTmit Canadian folk revelling in a s|<.irkling, Irosty merry-niiiking the privilege of watching Iheir New Zealand cousins celebrate. I'ul8«-s will tiuicken as one glimpses the picnic ever a feature of (Christmas Day in New Zealand, and the Yuletide Camp where "little brown Maori f.iiries with flowing black locks, clad in national costume, with mat and string of Ix-.uls, ( ome out of the wikxIs and dance festive p>oi and halca to the drlight of the little white folk." Then will come the thrilling hour of dusk, when cani|> lires gleam liy the wood- land streams to the delight of the Christmas campers. A glance at Christnvis ciU-bration in India will also find campfires lighted. The lender ix;a chick will replace the famous Caii.uli.in turkey at dinner, (iaily attir;-d Indian n.ilivis will bring their gifts and their greetings to the Bri- tish officrrs, an<l rnurh feasting will feature the merry-making in Hoiniiay and Calcutta. New Siuth Wales, Australia, will present the gayest of scenes, with tliousamls of country people thronging the streets of the city, the cafes, the theatres and Ihe races. In Mellxjtirne a carnival shopping scene will rew.ird the teli-- vision fan, with festivity in .ibuiuLinie in swim- ming and picknicking, for it chances that in Australia C'hristmas D.iy falls in mid-summer, "Looking-in" at Christntis in the Italian highlands will lie rewarded with a charming pic- ture, with the time-old cuslcmi followed with the pcas;ints making offerings of fruit and (lowers at the shrine of the Kedeiimr. Chrislmis airs, with blazing Ixmfirc-s and fireworks, will arrest the attention as the C.in.idian \ lews at long dis- tance the celebration in .Naples. In .Norway a charming scene will be |xirtrayeil as the Norwrgians ]>r<)viile a (,'lirisliu.is dinner for the birds. The "l(X)ker-in" wal« liing the Irstivities caniiil out in Ukraine will discover the homes the centre of merry-ni.iking on Christmas Eve. Many courses will mark Ihe feast at the dinner hour and featuring strange dishes. In many homes the extra cover will Ix- laid for the stranger, who, should he come kiUKking at the door that Christmas ICve, woiihl Ix! wi'Icome at the table .ind no cpiestions asked. It is an ancient but Ix-autiful legend that tells how the CliristCliild wanders through the town on this nighl of iiiglils, and to the llkr.iini.in home the stranger m.iy represent the Holy Halx'. Irnsistilile will prove the temptation to Like .1 \n-tk ,il Clirislm.is festivity in Swila-rl.ind, where the gay, s|)arkling tree will he found in Ihe ixxirest of,homcs, and Father Christmas with his generous pack of toys a welcome visitor. Vrtif Ut?rm tt^r i^\tt of mjtiBtB Virtl; ^J^'HOI'C.H it is contrary to wli.it most jx-ople will exix'ct a Christmas s|X!nt at %3l/ "*'-' birthplace of Christ is really the greatest dis;ip|Kiintment imaginable. ^^^ Bethlehem is throne plao- in the whole world where the festival is cOmnKinor- ated in a setting of threatening crowils and armed guards. S^anta (§n tljp lHim "Is that you, Santa Claus?" " Yes, and you are little Mar jar ie Brown." "What, Santa! do you know my vame?" " Yes, and I know your voice, too. Oh, yes, I know you, Marjorie, very well, and I have scoi you asleep in your bed." ".Aren't you wonderful, Santa, to know so much? May 1 tell you what I'd like you to bring, me on Christmas J'vc:* Yes? Well, I'd like you to bring me a big dollie an' a carriage for it, an a set of doll's furniture an' dishes, an' an' " "Stop a moment, Marjorie; I know everything you would like, but have you been a good girl?" "Oh, yes; you can ask Mumsy if I haven't; she is sitting right here." " Xfvrr mind now, Marjorie I know yon (dways tell the truth. So I'll bring you just what you want. Good- bye, .Marjorie.". "Oh thank you, Santa Claus, you are so good. Good-bye." Priceville General Store p I? 1^ p J 1^1 bl 1^ bi bi i 1 n I 1 1 To all our many customers and friends we wish a very Merry Christrr.as and a Happy New Year. • » >«>•>•:••:••>•:• »'X">x-:"X«<*'X«»*'>'>'> ><••»•» :••^•^•x•':••>•:•'>:• :• :«x*'>^<X' •; foot on a carix't Ix'longing to the Latins, or vice versa, it is enough to cause a riot possibly ending in blo9dshe(l. So jealous is each church of its p,irticiilar liouiuls that at the border line the wall hangings are even pinned back to prevent them swinging over foreign ground. .At uiidiiighl there is a prwession to the chapel of the Manger, where, down two sm.ill nights "f steps in a small lamp-lit crvpt, is the famous "Star of Bethlehem" iiMrking the actual spot where Christ is said to have been Ixirii. This is in a small ncc ,ss of Ihe wall ONcr which stands an .illar shareil by all three churches, each con- tributing its share of ilimly Iiuming l.inii>s; here in the holiest si«it of all I'hristendoni a sentry stands by d.iy ami night to preserve religious |xMce. Close by is a sm.ill ledge on which the m.mger is s.iid to have rested hut the manger itself is now hx-ked up in the church of Siint.i Maria Maggiore in Rome. It is only on the lonely hillside of Judea where dwells the |X-aceful shepherd with his flocks that the true atmosphere of the first Christmas is to lie found. The |xMs mis of many Eurojxsin countries share the legend that animals ar« con- scious when Christmas Eve comes rouml. Many of the country folk Ix'lieN-c that at midnight sheep awake and march in prixefsion and the cattle kneel in their stalls. KARSTEDT BROS. PRICEVILLE :-: ONTARIO Saugeen River Fox Ranch i % v ? i •^ y V V V y t '? % .*. •J* The Age-OId Wish 1 1 We wish our many cuctomcf.: a Merry Christmas and a Happv New Year- \Vc thank them for their past pat- rcnag:c and trust \vc can be of further ccrv'-^c to them. C. M. Heron I Gcr.cral Store :-. MAXWELL | Think of all the best wishes you can make for yourself this Christmas- - then double them â€" and you will have some idea of what a very, very Merr\ Christmas we wish vou! i F. PINDER Baker & Caterer FLESHERTON .>>.v>.X«<».S>«X«>>\K>'V>SX"X«'><>'X«'X«">X«C">>'S><«X»«>'!«>^«t«^*X«t«v Greetings- We wish all our friends and oust oniers Health. Happiness and Prosper- ity in the year 1929. May this Xmas be a joyous one for you. Miss M. Cook MERCHANT :-: CEYLON j«>«>'X":«<XK~>«>>x«':«<">>x«<«<KKK«^cK'K<«<»<~:~><««X">'X">':«'>x*>x><«<x< Had wc the words of a great poet at our cr.iiimand. we could say nothiiiq more sincere than the simple "Merrv Chri.stmas" wish which we greet you thi;-. Vuletidc. H. B. Poole General Store :•: MAXWELL •}<-«>K'<«: 'XC'-c-ro': <•<•<â- <><â- â€¢:'•: •: •>: <'«:«:o<o<'<-X">:'<{><-xk<><k •^^•♦♦^ *