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What is Christmas really about By KAREN PAYNE What is Christmas It Is the glorified holiday that children look for ward to every year Their favorite holiday of course How many other days out of the year do they get bom barded with gifts Christmas Is a definite learning experience for kids They learn what it means to be greedy We celebrate Christ mas in tribute to the birth of Jesus Christ Apparently no one knows the exact date of His blrthdatc but most Christians observe December 25 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 The word Chris I mas comes from Christcs an early English phrase that means mass 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 Bethlehem of the miraculous birth of Christ Matthew told how the three wise men or Magi were lead to this savior by a bright KNOWN CELEBRATIONS The first known cele bration of Christmas occurred in 338 AD This Is according to an early Roman calendar It was celebrated on December In the late s Chri stianity became offi cial religion of the Roman empire By 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 begun to feci that Christmas included customs In the 1600s Christ mas was outlawed in England and in parts of the English Colonics in America because of these feelings Despite the outlawing of people continued to exchange gifts regard less In the 1800s two more customs evolved and became papular deco rating Christmas trees and sending greeting cords to friends and relatives In Spain people in die streets Silent Night and The Harold Angels Sing were com posed during this lime In countries including the United Stales San- la Claus replaced Saint Nicholas as the symbol of gilt giving The Christmas tradi tion became important to different businesses for economic reasons SELL TREES Today companies manufacture Christmas decorations and sell trees far the occasion Many places hire extra help for he Christmas rush People celebrate Christmas all over the In Spain for example people donee in the streets after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve Most Spanish homes dis play a Nativity scene 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 last day of their Christ mas season This day celebrates the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus According o the Spa nish tradition the wise men visit each home and distribute gifts to all children in show In Poland the people attend This means the Shepherds Mass They then follow the Christmas tradition by breaking an opla- which is a thin layer wafer made of wheat flour and water scenes are stamped on the The head of the family holds the wafer and each person then cats 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 or celebrating Christmas with one thing in common Christs birth day HUMBLE In some cultures It is a very bumble celebrati on In the United Slates 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 grown up receiving toya by the Iruckload far Christ mas How many of these kids understand why they are being loaded with all of these wonder ful gifts When you mention Christmas a child today the first vision that may pop Into his head will be a new BarW might not be that holy wonder In Bethlehem so many ccntutles ago Recycle this news paper To Nod out how call The Ontario Re cycling Information Service 1 800187 HIT Catalogue Wed Dec Kin tree sales begin December 2 Have we got a tree for you Thats what members of Georgetowns Kins men Club are telling people as they prepare for the clubs annua Christmas tree sale be ginning Dec 1 The tree sale is never short of a wide selection of quality trees642 of hem will sprout over night on the A and P Parking Lot at the com er of Sinclair Avenue and Street Twelve Scotch Pine will be over eight feci toll for churches and homes high cell Theyll sell for while the smaller Scotch Pines will retail for 111 Balsams will sell for J Trees will be sold on a firstcome firstserv ed basis The annua sale which raises money for Kinsmensponsored charities and ty projects has been a victim in the past of overnight tree ihefts The club advises that the people most hurt by the loss or trees are community residents who enjoy a number of Kinsmen sponsored pro jects like porkettes and Ihe ice cleaner at Gord on Arena The sale will continue until all trees arc Annual toy drive The Kinetic Club of Georgetowns annual Christmas Toy Drive is underway once again with many local groups already collecting new or nearly new toys far needy area children The Toy Drive held in conjunction with The Good Neighbour Service has been a Kineltc pro- MIES WORTH BUY AT HALF THE NEW PRICE j AND LESS I MAKE MONEY- 1 WE SELL FOR YOU ft owntown Jcct for the past eighteen years and each year the Kinetics are amazed at the generosi ty of local It tens Toys can be dropped off anytime the home of Joanne Stiles Heather or at the office of Arthur Johnson Real Estate on Guelph St A SPECIAL GIFT For Special Friends Christinas Candles made with sweet dairy fresh country butter Christmas Candles from Get them fresh from Downtown Georgetown 8772761 ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF THIS CHRISTMAS ORGANS PIANOS FROM DEC 12 to DEC 23 OPEN EVERY NIGHT AM BARBERS JEWELLERS Main St South 8773482 FREE GIFT WRAPPING Affordable Luxury CHRISTMAS PARTIES AND FUNCTIONS Reserve now for your office Christmas to 50 people STARTING DEC11 400 pm 800 pm SUNDAY BUFFET MILL ST PARKING LOT ENTHANCE 8731444