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Fresh Dead or Crippled Farm Stock Margwill Fur Fa rm 263-272'L Bob Yeomans Plumbing and Heating 24 Hour Service New Installations Alterations - Repairs Specializing in Hot Water Heating Forced Air Hleating Septic Tank Work R. R.1, Orono 983-5624 Box 133 Ph. 668-3552 Staffo rd B rothers Lumited Manufacturers of Cemetery Memorials 318 Eundas Street East WHITBY, ONTARIO Building a House? or remodelling your present one? en contact: Floyd Nieholson Phonte 983-5049, Orono Orvillie Chatterton ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING 983-5546 or 983-5940 UtWrqNq, ONTARIO Chri stmas gifts Christmas is gift-giving time, and has been for cen- turies. But how, the chil- dren ask, did the ctistom originate? With gold, frankincense and myrrh - these were the gifts of the Magi, the Wise men who followed the Christmas star to find an In- fant King. When they reach- ed Bethlehem, they gave tlieir treasures to the Holy- Child. Their offlerings were the first Christmas gifts - the start of a warm tradition that flourishes to this day. Because the wise men brought gifts to the manger, the tradition of Christmas giving is a hallowed one. They gave from their hearts, in joy and wonder, as the most thouffhtftil gifts are stili given today. The legend of Santa Clatis also contributes, to otir Christmas gift-giving ctis- tom. His story varies from Real1 estate sales hold up well Alt1hough real estate sýales in IheTl ono area have declin- ed substantially, the vol)umne of house sales in the cities and towns East * of Metro are holdi ng up well according to Walter Frank, President of W. Frank Real Estate Limited. Mr. Frank, who oprates 13 offices between Torontlo and 'l Kingston, reports that ,8 properties were sold in 8 cýitiles and towns east of erooi an Toronto for $31ý, 114-,53o in the first 9 mon ths of t his yea,ýr compared to 6,425 transactionl for $262,93o.217. This is a $55.2 million or 21 percent increase in, sales in thie comparabfle 3 quarters of 1973 andC 1974, the W. Fratnk Rea Estate Limiit- ed sur.veyv showýs.,"Thereý is a slowd\(own, in real estate sales inth le last quiarter of this year. Iowvrproperties whichi are priced realistically are selling briskly," according to Mlr. Frank. "Although the numiber of uinits sÔld declined, inflat- ion accotinted for an increase in the dollar volume of sales," i Mr. Frank pointed out. The average price of pro- perties sold in the region'for the January - September period of this year was $61,353 cornpared to S40,923 in the similar 9 months of 1973. Recently, Mr. Frank had encouraged the Federal Gov- eýrome(nt,' through Central Morgag and Housing Cor- porationi, to mrake home ownershýipi easier for more Canadian families. On August 20 ths ear he suggested that "euside;ntial mortgage inter- est rates should be subsidized to encourage new building this winter and prevent anothier inflationary spiral in hiouse pric' es next Srn. Mr. Frank also said at that time -"Jo order to avoid the situation whiichi prevailed in the last three years, when house prices generally doubl- ed because of the critical 'shortagye and backlog of demiand, Governments will be pressured into stimiulating residential construction. Because our interest rate structure (in Canada) cannot be isolated from international country to country, but the most popular tradition says the first Santa Clauis was St. Nicholas, a bishop in Asia Minor in the fifth Century. As legend has it, the bish- op determined to help three daughters of a poor man by providing them with dow- ries so they could get mar- ried. Secretly, the good saint crept to the roof of.the fam- ily home to, throw a bag of gold down the chimney each Christmas- Eve for three years until ail the girls were wed. The story says that on the influences, this would have to be done artificially through subsidy - rather than natural- ly." Therefore, Mr. Frank welcomed the announcemnent this week by Federal Urban Affairs Minister Barnet Dan- son that mortgage interest rates would be subsidized for the difference between He current rate, \ wih is12 percent. to as low as 9 percenti. Details ofl the plan have not yetý been announced, b)ut the program is expected to stimulate hIousqe Ibuiliing and bungatit.Hwer Mr. Frank cautionecd conIsum1- ers not to postpoine purchiases in anticipat.iion of lower mnort- gage interest rates because, there are man.\ bargains on the market now- withi some new houses sellingl for less than replacement value. third Christmas, the father waited on the 'roof and caught the bishop in the act of tossing, the gold down the chimney. Although St. Nich- olas wanted his gifts to be anonymous, the gr.ateful man 'told everyone of the saint's generosity. Thus, as the years passed, St. Nicholas became the pa- tron saint of children and the spirit of Christmas giv- ing. Old paintings and stat- tics show himi on horseback in his bishop's robes, deliv- ering gifts to good children on the eve of his feast day, December 6th. The story of St. Nicholas was brought to America by the Dutch, and gradually evolved into the white- bearded, red-suited symbol of, Christmas we know to- day. for a happy, healthy anclf est SPONSORED BY YOUR ORONO BUTS H.H. Barlow Mom's Kitchen M & M Variety Dr. P.1. Maartense Partner P1umbing and Heating Stive season. TINESS'MEN Rolph Hardware Carman Plumbing and Heating Kay Lycett Ray's Barbershop Glenn Tennant Transport O~ur heartiest good wishes for a happy and joyous Yuletide go f0 you and yours. TENNANT FUELS1 1 Y~~our Fina Sales,Agenit, Oronlo, Ontarlo0 Serving sail of the Tn of New,ý%castle j j -y W e're grate fi to be spending Christrnas among al our friends and neigh bars... as a measuire of our BANK of COMMERCE ORONO BRANCH Orono Weeklv Timies, Monda v. December 23rd, 1974--f Ws Wise, men' began .cumstorn 0 f exchangïng