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- PORT PERRY STAR -- CHRISTMAS EDITION -- 15 4 When Families Gather, It's Christmas! TRADITIONALLY, CHRISTMAS IS A FAMILY DAY. An old- fashioned Christmas, pictured: above in an illustration created especially for the enjoyment of the readers of this newspaper, had much in common with a modern Christmas -- gilts, greens, trees, flowers and, of course, a happy family gathering. od In the happy spirit " Ch ristmas of the holiday that abounds, we thank our faithful . Ws S h €S neighbors and friends. EARL WALLACE «f= « w v, . Decorated with Hearty "Thank You's"... You're the frosting on our cake . , . and doing : business with you is a real treat. To you, wishes for a Christmas full of goodies. Ni! vy HANK'S PASTRIES Through the years, the ways of celebrating Christ- mas have taken on many different forms. Today's Christmas tree is apt to be plastic or alumi- num, rather than nature's own fir, spruce or pine, The glow of tiny beeswax candles on a tree is only a memory, replaced now by strings of twinkling electric lights. ~~ Jolly Santa, once. trans- ported only by reindeer- drawn sleigh, may now ar- rive by helicopter or jet plane. But in spite of changes, the essence of the season, the basic spirit of Christmas, stays the same. Christmastide is, above all, - a time for togetherness and rejoicing. And a modern Christmas, just like an old- fashioned Christmas, calls for gatherings of family and - friends, with much merri- ment, fun and feasting. Right new in this commu- nity, families are celebrating the holiday with just such gatherings, such merriment, fun and feasting. Like families of yesteryear, they celebrate with gifts and greens, with the warmth of a glowing hearth and the gleam of a lighted tree, with stockings hung by the chim- ney with care and even with candles, though these beckon "brightly from candleholders rather than from the tree. All these ways of celebrat- ing are part of the legend and lore of Christmas. Exchanging Gifts Exchanging gifts at Christ- mas is one of the most time- honored of customs, and toys, dolls and games for the chil- dren have always ranked high on the gifts list. In the not-so-long-ago, "however, just one important present -- a doll for a little girl, perhaps, and a toy ac- cordion for her brother--was all that youngsters might ex- pect at Christmas. Though Santa is more "" bountiful nowadays, the gifts he brings are like those of yesteryear in at least one way. They, reflect the: inter- ests and fashions of their times. } Dolls, yesterday and today, dress in the favorite styles of the moment, Toys, too, show the influence of current - events: Toy racing cars, for in- stance, came in with the au- tomobile, while today more complex types of wheel toys take advantage of modern 'technological developments. Using Greens Use of greens and garlands to decorate for a festive sea- son goes back a thousand years before the. birth of Christ. The custom began with the ancient Egyptians. Many of the traditions of pagan festivals were later merged with the celebration of Christmas, and evergreens, because they stay green throughout the year, came to - _ be regarded as the Christmas symbol of eternal life. Decorating the Tree Many ancient legends as- sociate trees with Christmas. One is that on the first Holy Night, all the trees of the forest blossomed and bore fruit. The idea of adorning the Christmas tree with orna- ments may have started with an attempt to create the ef- fect of snow on the branches. Strings of popcorn and tufts of cotton were used. Burning the Log Today's fireplaces, though smaller 'in scale than those of yesteryear, symbolize at Christmas the age-old cus- tom of burning the log. The Yule log was adapted to Christmas celebrations from the Scandinavian prac- tice of building huge bonfires at the winter solstice, Fire represented the spring sun, soon to return. Hanging sont "St. Nicholas, so legend sayé\ « gold for \.' secretly gave gifts o the dowries of poor spinsters. He tossed the gold down a chimney on Christmas Eve, and on one occasion the gift landed in a stocking hung by the fireplace to dry. A tangerine or an orange in the toe of a stocking has come to be symbolic of the gifts of gold. ABOUT GREENS Many Christmas greens used today were once pagan symbols. Flowers and leafy boughs were used in Roman rites. The Saxons used holly, ivy and bay in their religious observances. PORT PERRY BOWLING ALLEY CHRISTMAS Wishing you.and your family the happiest 3 of holidays. Thanks for your support! the joy J of His message fill your heart with true peate. RAY BIRKETT N- SHELL AGENT FRANK HASTINGS Thanks for your generous support and consideration. Merry Christmas! ED JACKSON ED SPENCELEY mm most wonderful gifts , , ship, loyalty and good will, We thank you for yours and wish you a Merry Christmas. Port Perry Auto Supply N The beauty ana spirit of the season brings to mind . friend- iw