The Holiday Spirit

The Atlanta (Ga.) News

The attitude of Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy, the eminent Christian Scientist, toward the habit of gift-giving at the season of the Christmas holidays, attracts our attention, and raises the question of whether we are celebrating the birthday of our Lord and Saviour in a manner acceptable to him.

This season is, as we well know, one of prayer, and we are inclined to agree with Mrs. Eddy that there has come to be a spirit of commercialism in the bestowing of gifts at this particular time.

For days before the approach of this holiday season our time is absorbed with the thoughts of giving and receiving gifts, and in writing congratulations to friends and receiving congratulations from them in return. If we receive a gift, we feel under obligations to make a return gift of equal if not greater value.

The Christian Scientists would bar the habit of giving Christmas gifts, because their church annuls that which has the appearance of personal worship.

The Christmas season has for so long been one of merrymaking that there may be some reluctance on the part of our people to accept so radical a change as that proposed by Mrs. Eddy in putting the ban on the custom of Christmas giving, but it would certainly be a distinct improvement if the commercial element were eliminated.

The Atlanta (Ga.) News

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