Article December 20, 1930 Issue

The Children's Christmas

KATHERINE ENGLISH

A HAPPY Christmas! Mrs. Eddy's tender heart wished all children to have a happy Christmas, but she did not approve of connecting it with the thought of Santa Claus. In reference to this, she writes in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 261): "A deceit or falsehood is never wise. Too much cannot be done towards guarding and guiding well the germinating and inclining thought of childhood." When the children see representations of Santa Claus at shop doors, or pictured in story, they should be taught that it is only pretending, just a game that people play at this time. If a child is taught to believe in the legend of Santa Claus as true, he is bound later on to find out that he has been deceived; and finding his parents untruthful in one respect, he is apt to doubt their word in other things.

How much happier is the little one who has been told the lovely story of the birth of Jesus! Christmas time should bring many happy lessons to the children. It is an opportunity to teach them about the healing Christ which Jesus manifested so beautifully; of his goodness and obedience as a little child, and of his loving-kindness as a man. One little boy, who had just heard the story of Jesus' unselfish life, exclaimed: "And did he do all that we could understand about God? Oh! I do love him for that!"

It is easy to teach the little ones the reason underlying the bringing of gifts to one another at Christmas: it is for joy that the Christ has come. The Wisemen brought gifts to the infant Jesus, gold and frankincense and myrrh, the most precious things they had. We teach the children the joy of giving, showing them that it is not merely the material gift or its cost in money that brings happiness, but the love, patience, and unselfishness shown in choosing, making, and wrapping up the little present; that it costs time and thought to choose just what will be most suitable, useful, and beautiful to give within the means at our disposal. Valuable lessons of economy and generosity are naturally instilled and thought lifted above money and materiality.

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