Article December 13, 1947 Issue

Christmas and the Sunday School

Our loving and beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, understood children. It was her desire that theirs should be a full portion of juvenile joy. She felt therefore that they should be permitted to enjoy the Christmas season according to the custom of the times, except that they should not be deceived about Santa Claus. It is not, however, a part of the work of the Sunday School to provide pastimes, gifts, or greeting cards for the Sunday School children at Christmas time or at any season of the year. This is left to the discretion of parents, relatives, and friends. If a Sunday School teacher wishes to send greeting cards or simple gifts to the pupils of his class or to provide occasional entertainment for them, it is his privilege as an individual friend to do so, provided there is nothing in the rules of the local church to prevent it, and provided all plans are made and carried out entirely outside the Sunday School and without regard to the teacher-pupil relationship. Teachers who provide these things for the Sunday School children do well to be conservative, considering the effect of such practice, if followed to any considerable extent, on children whose teachers do not provide them.

During the several weeks preceding Christmas, when the children's thought is taken up with the various activities incidental to the season, it is well that they be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas. In the older classes some teachers at this time recommend for home study some of the articles on the subject written by our Leader and found in her published writings. Pupils who do not have access to the books at home are referred to the Sunday School lending library for them.

On the subject of Christmas Mrs. Eddy made a superb statement to the New York World which is republished in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" under the title, "The Significance of Christmas." In this article she states (p. 260), "The basis of Christmas is the rock, Christ Jesus; its fruits are inspiration and spiritual understanding of joy and rejoicing,—not because of tradition, usage, or corporeal pleasures, but because of fundamental and demonstrable truth, because of the heaven within us."

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