Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

7 . ■' " I \ . i Thursday, December 25, 1952 THE CLINTON CHRONICLE Page Three Each year as we realize that soon we will be observing this great occasion, we find ourselves more grateful for the opportunity of serving you. You have been very thoughtful and generous and in extending the greetings of the season to you, we wish to include our hearty thanks for every thing. May this truly be a happy Christmas for you. Oil Corporation JOHN A. ADDISON, Distributor Howard’s Pharmacy Howard Smith — Bill Abrams To keep your Christmas a truly merry one, keep these don’t# In mind: DON’T rive children dan- terous toys, or toys with sharp points. If they operate with elec tricity, be sure you supervise their use. DON’T decorate the tree with Urhted candles unless it’s abso lutely unavoidable. DON’T place the tree near a stove or fireplace. DON’T leave lirhted tree un- ffuarded at any time. DON’T use a rickety, unsafe ladder In decorating the tree. DON’T place Christmas can dles near the tree, curtains, paper wreaths or other deco rations. DON’T overlook the opportu nity to make your tree fire- resistant. DON’T leave toys exposed where people can trip on them. DON’T allow steps and side walks 'io become Icy In cold! weather. DON’T drive recklessly. M Your Rexall Store W Early Yulelide " '' Pagan By Christians C HRISTMAS, like any other blessed institution has had to fight its battles. The first great enemy of Christmas was the Ro man empire whose pagan em perors determined to blot out all kinds of Christian rites. Iben when Roman Emperor Con stantine Christianised the empire other enemies of Christmas arose. One course of eantentkn was: Is December 29 really Christmas? Seme said Christ was bom on Jan uary •; ethers held for March M. •erne set April 21 as His birthday. Msbedy knew with complete coo- fid one* )ust when to celebrate Christmas. At last, in the fourth century, Pope Julius 1 settled the matter in favor of our present date. His decision was accepted. Trom the first there had been among Christians a certain hos tility toward the Christmas festi val. The celebration of birthdays in general was considered heathen ish and something taken over from the pagans. Nor did the enemies of Christmas fail to observe that many pagan customs had crept into-* the feastings of the day. Christmas and the days of Advent that go be- , fore it occur at the time of the winter solstice, when the days cease to grow shorter, and begin to lengthen—when the sun, hav ing declined its furthest from zenith, begins to climb again. The period was one of festival in many parts of the world, and was held scared by many religions. Then occurred the Roman Satur nalia, with its wild excesses, and the people of the north, too, had a great midwinter feast with days of hearty eating and deep drinking. From the Saturnalia came ban- quetings and dancings and riotings in masks and the giving of gifts. Our Christmas dinner and Christ mas presents and Christmas cards and the wearing of Christmas masks in various parts of the world date back to the Saturnalia. The mid-winter feast of the northern peoples was called Yule, hence our Yuletide and Yule log. The burn ing of the Christmas log descends from northern tree worship. So does the Christmas tree. Santa Claus, seems to date from later Christmas times. He is good St. Nicholas, of course. The hang ing of stockings comes from the legend that the saint, among his other charities, used to provide doweries for poor girls. The older form of the Christmas stocking custom was for poor girls to hang up stockings in the hope that bene volent St. Nicholas would place marriage portions in them. SANTA’S ROLL CALL ... la a big eity Santa needs a platoon of helpers to make the rounds Here he cheeks up la New York to see If all of his aidss are on for the big Christmas Eve Ges&B N***.»4M Greenwood Coca-Cola Bottling Company We thank you most enthusiastically for the excellent cooperation we have enjoyed during the year just drawing to a dose. We^ hove tried to serve you courteously and efficiently and pledge continuation of our efforts as long os we have the privilege of serving you. Allow us to extend the Season's Good Cheer to everybody ! C-W-S Guano Company