University of South Carolina Libraries
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1956 THE NEWBERRY SUN SECTION 3—PAGE 5 May happiness, peace and contentment be in store for all of mankind. May your holiday be rich with the Spirit that makes Christmas new and wonderful each year. s The Bowers-Floyd Insurance Agencies A. J. BOWERS LOUIS C. FLOYD MAMTF PARKS OVEEDA D. SHEALY 1107 Boyce Street NEWBERRY, S. C. Personalize Your Greeting Cards You can personalize the greet- gs you send to special friends by making your own cards. Handmade Christmas cards are fun to make, send and receive and truly reflect the personality of the sender. One simple way to make cards is to trace a design that reflects your family personality or a sym bol of the season on a block of lino leum. Cut away all but the part you want to print, dip this part into colored ink, and stamp It on a folded piece of good quality pa per. Then hand-letter your holiday message on the inside. Other cards can be made by painting, or by cutting pictures and designs from last year’s cards and putting them together In new designs to make fresh, personal ized greetings. Santa, e4s We Know J4im Tjoday, Created dBy Tjwo famous Jien Santa Claus, as we know him today—jolly smile, round, red cheeks and chunky figure—is the Creation of two famous men. The first was Clement Clark Moore, author of “A Visit to St. Nicholas,” better known to us as, ** ’Twas the Night Before Christ* mas.” Moore actually described Santa and gave him the famous reindeer and sleigh. The second man, who put the actual likeness of Santa on paper to illustrate Moore’s poem, was Thomas Nast, a great cartoonist. Nast drew the familiar, fat, mer ry old fellow with red cheeks and white beard, dressed in red, wear ing a cap and boots, carrying a pack of toys and smoking a short pipe. The artist then gave Santa a spy-glass so that during the year he might pick out the good chil dren from the bad, and also a big book in which to write their names and keep records. This conception of Santa Claus first appeared in 1863. Since that time the pictured Santa has been the same, although the spy-glass and pipe seem to have been dropped by the way. St. Francis Gave 1 I Much to Christmas Some 400 years before Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, per formed the many acts of generos ity and kindness which made his life a great legend and gave him the “Santa Claus” character w« know today, another Saint — St, Francis of Assisi made other con tributions to our celebration of Christmas. St. Francis lived in the small Italian village of Garcia. In tha year 1200 A.D., St. Francis ar ranged the first manger scene in a cave near the monastery where ho lived. The scene was typical of tha^ at Bethlehem. There was a man ger filled with hay, an ox and an, ass. St. Francis and his followers, celebrated mass at the cave and, sang hymns in honor of the Christ] Child. Himself a lover of music, St, Francis believed that the early chants (written in Latin) were too theological to be popular. He felt that Christmas music should be re ligious, yet should be more in keep-| ing with the festivity spirit He i« generally credited with being influence behind the more mode Christmas carols, which sprea from Italy to France, from theroj to Germany; then to England and] elsewhere. | fi % a & Anger Is Gone “Sis,” The boy’s shouted in uni son, a happy shout with no trace of anger. “Hi Fellows. Meet my husband, Bill.” Kathy’s aadiant smile lit up her pale face. “Husband?” The boy’s stood star ing, dumbfounded. Mom answered, “Yes husband. Kathy’s been married for almost two years. I knew it, but Kathy hf d to keep it a secret on account of her work. I guess you’re through working now, but why didn’t you tell me.” Mom turned accusing eyes at Kathy. Bill spoke up, “I wanted her too, but she didn’t want you to worry.” He handed Mom the pink bundle and a wail came from it. Kathy spoke quickly. “Mom, I’ve been hospitalized for a month, for fear I’d lose the baby. I'm sorry about Christmas, no card, no word but Bill has no mind for small de tails.” Bill smiled apologetically. “I was so darn worried about Kathy, that Christmas was over before I rea lized it. The baby came two days before Christmas an<^ it was touch and go for them both. Dad led Kathy to a chair and all suddenly realized Kathy was not her old perky self. Mom, holding on tight to her grandchild, said, “Nothing else matters, you’re here now.” Giving the baby to Gramp, she picked up Kathy's package, handing it to her. The mystery of the gift was revealed as Kathy slipped on a fawn colored stole and heard the masculine approval of “Wow.” Bill said, “Hey, we got presents in the car and tons of baby stuff.” Homemade Treats Make Special Gifts The Christmas season is tradi tionally marked by tasty things to eat. And good foods made in your kitchen add a traditional note to the celebration. Such gifts say “Merry Christmas” with an espe cially warm and personal touch. From a practical standpoint, 1 they’re easy on the pocketbook, too. Many homemakers with a Ger man heritage have treasured fam ily recipes for beautiful marzipan candy of lebkuchen, pfeffernusse, and springerle cookies, for in stance, that are perfect for shar ing with friends at holiday time. Or, perhaps, your family has its own special recipe for famous English plum pudding. Spiced gin gerbread is undoubtedly a family favorite if you’re of French de scent. But, whether it’s cookies, can dies, puddings, fruit cakes, or jel lies, homemade food gifts are easy to make and delightful to receive. THE TREE . . , Part of the joy in preparing tor Christmas centers around the selection of a tree. These young residents ot New York City are deciding between a long and a short pine for their home. Proper Tree Cuttings Help Forests Grow Cutting an evergreen for a Christ mas tree is not a harmful practice, so d^’t feel guilty about it. Even the trees that- are sold in market places were “harvested” as a crop to give living room to regular plantings. Christmas trees are grown on poorer forest soils and wet bog areas where evergreens grow far too slowly to produce a lumber or pulpwood crop — thus Christmas trees 'are the only profitable har vest that can come off that land. Some trees do come from top lumber areas, but these are “thin nings.” In growing trees as a crop it is often necessary to thin out the smaller trees so others will have room to live and grow. Thus it is that the “thinni"*** serve a number of uses: they bring Christmas joy into the hom^; prpvide income for the forester; and serve as “life insurance" for upcoming timber crops. SUNNY CHRISTMAS . . . «'* always Christmas at the little post office at Christmas, Flor ida, and about this time every year thousands of packages popr into Christmas, to be mailed - again, under the famous post mark of “Christmas, Florid*.” Here, Santa gets an assist Irons a young helper. i \ mmm mm # Jr wm mm am m i mw' T ' r manger. This Holy hundred years ago.* follow in the adoration of our Let us give with our Christmas to alU the Christ Child was nestled in HSs the hope of men in those days over who wodd bring faith. Today, let shepherd* of yesteryear. Let us Christmas Day...if!s the Birthday of oua oith oar energies, for peace oo earth. •M,- Joanna Cotton Mills Company! JOANNA, SOUTH CAROLINA