OUR VIEW 1911: Christmas gifts reflect Jesus’ gift to everyone

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Daily Republic editorial from Dec. 23, 1911.

It is indeed appropriate that the Christmas season should follow closely upon that of Thanksgiving, for there is no more effective way of showing our gratitude than by manifesting the true Christmas spirit.

“Good will toward men” is the message that comes to us with each recurrence of the anniversary of the birth of the Nazarene. That declaration was fulfilled in the life of Jesus, for He gave all and received nothing, in a material way.

He sought not in any way gratification of the ordinary desires of sense of the aspirations of pride. He gave His entire life to humanity that He might lift man out of the depths of sin, disease and death and show him the vision of everlasting life.

So it is that giving has come to be the conventional method of exemplifying the Christmas spirit. No doubt, some of this giving is done in a purely formal manner.

Perhaps a good deal of it is considered necessary in response to the demands of friendship. But he who sees nothing more than this in the Christmas season has not really found the Christmas spirit. For the real joy to be obtained from Christmas festivities is contained in the act of giving.

Let it cause self-denial if it will.

If, thereby, someone is made happier, then we have in truth created something worthwhile. It is for love that we all yearn, love from our fellows, love from our families, love from the Heavenly Father. And it is only as our Christmas gifts bear a real message of love that they take joy along with them.

Love is never lost; it is indestructible. It is the greatest fact of the universe and because of it, the Christmas spirit must last forever.

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