Ah Editorial Share Your Yule Dinner the United States Coast Guard is correct to be concerned about efficiency and taxpayers' dollars The decision to eliminate ChnstmasNemr Year's liberty at its only training center in Cape May was based on that worthy goal The center also probably is acting in the best interests of the 600 recruits by deemphasizing Christmas uhtil it arrives., thus reducing homesickness and depression We are less convinced by the decisions to ban packages from, home (with Christmas presents i and to limit to 150 or 200 recruits the opportunity to have a Christmas dinner off base with a Cape May County host fapnily. - Even that number may not get to.spend Christmas Day in a warm, family atmosphere liecause not enough rcsjdents have extended

invitations

THfc TRUK MEANING of Christmas is in sharing, no matter what. The wealthy may exchange Buick Rivicras; the poor trade hugs. Setting two more places at the dinner table (two because the Coast Guard wants its recruits traveling in pairs) is impossible for some, but a snap to others. These are young men and women from all over the nation, beginning four years Of services to their Oo'untry. Many/are away from home for the first time, that’s not easy. We ask our readers to add a new sound — the jingle of a telephone W- to the many Christmas hells heard this season/ Call the Coast Guard-station at 884-8451, extension 234, and tell one of the chaplairfs — Cari Drake or Bill Dando — that you'd like to share your Christmas dinner with two recruits. Thursday is the deadline. We'd like to see the center so swamped with offers that it would feel obliged to expand the program to additional recruits. Readers' Forum ■ * Repeat ‘GodspelV? By Richard A. Magee ! would like to praise the rave review your critic, Bob > Shiles, /K ave *0 Wildwood Catholic’s presentation of ■‘'GottejfeH . " It Was evident by his words Shiles was caught up-in thKiPxcitement and enthusiasm of the.energetic cast as weN the rest of the audience , . In addition to the delightful acting, singing and dancing, I felt the love of the cast members exhibited for one another extended to the audience, and back across the footlights to them For me it was An emotional experience akin to the spiritual uplift I received as an altar boy during Litwgical Sefvl&es during Holy Week in myyouth. This.wings me to another point. Wouldn't the Easter season be an appropriate time to view this author’s version of the life, passion and death of Christ? Mr Shjles, won't you and your readers and all those who . ertjoyed the show so much join me in urging the officials at Wildwood Catholic to present the musical “Godspell" again during the Easter season? 1 I'm quite certain the "SRO" crowds would love to see it again and those unfortunate enough to miss it the first , time should be given another opportunity to enrich their lives by experiencing the love, joy and talents of, the spirited tcaSt * , . Nichorq A Mukcu writes/rom Sea Jsle City.

Dorln Ward FIRST BAPTIST — SUInfd Rlass window* at First Baptiat Church, Cope May Court Hou*e. ' . ’ . ' J-' ’ - ■ ' . . ' •

The President's Christmas Message— —. ■ ^ :— May Our Hearts Turn to Jesus The Christmas season is with us once more, and Nancy Decorations date back to ancient times when homes, and 1 are very happy to extend our warmest greetings to public buildings, and temples were festooned on special all who celebrate at this thoughtful time of year. occasions. From Spain and Old Mexico came the tradition The uniqueness of our great nation and the American of holiday pfays, and the Moravians, carrying lighted people is seldom more obviotis than during the yulctide candles and singing Christmas carols, would stage proholiday. We often marvel at the myriad customs which ..cessiohals into a stable to recall the humble birth of the have been brought to our shores. As we arc a blending of Christ child. \ nations, ko arc we an amalgam of. Christmas traditions, YOU AND YOUR.FAMII.IF.S have your favdrite tradiand Nancy and I have found it interesting to note the na. lions, too, just as we do, and somehow we seem an tional origin of just a few. especially blessed people at this time of year - not The legendary feasts of the early Romans provided a because of what.wc have but because of what we believe

model for many of the merrv-making aspects of and are.

Christmas especially the lighting of candles, lavish din- The spirit that pervades our traditions and our celebraing and the giving of gifts. From our Teutonic heritage lions is one of tribute to our Heavenly Father and to the' came the yule log and.the wassail bowl, and caroling most magnificent present of all time - His loving gift of began in England. . an onl y begotten son to a world weary with cufusion and

THE CONNECTION between St. Nicholas, the patron strife,

saint of children, and Christmas lore evolved with the As you ponder this Christmas season of 1982 with us, Northern Europeans while it was the Dutch settlers in Nancy and I ask you to join in a special prayer - a prayer New Amsterdam who brought with them the notion of St. for peace in our families, our communities, our nation, Nicholas as a giver of gifts. The Dutch also inlfcenced St. and the world. We pray that each of us may reach out to Nick's lean Took, creating that chubby, beardedAllow in a kin, colleague, friend, and foe in friendship,

ned suit who was characterized so beautiftflly in the . -

famous " Twas The Night Before Christmas." We pray, especially, that our hearts may turn to the St. Nick, or Santa Claus, first rode atop a bounteous teachings of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, for he has sleigh drawn by reindeer in a German immigrant's shown us the way to what we so earnestly seek for our

rendering of the jolly old elf visiting soldiers during the beloved planet earth.

Civil War. Nativity Scenes were developed in Italy, and May God bless and be with you through the holidays and

though some controversy exists over the origin of always.

Christmas trees, they seem to have been popularized in —Ronald Reagan Germany. • l The White House

Cheerful Remembrance of Christmas Past

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BY Jane Ann Cunningham * •. In Ihe dark'days of the Depression in the thirties, • children believed in Santa Claus. longer. Without the "benefits" of television, youngsters were much more naive about everything. THE Santa Claus Ho-Ho-Hoed into the Sunday School Christmas party to the ringing of sleigh bells, carrying a pack filled with gifts. Each of us was called to receive a gift-wrapped, ipexpensive toy (for which we were delighted) and a small box of candy. Sometimes they were p,hoco!ate drops, sometimes hard candy. This was usually the only Santa we saw, and we looked forward to it all year. Most homes in our area had coal-burning furnaces and stoves, but no fireplaces. Our stockings were pinned to the side of our beds. We wore long cotton stocking&in those days and would search for the very biggest we could find. AFTER PRESSING our noses to the cold windows, looking for the star in the east, and listening for the bells on the r,eindeer, we would finally fall asleep. As we roused dur ing the night, we would pat the stocking to see if it was flat-or finally, lumpy and filled. That woke us up! In the stocking would be one slmall toy, apples, nuts, candy, and always at the boUowb-^orange. Today, when stacks and bags of oranges'are soVotfrmon, it is hard to realize how much we enjewed that nW orange at the bottom of our stockings: ] Of course we had our letters to Santa and, as I think

back, I realize how hard it must have been for many parents to provide a Merry Christmas for their children. THERE WAS almost no governmental or institutional help for the many poor of those days. Friends, families neighbors and church groups cooperated to try and make the season happy. Without the persuasive advertisements on television, children’s desires and expectations were Jess.. Sleds, wagons, roller skates, dolls, trucks, pencil boxes, and . similar items satisfied us. I remenfber being thrilled to get a dress just like one Shirley Temple wore in one of her movies. My younger brother’s greatest wish was a pair of high tops. (These were kneehigh, leather-laced boots, worn with corduroy knickers, artd had a little pocket for a penknife.) WE WOULD SPEND a happy day visiting friends and playing with their toys, or having them visit us. I always associate those long ago Christmasses with clear toys, which are seldom seen today. Those colored candy animals tasting like sugar syrup were always a part of the holiday. Even though the number of gifts might have been few, and the cost of them small, the sacrifices and love of the family make the remembrance of those Christmas Days a cheerful one. Jane Ann Cunningham is the former publisher of the Herald.