December 25, 1867

MERRY CHRISTMAS

On this, the first Christmas in the Dominion of Canada, we republish the Christmas greetings from The Globe and The Ottawa Times published today. And to all of our numerous readers and their families, we wish you a happy and merry Christmas.

The Globe

Christmas has come once more, with all its pleasant meetings and memories. To very many in Christendom it is a time of thankful religious observance; to very many more a season of family reunions and general festival.

Whether or not it be the very day when Christ was born is still a matter of dispute; but even if it could be definitely settled, as a mere matter of argument, in the negative, as circumstances now are, and have long been throughout the larger portion of Christendom, we should have a great sympathy with those who would still cling to the observance of the time-hallowed day. Such anniversaries may have been greatly perverted; yet it is will to be reminded by their recurrence of the great events of the past; and by this one especially, of the advent of Him who came to preach “peace on earth and good will to men”.

Amid the eager pursuit of mere business, pushed especially as it now is, such pausing times are good for the body as well as for the soul, and instead of being diminished by laboured argument, in thew ay of showing that there has been some mistake about their original appointment, it were better that for some reason or another they were even slightly increased.

In city, town, hamlet and country generally, the wheels of business will stand still, and from the lowest to the highest it were to be desired that all could forget their toll and their care. To many in Canada, the year that is nearly passed has been one of great prosperity. They can afford to enjoy themselves, and they should do more. They ought to be thankful for their prosperity, and so thankful as to be determined not to enjoy it alone.

In every country, however, generally prosperous, there will be those who, at the yearly return of national holiday-making, have very little of the wherewithal to make merry with their friends. So it will be in Canada to-day. While very many happy families will meet in comfort to eat together their Christmas dinner…there will be a good many others whose tables will be but scantily supplied, whose homes will not be over comfortable, and whose hearts may neither be merry nor hopeful.

Plenty of youngsters have this morning been shouting with gladness over the gifts of that dear old queer-looking genius, Santa Claus; but many more poor things have no such reason for remembering Christmas morning. Would it not be well that those who have enough and to spare should add to the enjoyment of their own Christmas feast the pleasure arising from the thought that they have helped some of their less fortunate neighbours or fellow-citizens to have theirs also better and more abundant that it would have otherwise been….

…

It is quite true that many are destitute who have themselves to blame; that many poor, pinched, hunger-bitten boys and girls might be well-fed, and well clothed, and well housed, and have their own Christmas dinners and their own stockings filled with the gifts of a domestic Santa Claus, but for the improvident and vicious habits of fathers and mothers. There is no denying this; but what then?

Surely, not that any should comfort themselves in selfish enjoyment, with the thought that very many in want are undeserving, and therefore will not do anything to see whether there are any of the destitute who are fit objects of charity, or give anything to brighten even for a single day, the dark lot of those who may be innocently suffering through another’s sin, or may be even deservedly suffering through their own.

Very cordially, we wish our numerous readers — always, we are happy to say, increasing — a merry, happy Christmas, and many returns.

The Ottawa Times

The great social and religious festival of Christmas has again arrived and we naturally desire to extend to our numerous readers the expression of our hearty wish that the season may be to them a merry one. The celebration of Christmas time has changed in its forms with the changing manners of society; but it still holds its place as a season for the substantial enjoyment of the good things of this life. If we can no longer say

“Come birth with a noise
my Merry, Merry boys
The Christmas log to the firing
While may good dame she
Bids you all to be free,
And drink to you hears desiring.”

There is still “wine and wasail” enough and to spare. And though perhaps it is no longer precisely

“…the time when the gay old man leaps back to the days of youth,”

yet if we make allowance for that exaggeration of which the poets have no longer a monopoly, we may believe that to a great many, young and old, the Merry Christmas season does bring a flow of joyous feeling which the festivities attending no other annually re-curring event evoke…in the little less religious exercise of charity towards friends and neighbours, and alms-giving to the poor, pays tribute to the great event commemorated by this festival; and however much the hard and ceaseless toil of this work-a-day world may eat into, and destroy, the finer sensibilities of human nature, we hope that no spirit of sever utilitarianism will ever drive out of fashion the distinguishing social and charitable observances which for so many centuries have clung round the season of Christmas.

…

And who would deny the pleasures to the little folks of the mysterious gifts which the mysterious Santa Claus, in the dead hour of night, when little eyes are closed in sleep, pours into that suspended stocking? Who refuse the faithful employee the enjoyment of a little holiday recreation? the clergyman his Christmas offering? or the poor such bountiful largess as money and means enable the more fortunate of the human family to bestow?