Abington High School - Abhis Yearbook (Abington, MA)

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14 THE ABHIS WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO ME When I think of Christmas I first think of peace. Peace on earth, good will towardimenf' This Christmas I would like to see the world at peace. I would like to see the snow cover the world like a thin blanket and hear church bells ring in the distance. This Christmas everybody should kneel down and prayg pray for the men now fighting in Korea and the men now confined in hospitals throughout the world. Let us not forget the boys and men who died so that we might live and be happy. PAUL D'AMATO, '51 CHRISTMAS 1950 Christmas is rapidly approaching, but I fear it will not be the Christmas we have been dreaming about. Everywhere about us I can see the forced smiles of people who are anxiously awaiting a word from their sweethearts, husbands, and sons. They are constantly whispering a silent prayer that these boys may be returned home safely to them. Soon gay red and green decorations will be in every store window, street corner, and home. Snow will be floating down from the sky and mothers will be whispering to their children about that fat, jolly-faced fellow known as Santa Claus. Despite these outward signs of gaiety, hearts are heavy and people continue their everyday responsi- bilities with increasing depression. I pray that our God above will bless all these people, give them faith to carry on their duties with easier hearts, and give them a new outlook on life. I pray that all the boys fighting overseas to pre- serve our democracy may he returned to us so that they will never again miss Christmas at home with their families and friends. SHIRLEY PRATT, '51 The Kind of Christmas I Should Like to Have I should like to have a Christmas where every- one could have a line dinner and warm clothing. We do not usually think these things important because most of us already have warm clothes and very likely we shall all have a splendid Christmas dinner. I am not thinking of us 'lucky Ameri- cans at this time. I am thinking of the people in Germany, Russia and Poland, and many other for- eign countries, who are starving and freezing. If they could all have a fine dinner and warm clothes the world would be happier. I would rather see them having food and clothing than to get the things I have looked forward to for Christmas. HARRIET LEARNED, '55 MY HAPPIEST CHRISTMAS The happiest Christmas I have had came when I was four years old. I got a cart from my grandmother. I can just barely remember when my father used to pull me around in it. I had it until two or three years ago when two of my mischievous brothers got hold of it and wrecked it. The other thing that I got that year and liked very much was a doll carriage. I played with it all the time when I was not eating or sleeping. PATRICIA DoNovAN, '55 THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT The greatest of all Christmas presents would be peace on earth and friendliness toward one's fellow men. This present would be given by all and re- ceived by all. The millions of people who are suiering daily under Communistic oppression would be free to follow whatever creed they liked. The Korean sit- uation would end and so would the slaughtering of thousands of soldiers on both sides. Hundreds of thousands of children would be warm and well fed, and sheltered. Dictators would vanish from the face of the earth and each country would be run democratically with equal rights for everybody. Atomic energy would benefit, rather than harm mankind. Yes, if I had my way peace on earth would be the greatest Christmas present. JAMES KELLBY, '51 WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO ME To me Christmas is a time of joy and general rejoicing. Christmas is the time when man should love man, because of the love he has for Christ who was born on this day. just as when on the birthday of some close friend or relative we show our love for this person, so should we show our love for God by loving our fellow men. Many people think that Christmas is for little children only. This is only natural because on Christmas Santa Claus comes with presents for all the good little boys and girls. It is only natural that little children should take without giving, but where else can a mature person find so much joy as when giving a gift to a loved one, rather than receiving one? . ' . To me, the love of man for man and God, the warmth in the heart from giving, the sight of happy smiling faces before the Christmas tree, are the things that make Christmas. ' JOHN JOHNSON, '51 .,,.?.

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THE ABHIS 15 ABOUT CHRISTMAS SANTA CLAUS If someone were to stop you on the street and ask, Do you believe in Santa Claus? you would probably do one of two things: drop dead from surprise or just stand and gape at whoever was fool enough to ask such an absurd question. My answer would simply be, Yes, I do believe in Santa Claus, for without believing in this immor- tal old man there just wouldn't be any Christmas as we know it. CAROL OUELLETFB, '51 The Kind of Christmas I Should Like to Have I should like a nice white Christmas with a beau- tiful Christmas tree decorated 'with lights, some colored bulbs, and candy canes hanging from the green hemlock boughs. g I should like to find a lot of presents under the tree, including checkers, a baseball glove, ice skates, a toboggan and an electric guitar. I should like a big turkey dinner with stuffing and gravy and a big bowl of fruit. I should like to help Santa Claus the night before Christmas as he delivers many toys and fills stock- ings by the fireplace with candy and fruit. I should also like to help him wrap presents for poor orphans who have poor Chrisrmases. I wish I had a shop in which to make toys that I could give to poor crippled or homeless children who have never known a Christmas or Santa Claus. I would like to make every poor child in the world happy. That's the kind of Christmas I should like to have. CARROLL MAY, '55 WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO ME To me Christmas is a day of joy and happiness. It is the day when we are rewarded with thanks for all our pains in selecting and wrapping gifts. It is the day when we all go to church to thank God in our way for His blessing. Christmas is a day of peace and love. On this day one forgets intolerance, hatred, and war. One wishes everybody he meets a Merry Christmas. He forgets the recent arguments with his neighbors. All he remembers are the good things about him. Christmas means a'tree all decorated in tinsel and beautiful lights. It means little children writ- ing letters to Santa Claus. It means putting pres- ents under the tree on Christmas Eve and waking up very early the next day to open them. KATHERINE EDSON, '51 The Kind of Christmas I Should Like to Have I should like to have the kind of Christmas for the whole world that as far as I can remember has never been. I should like to have the world as nearly completely peaceful as possible with no countries occupied by any other people as a mili- tary movement. I should like all the fellows and girls who are now in the services to be at home so that everyone in the world could enjoy a real old-fashioned Christmas. Instead of having everyone in the country sending presents to their loved in far-off countries, I would have them all sitting around the Christmas tree enjoying what the little children and they themselves were doing. h Perhaps this is a lot of dreaming on my part, but it surely would be the perfect Christmas for every- one. JANET HUNTER, '51 MY HAPPIEST CHRISTMAS One day before Christmas when I was about five years of age, I went to Boston to see Santa Claus. I wasn't sure about himg that is, I didn't believe in him. My mother bought the tickets and we went in. There were hundreds of children in the store. When I got up to the place where Santa was, I told him what I wanted, but a little thing hap- pened. I took a pull at a part of his whiskers. That was the end of me and my visits to Boston for a little while. MARK LYDON, '55 The Kind of Christmas I Should Like to Have I should like to have Christmas this year a happy one for everyone, with snow and plenty to Cat and presents for everyone, and a big bright tree in every home. I should like to have everyone in my family gather at my house and all go to church, then return to my house and sing Christmas carols. Then the elders would put the younger children to bed and let them dream about what they would like Santa to bring them. After the children had gone to bed the older folks would wrap presents and get the tree ready and prepare the turkey for the next day. I would like to have one of the older men dress as Santa and distribute the gifts. The best present in all the earth would be to have the war stop and have all the boys return home and have this world a peaceful, loving one. BETTY MCKENNA, '51 inc f ,

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THE ABHIS 15 POETRY My Wish If I could have a pot of gold, Mine to have and mine to hold. I'd swap the gold for just one thing- Not to fly, to swim, or singg But that all the boys across the sea Would again come home And our world be free. BARBARA RICHARDS, '53 The Gift 'Way in the past on a clear frosty night There appeared to some shepherds a wond'rous sight: T'was a beautiful star much larger than all And it rested and shone o'er a Bethlehem stall. Then some angels appeared quite near And bade the shepherds have no fear But follow the star so brightly gleaming And lo! beneath it find their new king. When to that distant stall they went They found there three kings from the And in the soft, sweet smelling hay The little baby jesus lay- Orient A blessed gift whom God had sent To help His dear people to repent And to realize what the world could be If everyone would live as He. MARTHA CRANE, '51 Thoughts At night When winds are quiet And stars are twinkling rays of light, When frogs and crickets are softly chirping, And all the world seems at easeg I think of God and Love. At night When winds are howling, And heavy fog has shut from view the starry heaven, When creatures great and small have ceased their talking, And all the world seems torn by storm, I am secure in thoughts of God and Love. SHIRLEY PRATT, '51 Christmas This is the season when the purest snow Falls from the heavens to the earth below, Turning the countryside into a fairyplace Of magical forms and silver lace. This is the season when Christmas bells ring Out their songs of the new born King, Who showed the way to the people of old, That they might find joy and love untold. Now is the time when we all must heed The teachings of Jesus and His plea That we should love our fellowmen That we may have peace on this earth again. MAR -IORIE KRISTIANSBN, '51