Shawnigan Lake School - Yearbook (Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia Canada)

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Jjaumt§an Slake JsVljnnl Magazine immber, 1935

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Shawnigan Lake School Magazine « EDITORIAL IT was natural that their talk should be running on Christmas, and as their young voices were raised in their excitement it was not diffi- cult to hear what they were saying. They were telling each other what they wanted: for what they hoped: for what they would specially ask. I was struck as much by the moderation of their requests as by the comprehensiveness of them. Nor were their thoughts purely selfish, for they spoke also of what they were planning to give to other members of the household. From presents their talk ran on to Christmas dinner with a long recital of the dainties to which they were most partial, and a surfeit of which must surely overtax the most hardened digestion. How exciting Christmas is for the young! As I walked back to my room, their gay, irresponsible talk ran in my thoughts and I wondered how I could bring some deeper meaning of the occasion home to them. I decided I would read them Dickens ' Christmas Carol in the hopes that it would prompt them to do some- thing to make the day happier for others less fortunate than themselves, and so add to their enjoyment. Turning on the radio when I reached my room, I heard the closing words of a carol, And to the earth be peace, Goodwill henceforth . . . . Peace? Goodwill? Where were they to be found on earth? Would the Roman Dictator hear these words sung? And if he did, what would his reactions be to this Christmas message? Peace on earth? What a mock- ery it sounded! Better surely, like that other Roman, to take as one ' s creed Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. But this did not fit with Christmas, unless one only saw in it presents and eating, for- getting what lay behind it all. For in a manger Jesn sleeps This Christmas day.