Festivals have always held an important place in the life of home and community. The anniversary of the day of birth, or of marriage, the day of graduation, or of coming of age—what opportunities they offer for strengthening the ties of kinship, for creating hallowed associations that may often prove bulwarks of safety in later days of temptation and sorrow!
Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, are now National holidays with us, and our celebration of these beautiful festivals is one more link in the chain which binds us to all races and creeds; for the return of the sun at the winter solstice, the renewal of life in the spring, the ingathering of fruits in the autumn, have appealed to all peoples as fitting occasions for the expression of religious joy and for mutual congratulations upon dangers past and the results of work accomplished.
In the joy of such occasions, we must not let them degenerate into the mere mercenary exchange of material gifts.
Christmas is preëminently the children's day, when we annually remind ourselves of the divinity inherent in all childhood, and desire to bring joy to all children and goodwill to all peoples.
Easter means most to the adult who has experienced sorrow and disappointment and has known something of the anguish and awe and deepening of life that comes with the message of Death. The pleasure of the child in the hare and the Easter egg must not be allowed altogether to overbalance the wondrous symbolism of the Easter lily.
The National holidays—Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, etc.—take us outside the limits of the home and remind us that, as we thank the men and women of the past for the privileges of the present which we owe to their sacrifices and aspirations, so we should realize our obligations towards the future.
In celebrating these different festivals, let the child bear his small part. We give a few ideas of things which he may do or make. It is these early impressions which are the lasting ones. The actual service demanded of the child counts much in the formation of character, though even more important is the spirit which radiates at such times from the parents and friends who celebrate or prepare to celebrate these recurrent holidays. It is the "spirit which giveth life," here, as everywhere.
The suggestions will be given in the order in which the holidays come in the year. Where an article is described in another part of the book, it will not be repeated, but the page number will be given for reference.
NEW YEAR'S DAY
Place Cards at Table (White card, pressed four-leaf clover, or paints)