Page:Christmas stories (IA christmasstories00faul).pdf/15



E are all children, young and old, at Christmas time. We love to talk and think about Santa Claus and the gifts which he will bring to us, and we like to plan how we may play Santa Claus and make some one else happy. Santa Claus embodies this spirit of self-sacrifice and service and so we will enjoy going in our dreams on “ A Visit to Santa Claus Land.” And what fun we will have when we join with the fairies and dear Mrs. Santa Claus and trim “A Christmas Tree for Santa Claus.” And then this story of “Squeaky and the Scarebox”—you know such a thing might really truly happen on your own tree, so look out when you open your “Jack-in-the-box.” “The Legend of Saint Nicholas” and his long silken purses will help you to understand our custom of hanging up our stockings to receive gifts. And this good Bishop doing his deeds of love in the night certainly must have been like our Santa Claus. The