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Campus Mirror Published During the College Year by the Students of Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia VOL. XX DECEMBER, 1943 No. 3 Yuletide Customs In the light of the world affairs Christ mas, 1943. takes on a new significance, hut the old. old Christmas story never changes. We still believe that Jesus re mains God’s greatest gift to the world and we have faith that the song of the heavenly host of “Peace on earth — good will to men” will become more than a dream. As the Christmas season approaches, we again think of the symbols and cus toms associated with the season — ever green wreaths, Christmas trees and candles, carols and presenting of gifts. A consideration of how these became recognized as such will afford a deeper understanding of the Yuletide practices that have been handed down to us, and will be helpful should we tend to be come preoccupied with the types them- selves rather than with the true meaning behind them. Our Christmas tree is of German ori gin. Martin Luther is said to have decked a fir with lighted candles to picture for his children the stars on the Holy Night. The custom of placing a lighted candle in the window on Christmas Eve origi nated because of a legend that on that night the Christ Child wanders over the earth seeking shelter. More recently the candy cane has come to represent the staff of the shepherds who first heard the news of Christ’s birth. Our conception of Santa Claus had its origin in Holland and was brought here in the early seventeenth century by Dutch settlers. Their patron saint of Christmas was Saint Nicholas whose name was shortened to Saint Klaus, in English spelled Santa Claus. The word carol originally meant a dance in a ring accompanied by singing. From England and the continent comes the custom of going from house to house singing of the birth of Christ, called caroling. The idea of giving presents at this time goes back to the babyhood of the Saviour when the Magi brought gifts to the Christ Child. All of the customs and all of the sym bols of Christmas point to one abiding fact, that Christmas is first of all a feast of love in its highest form. It is a mani festation, a mystic force that draws men December Seventh December 7, 1941, is a date that Americans and the world will long re member. On that fateful day the students of Spelman College were stunned by the news that Japanese planes had bombed Pearl Harbor early that morning. America was not prepared for war. Her ships were scattered over the seven seas delivering orders according to the Lend-Lease plan, her navy and her army were undermanned as well as undersup plied. The United States had been forced into a war for which she was not pre pared. The tw r o years since 1941 have been hard ones. They have been a time of speedy preparation on the home front and of hard fighting in the four corners of the world. During these months the war produc tion has more than doubled and the in crease in the strength of the Army and Navy has been tremendous. Women have joined the Army, Navy and Coast Guard to release men for overseas duty. Now the Allies are on the offensive on every front, Germany has been continual ly bombed and Italy has been knocked out. Today newspaper headlines scream the expected capitulation of Germany. These headlines were prefaced by the great historic meetings of Churchill, Stalin, Chiang-Kai-Shek, and Roosevelt. However, it is necessary to remember that the war has not yet been won. Germany may be down but she is not out. A slackening of effort on the home front will inevitably cause defeat for the Allies. It is best and much safer not “to count the chickens before they are hatched.” The Fourth War Loan drive will soon he launched. Each loyal and patriotic American will be expected to invest in it until it hurts. Each hour that the war is shortened will save millions of lives. Lend your money to the gov ernment that protects you so that your soldiers will he able to hurry home to you. together in spirit regardless of race, color or creed. Only when we keep this fact in mind do we truly celebrate Christmas.