Newspaper Page Text
Page 5
THE PANTHER
December 18, 1979
Christmas! “Too Commercial 99
Several Clark students were
asked how they feel about the
commercial aspect of
Christmas. The responses
were varied but all of the
persons questioned see the
commercialization of
Christmas as having negative
effects on people of all ages.
The responses to the question
were as follows:
“I think there was a time
when I enjoyed it. Trimming
trees and the eggnog were
exciting, but I went from
excitement to indifference to
hostility. Christmas is now a
big money market and blacks
are not able to cash in on the
profits, or enjoy any of the
benefits,” said Sheila Howell,
a senior majoring in political
science.
Elwyn Daugherty, a junior
physics major feels that there
is a negative and a positive
side to the commercialization
of Christmas. “The positive
side is that the Christmas
season brings extra jobs to
BY LORI F_ FORD
Panther Staff Writer
people who wouldn’t
ordinarily be employed and
therefore a possible decrease in
crime during this period will
occur when crime traditionally
increases. The negative side is
that many people tend to
forget the real purpose of the
Christmas season. Due to the
material gifts of Christmas,
children don’t understand the
real meaning of Christmas. All
they think about is toys, toys,
and more toys and older people
think about money, money,
and more money.”
Gameda Phillips stated that
“Christmas starts' too soon,
Thanksgiving does not even
have a chance to end. While
the turkey is cooling on the
table for Thanksgiving dinner,
the stores are promoting their
products. The whole thing is a
money gimmick. The sense of
sharing and giving is gone.
It is just one big shopping
spree,” said Gameda a
sophomore biology major.
political science major said
that “Christmas from the
commercial aspect has bad
long-term effects on the minds
of young children. Children
look at television commercials
and see Christmas as a time to
'receive toys. It does affect the
way they think in the future.”
“Christmas is going to be
better this year than it was last
year, but the
commercialization of
Christmas is still pathetic,”
commented Gerald Payton, an
electrical engineering major
and a member of the
sophomore class.
The overall implication is
that the true meaning of
Christmas has disappeared
from the minds of most people
because they are too busy spen
ding their money to pay atten
tion as to why Christmas is
celebrated. How much longer
are Americans going to allow
the real meaning of Christmas
to be buried under the gim
micks of the holiday?
Department Store Santas
What Do You Want?
BY BENJAMIN S. LUMPKIN
Panther Feature Editor
Well, its that time of year
again. Time for high spirits,
mistle-toe and Santa Claus.
Time to put up the old
Christmas tree, send out the
Christmas cards and wait on
Santa Claus to bring that
special gift you asked for.
You say you haven’t had
time to ask?
Don’t worry, there is still a
few days left and there are two
Santa’s who will be glad to
take your yuletide request.
Of course, they are not the
real St. Nick, but you couldn’t
tell the kids that who sit on the
laps of Gary Goodson, the
Santa of Rich’s Downtown,
and Charles Britt, the Santa at
The Mall West End, anything
to the contrary.
“One child wanted to know if
Santa had a car,” said Good-
son, “but, the biggest thing
children are worried about is
the reindeer, where is Rudolph,
and how Mrs. Claus doing?”
One girl wanted to know if the
elves and finished making the
toys.
Goodson, who is only 25-
years-old, first played Santa
while filling in for a friend of
his. An actor by trade, Santa
Claus is one of the many roles
Goodson has played.
He appeared in “Diamond
Studs.” at the Harlequin
Dinner Theatre as Cole
Younger and Jesse James’
mother. He has also appeared
in the Alliance Children’s
Theatre and starting June 1,
he will direct “The Sound of
Music”.
“Girls, still ask for dolls
and boys race tracks,” said
Goodson, “ but the majority of
the kids want electronic
games.”
DeKalb Community College
and the University of Georgia,
has gotten a few rare request.
Like the little boy who asked for
a oop-boop-a-doop and one
young lady who wanted her
picture taken with Santa with
her night gown on. Two re
quests which probably left St.
Nick speechless.
Goodson a native ofWallace,
N.C., was recommended for
the job as Santa by a college
director, however, Britt
became Santa Claus out of
popular demand.
Britt looks exactly like the
rosy cheek fella from “Twas
the Night Before Christmas.”
“I let my beard grow and for
awhile looked like
Hemingway,” explained Britt,
“I let it grow a little more and
in the month of November lit
tle children would give me the
double take and many would
ask if I was Santa.
“If children take me as San
ta,” continued Britt, “then I
will be Santa.”
Britt does not use a pillow
under his red and white suit
and does not have the large
stomach a Santa Claus is sup
posed to have.
‘ ‘A lot of people ask me about
my weight,” Britt said, “and I
tell them too much weight is
bad for your health. I did lose
15 pounds the last few mon
ths.”
As Santa, Britt read all of
the letters received from
children.
“I had one letter from a girl
who had lost her two front
teeth and wanted new ones,
just like the song,” chuckled
Britt.
Britt, who retired from the
Marine Corps since 1953, likes
to throw his boomerang, build
model airplanes and decapine-
vamishing a picture on a flat
surface.
Britt, 59, would also like to
invent a boomerang that
comes back everytime it is
thrown under ideal conditions
and a kitethat can be flown
without the aid of wind.
Britt has been married 29
years with four children and
two grandchildren.
He said the children are
what motivate him and he
likes to make them happy.
“It’s good to be paid, but the
wonderment in a child’s eyes is
payment in itself,” said the St.
Nick look-a-like.”
Bah Humbug!
BY KATRINA O. JONES
Panther Staff Writer
Well, it is this time of year
again and in case you haven’t
seen the latest commercials on
television or seen any recent
advertisement in the print
media you can look at your
calendar and see that it is
Christmas time again.
This is the season to be jolly
and rejoice in the birth of
Christ. But is that really what
Christmas is about? Not
anymore. Now Christmas is a
time for giving and receiving
gifts-mostly receiving. It i? a
time for partying all through
the holiday season. Some
people completely forget what
the true meaning of Christmas
is, but don’t you just love
Christmas?
You may think everybody in
the world loves Christmas but
you are absolutely wrong. It is
fine for those who receive
presents, sitting around the
tree on Christmas playing
their new Pioneer stereo, or try
ing on their Calvin Klein
designer jeans but what about
the people who have to give the
gifts? Don’t you just love
Christmas?
Everybody says “it is better
to give than receive,” but is
that the real truth? Deep down
inside you probably feel a little
reluctant to hand over that
beautiful sweater you bought
for $35.00. Well everybody
feels that way, but many say
“it is the thought that counts.”
How many times during the
past year would you have liked
to stuff bamboo splinters in
your brother’s nail? How
many times would you have
liked to tie your guy down to
the ground atop a pile of bull
ants?
Well there you are two weeks
before the big day spending
your last dollar on your
brother and/or your mate.
Christmas is so much fun!
Don’t you justlove Christmas?
Do you know what they buy for
you? You are lucky if you get a
second-hand album. In fact,
you are lucky if you get a
second look!
And then there are the
relatives, Aunt Mary and Un
cle George and one hundred
and fifty dirty-nosed brats
called your cousins who infest
your house. You end up sleep-,
ing in your sleeping bag or
over to a friend’s house, while
everyone else sleeps in your
cozy bed.
Your mother baked up all
those apple and potatoe pies,
pound cakes, and Christmas
cookies, but by the time you
come home from all the last
Continued on page 8
Organized Christmas Spirit
BY JOYCE N. CALDWELL
Panther Reporter
The Christmas season is
steadily approaching;
therefore, campus
organizatons are dedicating
their time sponsoring ac
tivities that will cultivate the
Christmas spirit among
students and communities.
The Que Pearl Club is spon
soring a “Drive For Needy
Tots,” starting Dec. 3 through
Dec. 10. The purpose of the
drive is to collect toys and old
clothes to be presented to the
Salvation Army, for the needy.
Boxes will be placed in
dorms, McPheeters Dennis,
and Haven Warren for the
purpose of collecting these toys
and clothes. Cooperation is
asked from the entire Atlanta
University Center to help
make this drive a successful
one.
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
is presenting a play, “A Kappa
Christmas,” to be held Dec. 14,
at Davage Auditorium. There
will be singing, by Tim
Landers, dancing, and charity
baskets will also be given to
families.
The NAACP will be celebrat
ing “Jubilee Day,” on Dec. 13,
at 6 o’clock. This event,
commemorating our heritage,
will take place at Clark
College, around the fountain.
This is a nationwide
celebration, and a day of
spiritual renewal. There will be
singing, worshiping, and
thanksgiving.
A proclamation, from the
local chapter of NAACP, will
be presented to Dr. Blake at
this time. Following the
presentation will be a freedom
rally of songs.
In commemoration of
Founder’s Day, Alpha Phi
Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is
decorating the Christmas tree
in Clark College’s quadrangle,
Dec. 5, at 1:00 o’clock.
They will also be caroling
at this time. Join the fun and
help celebrate Alpha Phi
Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Founder’s Week and the
Christmas spirit.
Clark College’s Concert
Choir in conjunction with
other choirs, such as Atlanta
Christian Chorus, will be
celebrating the 50th an
niversary of the Fox Theater,
Dec. 16, at two o’clock. Spon
sored by Eastern Airlines, this
celebration is a dedication to
Atlanta.