Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 73, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1916 — CHRISTMAS PLAYS IN THE HOME THEATER. [ARTICLE]

CHRISTMAS PLAYS IN THE HOME THEATER.

The dramatic instinct is strong in most children and should be encouraged, says Mrs. Blanche Cole Rosedale in the New Y'ork Evening Sun. To the young child its exercise serves to while away many rainy hours; to the older child it can be made a source of inspiration to noble deeds and a means of gratifying the longing for romance and the desire for adventure.

Where there are two or more young children Santa Claus plays of all sorts will occupy the pre-Christmas days. The most popular and simplest one is that in which one child represents the beneficent saint and the rest of the family go to bed after hanging the stockings. The saint fills the stockings and makes what other preparations his imagination can compass, then usually becomes a child again and goes to bed himself, not wishing to be left out of the Christmas morning fun so soon to follow.

All Christmas stories may be dramatized. The story of Gretchen, who set her shoe by the chimney and found a poor sparrow in the toe. will be acted out with as many embellishments as the story teller has been able to add. There is a story of two children who awoke to find Santa Claus in their room. They accompany him to toyland and back with many adventures on the way. This lends itself well to play also. Relieving the distress of a poor family on Christmas morning is a pretty play. The generous Samaritans go laden with toys to the unhappy ones, and play ends in a joyous dance. While the dramatizing spirit is on the children will not stop with Christmas tales, but will play Cinderella, Goldilocks, Squire Nutkin and any other simple story which is familiar to them.