Christmas Is Coming

The Marietta Register, December 21, 1893

The remark of an old merchant is, "I never saw a time yet when there was not a Christmas trade."  And so he has not and never will.  This year is no exception.  Hard times in Marietta is only in the newspapers and found elsewhere.  Business is not booming, as it was a year ago, but, it must be acknowledged, we are a favored community.  Not a concern fully shut down, not a failure of any sort and not many unemployed.

There are more idle than usual for us, but there is not much suffering for necessaries nor much painful self-denial.  In the best of times we have the improvident and the unfortunate.  We have them now.  But Christmas is coming and the unmistakable signs are seen on every hand.  Christmas spirit, thought for others, is manifest all about.

The shop windows and counters show the faith the merchants have in the Christmas time, and the throngs that gather about them tell the rest.

What a social love-feast Christmas is.  How everybody is remembered from "tot" to grandma, and how blessed it all is.  How many warm up the cold estrangements among kin and acquaintance at the Christmas altar and consume in the holy fire of kindness the bitterness carried in unrelenting silence.  The older know full well that selfishness pays no dividends, and the younger cannot learn the lesson too early.  Christmas teaches it and brings conviction in time to start off the new year right.

Join the Christmas chorus; open the old wallet and buy something for somebody.  Surprise some one, too.  The gift need not be costly.  Our advertisers will name the price from five cents to fifty dollars, and the cheerful giver, rather than the expectant receiver, will reap the reward.

Christmas is coming.  It is almost here.