Few things can give new parents quite the same won- drous feeling as seeing their baby's face on that first Christmas morning. The brightly lit tree, the colorful packages, the myriad other Sights and sounds of Christmas afl form a perma- nent collage of memories to. be cherished [or a lifetime, All of the pre-Christmas and holiday activities can be a fitte confusing for your newest family member. The best way to make sure everyone enjoys the festivi- ties is to plan ahead, From 50 years’ experience, the child-care experts at Gerber offer some tips for new parents al holiday time. First, don’t plan more ac- tivities for one day than you can reasonably complete. Relax. Take time to enjoy your baby. Children grow up quickly, su share these precious and fleeting times while they are young. Going shopping? Why not leave the baby at home witha competent sitter. Have on hand a convenient jar of one 4 the strained meat and How to Explain Santa to Child Explaining the. existence of Santa Claus to an in- quisitive child can be a problem during the holiday season. However, the next time a child asks you about Santa Claus, why not ex- plain that the jovial man in the red suil is part of a legend that We enjoy during Christmas time. The original Jegend may have originated wilh the real Saint Nicholas who jour- neyed to the Netherlands around the middle of the 16th century after the Dutch drove out their Spanish in- vaders. The saint, dressed in the red robes of a cardinal and accompanied by a little Moorish boy named Peter, gave out gifls to children. Since that time, the legend of Saint Nicholas has been celebrated in the Nether- lands around December 4, Men dress up in the red robes and while beards of the Saint and give gifts to children, Just how our Santa Claus- with his pot belly, white beard, reindeers and sleigh evolved from the story of the original Saint Nick is not quite clear, He is probably a composite of German, Dutch and Scandanavian legends brought to the Uni- ted States and Canada by immigrants from those countries, Any child who has been to Baby’s First Christmas vegetable combinations and a Fruit such as pears for easy, yet nourishing eating for the baby. Shopping will be more enjoyable if you know that your child is comfortable -and well-fed. Be sure your baby will be warm, even if the covers are kicked off. New, stretch terry coveralls from Baby- gro, in a red snowflake pal- tern, make a practical outfit lor sleeping and playing. It's just the thing for a child to wear when hanging up a Christmas stoéking, too. Try to be a sensible “elf”. Babies don’t need compli- cated toys. The best ones are those that are constructed simply and can take a lot of wear and tear, Babies love packages, so along wilh the very special gifls, wrap up less expensive, everyday items such as vinyl pants, baby socks, and knitwear — all with that trusted Gerber trademark. These items are conveniently available -in baby departments of super- markels everywhere. P.S. They make good stocking stuffers, too. t more than one department store during the holiday season knows that there is more than one Santa Claus. You can explain to the questioning youngster that all of the Santa Clauses we see are people who are keep- ing the legend of Santa Claus alive so that we can continue to enjoy it. You, might te!l children that Santa Claus serves as a sym- bot for the spirit of giving at Christmas time, and that symbol is part of the festivities we enjoy, along with the story of the first Christmas. Most child psychologists agree that childrea are sophisticated enough to un- derstand this, They are also smart enough to know that Santa would get dirty and even bummed if he tried to come down the chimney. And, many homes don’t even have fireplaces in these days of central heating. In short, children are: “media-wise”, since they watch television, listen to the radio and are exposed to newspapers and magazines. They are likely to be resentful of parents who deceive them with tales when they grow up, ac- cording to many experts. By explaining the legend of Santa Claus, you may give your children a deeper appreciation of the season. PAGE 4, THE HERALD XMAS SUPPLEMENT, Thursday, December 22, 1977 Wrap Gifts with Imagination, Too Don’t just use paper and ribbon when you wrap your gifts this Christmas —- use a lot of imagination as well! Wrap that small gift fora teenager ina colorful cotton bandana that she can wrap around her head after Christmas. If you have some wall- paper left over from your last remodeling project, use that instead of traditional holiday paper. Use colored tape for a frame (tape along the edges of your package) and paste an attractive design you've cut out from an old Christmas card, and you'll have a preity holiday “‘pic- ture” atop your present. The Sunday funnies make ideal wrapping paper for youngsters’ gifts; and it won't hurt so much when they tear it all to shreds! Dab watercolor paints on white paper for an in- leresting, colorful abstract design to wrap packages in. Fabrics, especially red or green or prints, make great wrappings for gifts and can always be used afterward; to make a pillow, for instance. Cur out felt trees, stars and other designs to glue on lap of packages for an al- tractive design. Aluminum foil, tied with a shiny bow, makes a striking package. Use the tube from your wrapping paper to make a container for candies; just seal of{.each end and wind ribbon around the tube, YOUR CAUGHTER’S REACTION TO SANTA CLAUS may ‘aol be quite what you planned, and Santa himself may be wishing he'd taken another jab, but your instant pictures can Save the day. Not only will they help you keep a memorable moment, bit they could also dry her tears and mollify Santa. + More Gift Ideas: Gift the music-lover wha enjoys singing, with a guitar and instruction book. Sim- ple chords are easy to learn and will add to the enjoy- ment of singing favorite folk lunes or popular songs. Side" BAG Seasons GREGGIIIGS A very special holiday greeting to all of our special friends and patrons who have visited us this past year. We have enjoyed serving You. Ouerwatea 3220 Eby 635-5950 Hollday Lights Personal preference usu- atly determines one’s choice’ of Christmas lights, al- though miniatures arel generally preferred as they! avoid overheating. He sure to test lights befole use cither in the store ir ‘opurchascar above. If you're planning a Christmas party for a group of youngsters, add {to their holiday enjoyment by chalk- ing welcoming messages along the private sidewalk leading to your door, You can enlist your own children’s help with the “art- » Work. fore teal Gia.projecleess: MERRY CRIST MAS 10 AEE? AMerry Christmas toeveryonethis * Happy Season. Enjoy afriendly “s ond sate holiday: We thomk you for 4 your patronage and look forward - toserving you in the future. Hate Marine Elecrte 2815 Kalum 635-7167 : oe oa _ == is