Historical Articles

December, 1952 issue of Plating

 

Editorial


Christmas—1952

THE RECENT NEWS hinting at successful tests of thermonuclear weapons is an added burden to an already tense world situation. Coming as it does, at the start of another Christmas season, the news adds extra emphasis to the Christmas message. Of “Peace on Earth”. The hopes and joys associated with the season are tempered with thoughts of the new power. The lesson from the story of the Wise Men at the manger, often unheeded, but one which has persisted in the hearts of men through disasters and hostile ideologies may be realized at last, in that man may now have developed a force of such destructive magnitude that it will be an effective deterrent against major armed conflict among nations in the future.

There are sections in the world today, no doubt, where the celebration of the Christmas holiday is not permitted, just as in the past when it was suppressed for a time in Scotland after the Reformation, and when it wasn’t allowed in much of New England until the 19th century. However, the messages of hope brought by the story of the Nativity and of cheer brought by its modifications of mistletoe, evergreen trees, turkey, egg nog and Santa Claus have not been and will not be dimmed through the centuries. Merry Christmas!

Al Korbelak