1% ~ Friday, November 26, 1993 - North Shore News

A month to share goodwill

THIS SUNDAY is the first Sumday of Advent, which com-
prises the four weeks in the Christian church that lead up
to the traditional date for the birth of Christ on Christmas

Day.

Secular ‘‘Advent calendars’
start the season on Dec. | each
year, and count down the days tc
Christmas with little doors that
open to reveal festive scenes.

Another prelude to Dec. 25 is
the festival of St. Nicholas on
Dec, 6.

A historical figure who was said
to have been fond of children,
often giving them surprise gifts, he
was the precursor of Santa Claus
whose gift-giving was later moved
to Christinas Eve or Day.

We also mark the Winter
Solstice on Dec. 21, the death of
‘the longest day of winter and the
gradual return of the sun,

Such winter festivals were
almost universal in pagan cultures,
many of whom celebrated the
death of the dying gods of vegeta-
tion and the birth of the child of
the Virgin Queen of Heaven long
before the Christian church started
its Christmas tradition on Jan. 6
in.353 AD.

All these dates that lead us ir-
revocably to this culture’s Dec. 25
festival can help to put our minds
in the true spirit of the season and
remind us to use the month to

share goodwill with more than just -

our immediate family and

associates. ~

By starting your Christmas
preparations early, you'll have the

-. chance to make tasks enjoyable,
not rushed; and be able to avoid
the panic and wastefulness of

~ Jast-minute buying.

The following are just a few
ideas that might alleviate
Christmas stress on you, on
others, and on the earth’ s
resources.

_ @ Stock up now on your
Christmas staples, so you can ;
make the choices that are best for
you.

__: H you’ve got the time and the
inclination, make gift tags and —
Christmas cards from ‘your
children’s school art that’s been
piling up all autumn, or from

".. your own photos that you don't

* need in your album.

~ If you’ve saved the Christmas
‘cards you received last year, hunt

» them down and cut them up to

. make gift tags.

Keep your eyes peeled now for
paper that can double as gift wrap
— florist paper from bouquets,
festive shopping bags, tissue paper
that stores may wrap your pur-
chases in; all these and others can

Peggy
Trendell Whittaker

ECO INFO

make attractive wrap.

If you don’t have the time
and/or inclination to go the
home-grown route, shop around
for recycled gift wrap, cards and
tags. They seem to be fairly widely
available. :

@ Make a point of sitting down
with your family soon to discuss
ways to reach out to others this
season.

Although it’s a philosophy that
should be practised year-round,
many of us don't remember to
include others in our good fortune
until Christmastime rolls around.

But it’s better to give now than
never at all, and there are plenty
of ways to do it.

The North Shore News has drop
boxes around the community and
at its head office at 1139 Lonsdale
Ave. for donations of non-
perishable food and new toys.

Cash, food or time donations to

‘ local food banks or other

Christmas charities are especially
valuable when they come early in
the month, allowing workers time
to assemble the goods and get
them back to the recipients.
Consider donating staples like

. infant formula, milk powder, tin-

ned tuna and peanut butter, as
well as holiday treats.
@ Try to cut down on buying
“desperation gifts’’ for people you
can’t figure out what to buy for,
Instead of panicking and wrap-
ping up something they don’t
want or can’t use, consider giving
them gifts that never go to waste:
a lunch out together in the New
Year, a donation to their favorite

es EE) EEE GE se

q ORDER NOW FOR
CHRISTMAS

Direct from the
4 manufacturer

g ° Custom built closet
organizer with or
without drawers

* Installed
Do-it-yourself

* Mirror Doors
§-° Melamine finish
f ° Elfa Baskets
* Wire shelving,
* Accessories

i
ge
Has

Showroom Op en Mon.-Sat. 9 5

CANADIAN CLOSET ,

"A family owned business since 1984" ‘
1385 Crown St. N. Van. $86-4263

charity, an offer to babysit their
kids for an evening, or an eco-gift
such as the World Wildlife Fund's
(WWF) ‘“‘Guardian of the Rain-
forest’’ certificate.

As in years past, you can call
1-800-26-PANDA and ‘‘buy”’ an
acre of tropical rainforest for $25.

This programn has been under
way since 1987, resulting in the
protection of thousands of acres
of tropical forest.

Over 300 WWF field projects
are under way in Latin American
forestlands, the Monteverde
Nature Reserve in Costa Rica was
greatly expanded, and the Centre
of Biological Diversity was estab-
lished in Guyana, all as a result of
our collective caring and dona-
tions.

This year, you can also help
protect an acre of Canadian
wilderness with a $25 donation.

Most of the 236 species at risk
of disappearing from this country
are threatened by loss of their
habitat. To counteract this, the
WWF is working to protect a
sample of each of Canada's nat-
ural regions through their En-
dangered Spaces campaign.

We have to hurry and help
them, though —- 90% of the
Carolinian forests are already
gone, less than 1% of the original,
tall grass prairie remains, only
small amounts of old growth
Atlantic hardwood forest survive
uncut, and over 150 unique
ecosystems are not represented at
all in Canada’s current network of
parks and nature reserves,

Remember the number to call:
{-800-26-PANDA.

Qi Gong classes offered

MASTER’ YING Cai Ge, a Qi
Gong master of many methods,
will be instructing basic Qi

overall state of health and
well-being.

Register in person by drop-
ping in to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen
Classical Chinese Garden,
located at the corner of Carrall
and Pender strects in Van-
couver, or by calling 662-3207.

Gong classes on Sundays from

10 a.m. to noon, starting Dec.
§ (for eight sessions).

Qi Gong is a_ traditional
series of Chinese exercises for
the prevention of ailments.

By regulating the breath and
mind, Qi Gong cultivates vital
energy which increases the

Registration deadline is Nov.
28, Visa and MasterCard ac-
cepted.

MERLIN’S BLIND CLEANING
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PH: 986-3686 Le 277 LYNN AVE.

NORTH VANCOUVER

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Lots of Good Advice

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988-2121

Sunday
125

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Come {fo our

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at the Robson Si. location