Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-12-23
CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
In the early ages the gifts were Of
fercd upon the altar, to the Church, as
representing Christ himself, and were
distributed by the almoners OF the
Church to Its needy members. After
wards the exchanging Of gifts between
relatives and friends came to be the
general custom, while at the same
time all united In contributions for
those who were too poor to give gifts.
So from the first ages Of Christianity
has come down to Us this pleasant Gus
tom, and wherever Christ Is known as
the Saviour Of the world, the day OF
his birth Is celebrated by the giving Of
presents. In this country we arc likely
to bring the custom into disrepute BY
the extravagantuse Of 1t. Tho Idea Is
getting too prevalent that only costly
and elegant gifts arc appropriate to
the day, and the expectation Of such
gifts create q sort Of necessity for their
purchase and distribution, which BE-
comes in many instances a real tax and
burden. They manage these things
better in the old countries. Among our
German and English cousins there is
more of . mutual exchange Of presents.
The children give to the parents and to
each other as we'll as the parents to the
children ; nephews and nieces to I'M
cles md aunts, rs we'll as to the re-
verse; and ladies to lovers, as we'll as
the boys to their s~weethearts. And the
gifts are generally simple and mex
pensive. Their value Is not estimated
BY their cost in money, but by their
appropriateness and the affection that
prompts them. Everybody gives gifts
to everybody within their circle, and
the youngest enjoy the satisfaction Of
giving As we'll as receiving. If the gin
is but a bon-bon or a sweetmeat it Is
none the less agreeable and pleasant.
Those who find 1t inconvenient to
spend much money in mere toys and
p~erishable articles Of fancy, will find
1t good policy to exc out the days
gifts with articles Of substantial value,
which will como into use In the econo-
mics Of the season. They will DO just
rs acceptable as mere toys. Good books
are always valuable, and money in-
vested In them gives the best returns.
OF course the youngest members Of the
family must have their toys and con-
fectionery, and a few dimes to buy
their little presents to give to others.
There Is one sort Of giving that is not
sufficiently attended to, and yet Ia
most like the custom of the primitive
Christians+not gifts Of charity, but Of
Christian goodwill to the poor. There
arc very many families where there
are children's books that have been
read and cast aside, and toys that the
little ones have grown weary Of that
are just rs good rs now, and would
give unbounded delight to the children
of poorer families. Let the children
who have all the toys and books they
want, DO allowed to distribute them on
Christmas Day among the poor child
rem In their neighborhoods. 1t is good
time, too, for comfortable bachelors,
who have no children Of their own to
provide for, to distribute their gins
among the needy, to surprise some
poor widow In the neighborhood with
a miraculous sack of flour or ton Of
coal, and so get out of the family holi-
day some Of the satisfaction from the
full enjoyment Of which celibacy has
excluded him. It Is n good time for
everybody: to give gifts to the poor
surprise gifts to those whose honest
pride will take ofrenso at what seems
to be an act Of charity-and necessary
and useful things to the poor and UNI
fortunate. So shall the true siguifi-
canoe Of the Christmas holidays DO ex-
perienced and their benefits be perpet-
uated. The festivities Of Yule are
pleasant and profitable to themselves,
even If we forget their Significance.
If we wisely combine their great spirit
ual ideas with the joyful observance of
all their pleasant customs, We realize
the whole of the Chrlstlan scheme, |
which provides for the happiness of
the present as we'll as the future, and
neither despbes nor neglects anything
that contributes to human welfare and
enjoyment.
Finance and CrSp Prospects.