The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-01-01

don't remember, he replied,
that ever had Christmas present
when was a boy, so never hankered
after them; now Johnny wants every
thing he sees-but let him once know
he can't have anything, and he'll soon
forget all about it, and be as happy us
ever"
81 think I've heard you say" | re-
piled, ''that you hoped Johnny wouldn't
be as wild boy us you were, and that
YOU hoped to give him comfortable
start in life Now, it seems to me that
the way to keep Johnny from getting
wild and make him love his home, is
to make him happy in his home, from
childhood up; and the memory of
loving parents and happy childhood
will be a better inheritance than few
hundred dollars in money. The world
wasn't as fast when you were a boy,
temptations were probably not as great
away from home, and hence less need
of counter attractions at home. We
don't need to spend much money to
make Christmas very beautiful to the
children, and it is one of the best
means of training them to understand
and practice the blessedncss of working
for other peoples happiness"
Much more talk of the same sort
was had, and Il pleasant hour spent in
planning ways and means for an at
tractive Christmas at little expense,
and some of the results | shall give you.
Make as much show as possible with
what presents you have. Get tree,
by all means. 1t sometimes seems Il
great deal of trouble to take for so
short an enjoyment, but we believe it
will double the pleasure of the chill
dren. If you can get an evergreen
tree, do so by all means but if not,
get some other kind. and trim the bare
branches with pressed leaves, or simply
with the presents.
Strings of popcorn, little red apples,
loops of raisins, and homemade bright
cornucopias filed with popcorn, nuts
and candies, will make the tree seem
almost full, and the little eyes dance
with delight; and if trifle of money
can be spared, pretty little shining or
namcnts made of tin foil and other
cheap materials, can be bought that
will last for this purpose for many years.
Let this be a festival for all the
family, and not alone for the children,
and let it be planned for, months in
advance. Encourage even quite small
ones to earn and to save their pennies
to buy something for father, mother
or brothers and sisters; with the UNI
derstanding, "give and it shall be
given unto YOU.
Useful articles that must be bought
any way, can be procured and given
at this time. Pretty school aprons,
cuffs, collars, nubias, neckties, ribbons,
as well as larger and more expensive
articles of wearing apparel, will orna-
ment the tree, and please the recipi-
ents, and will probably need to be
bought any way; some of them owe
their principal value to the work of
making School books, states and pen
ellis, stationery, ETC., can be classed
among the useful and suitable articles.
Another class are mostly ornamental,
but valuable for this reason, and not
expensive, as they are homemade.
Among these are brackets, mats for
table and for toilet sets, cushions,
match safes covered with tiny pebbles,
fern and leaf transparencies, rustic
picture frames, and notices, and fancy
worsted work of various kinds. Slip
pers would not make, as the soleing
generally costs about as much as the
best article of ready-made slippers.
A years subscription to some suit
able magazine or paper, where it can
be afforded, is generally as acceptable
as anything that can be given, and OF
beautiful and useful gift books, there
seems to be no limit A bound vol
ume of st. Nicholas or Chatterbox is
just the thing for children-with no
end of diversion and instruction in
them.
Of the common children's toys al
ways acceptable, such as dolls, sleds,
whistles, skates, etc, have not spoken.
for every shop window is bristling with
them now, and | wished to call spe-
cial attention to home made articles.