Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-12-12
Christmas Gifts.

Once more the happy season of the
year is at hand, when we begin to pre-
pare gifts of love for Christmas. 1t is
indeed pleasing indication of the rapid
spread Of feelings ofkindness and good
will throughout the world that the pre-.
paration of beautiful articles for Christ
mgs gifts affects the industries of all
civilized nations. The Christmas trade
is one of the most important business
epochs of the year to merchants
everywhere. The coming of Christmas
throngs our streets, fills our stores with
objects Of beauty and use, and hrightens
the eyes of young and old with the in
terests and joys of life and affection.
The choice of articles for Christmas
gifts is perpleXing pleasure accord
ing to Emerson, articles of beauty
rather than Of use are appropriate for
gifts. IN giving we have to avoid, on
the one hand, the imposing sense of
obligation, and, on the other, of making
the discharge of u just obligation the
occasion for assuming to ourselves the
role of benefactor. The donation party
given at Christmas to the faithful pastor
whose past due salary is unpaid is only
an unfair method of making him APP
pear the recipient ola favor, while his
just claims are dsregarded. Nor can
we refrain from suggesting to the hus-
band and father: Do net make Christ
mas gift to your wife Of new carpet
or pair ofshoes or u cooking stove. for
she needs and has right to these
things anyway. Your little boy needs
new school book for the next session
of school, but he would probably ex-
perience sense of wrong which it
would be difficult for him to explain if
he should find it in his stocking on
Christmas morning. And we may sug-
gest an idea wholly foreign to Emerson
that if the husband and father has from
negligence or penurlousness failed to
provide his wife with n good supply Of
dry, well-cut wood or fuel for the kitchn
stove, or the needed quantity Of winter
tlannels, it would he equally inappro-
pirate for him to present her with q
pair of big pink glass flower vases or
some similar article, the price of which
might have added vastly to her comfort
had the money been placed for spend
ing in her own hands.
Gifts for children depend but little on
their value for the pleasure they shall
give. A houseful Of children can be
made entirely happy by quarters
worth of mixed candy placed IN their
stockings, each piece OF candy being
wrapped III separate paper, thus
multiplying the numbers Of gifts. 1t is
very important. however, that the gifts
he put III their stockings. The sweet
illusion adds u priceless value to the
veriest tritles.
And SO we feel like saving to our
selves and to our readers: Let us pre-
pare for merry, happy Christmas; let
us forget for Il little while all the envir-
ronments Of our lives that are sad and
depressing let us think of the treasures
we possess that "man did not make and
can not mar" let us give tokens Of love
to our friends, though it should be only
a geranium leaf or Il rosy-eheeked APP
pie. Let Us celebrate Christmas. The
yoke loosened and laid aside for
lutte will give rest and strength to the
shoulders; the affections Of the heart
called into play and INDUCED will give
strength TO our sous; and both will fit
us Tor better performance of the
duties and work appointed for us in
the coming New Year-Mrs II. +.
Stlrtn IN Htaerr Nnqneine fOr December.