Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-13
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

H.
are few more charming sensations than that OF
blying present and OF receiving one, eSpe :aIly
when 1t Is bought i'm that royal spirit which has
no other idea than that of spending every cent
we can spare, and received in that spirit OF con-
spiCuous enjoyment which marks frank and
liberal nature.
Everybody with a few dollars to spare gives a
present at Christmas. AS method OF express
ing the good will which the season repre- enJs
IL Is more In cOnS0nance with the refinement of
our age than the boiSterous effuSion of earlier
epochS. But 1t is so hard to know what things
are suitable give, and this is particularly the
case where the recipient Is TO be a father,
brother, or lover.
: Gentlemen do not care for the pretty trifles
and decorations that delight ladies'; and as for
real necessities, they are very apt 10 go and buy
anything that Is a convenience just as soon as it
is discovered KncknackS, articles of china
etc, are generally useless to them; they do not
know where to put them or what to do with
them We saw a gentleman last Christmas
receive from his niece an inkStand in the shape
of dogs head. TO Use 1t at all was to lift off
the half of the head and make a monStroSity of
Ii. Even II a person could persuade himself to
sit and write before such an object, 1t held so
little ink as to be practically great trouble,
and he would gladly have exchanged the thing
for the conmoneSt comm on-SenSe ink5tand.
Another lady gave her brother Il carved Inter
whose culver held a few wax mat ;heS OF
course a box of ordinary iuciferS woIid have
been far more convenient. Books are the mos
unexceptionable OF holiday gifts; but there is
always the danger, In choosing stand ,rd WORKS.
that the recipient may have it already, in his
favorite binding, in his own library. 1t should
be borne in mind moreover that men prefer
books substantially bound In sober morocco or
calf to the dainty fanciful volumes which tar
nish in the first reading. Then, again, a lady
cannot give gentleman gift OF great value,
because he would certainly feel bound to return
one still more valuable, and thus her gift would
lose all its grace, and retain only selfish COM
What, then, shall she give? Here is a wo-
mans advantage: she has her hands, while men
must transact all their greSent-giving in hard
cash. She must give something that represents
her own life. and breatheS OF the qualities and
tastes Of the giver. She can hem some fine
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. always want hand
kerchiefS-and in order TO give them intrinsic
value, If their relationship warrants such a
favor, she can embrOidar the nama or mono
gram with her own hair. II the hair Is dark, it
has very pretty. graceful effect, and the de
sign may be shaded by mingling the different
hair OF family. We knew gentleman who
for years lost every handkerchief he took to his
Office: at length his wife marked them with her
own hair, and he never lost another. Such gifts
are made precious by love, time and talent.
The bare fact OF rarity can raise an object,
commercially valueless, to an aesthetic level
Souvenirs from famous places or of famous peo-
pie, bouquet OF wild thyme from Mount Hy-
mettuS, an autographs note OF some great per-
Sonage, an ancient Jewish shekel or Rom In
coin, some piece OF unique or curious workman
ship from Indian isles or Hindoo blzarS. etc.
ali such things are very suitable for presents to
gentlemen, and will be far more valued than
pins, studs, etc, which only represent certain
nu mber of dollars and cents.
Generally speaking, gift only needs to be
wisely chosen to be as acceptable now as it was
In the days OF Solomon Children may teach us
a lesson on this subject worth noting. They
class their presents under two great heads
those valuable enough to be stored away in their
little repositories for precious things, and those
tacitly condemned TO be destroyed, the pleasure
In the latter case consisting In the fun OF de-
StrOying them.
Now all adult presents are either useful and
valuable, or else they are intended to perish in
the using. The latter class are by no means
poor presents Among them must be named
flowers, always suitable gift, because they
are IAN assertion that beauty outlives all the
utilities in the world" Another expression of
this class OF presents is something good to eat.
There is no greater mistake than to suppose
giver more pleasantly to mind and If the salts
faction is short, it is at least genuine and unal-
loyeS. Why should there not, also, be touch
of as graceful sentiment in sending a friend a
case OF wine OF exceptionally rare bouquet as
In sending him case Of silver spoons?
Perhaps those gifts are best which are accept
and facilities, and tit into need. 1t is easy to
believe In the Kindness of Christmas wish that
Is farther not only to the thought, but to pref
y dress or cloak, or to some little luxury which
the receiver has longed to possess, though per-
maps is not justified in purchasing for herself.
such presents as these show thoughtful and
painstak1ng affection; they have cost time and
consideration as well as money, and have a pc
them.
The expression OF pleasant emotions natur-
ally falls into pleasant and graceful forms, but
II sentiment OF respect Is also to be conveyed,
then the gift should not only be beautiful, bat
also as valuable as the donor can afford.
Never undervalue your own gift; IL it is poor,
you should not have offered ii at ALL Avoid also
such pretenseS as 81 could get no better,'n.It
did you like it," or, 'Does it fit?"
II you give book, do not write any names or
elaborate inscription In it, unless YOU are GER
tain, first, that the book Will be Well received
second, that the gift Will be rendered more
valuable by such autographic display OF a1ec-
tiOn.
Truly we ought not to look gift-horse In tn
mouth but We have no right to give things
away because we have mouse for them ourselves.
When thing is not good enough for its present
poSSessor, ten to one it will be of no service to
friend. 1t may, indeed, be given to the poor;
but charity is not friendship. 1t is a real hard
snip to have to say THANK your for what we
giver neither money nor sacrifice OF any kind.
DO not give person who is socially your equal
q richer present than she is able to give you.
She will be more mortified than pleased. Be
tween equals it is often an elegance to disregard
cost and depend on rarity. because gold can not
people, presents should also be very rich, or
else their riches are set above their friendship
and generosity.
Never refuse present, except under very pc
culiar circumstances. However humble or val
ueleSs the gtft accept the goodwill that dictated
it, Acknowledge the receipt OF a present with
out the least delay, but do not follow 1t by an
immediate return; it would impart to the gift
an appearance OF investment or exchange
No person ought 10 give present who is apt
to retain lively memory Of her own munili-
cence. Whatever the receiver feels, the donor
must not remember it as an obligation II
takes as liberal a nature to receive as to give
not to show hesitation, not to be ChuriSh, and
think Immediately OF having to give one In re-
turn, not to be Sensitively annoyed at the obi
cation, but TO accept it with frank pleasure, to
look upon 1t as so much gain-not in goods, but
In good willard to be glad OF the privilege it
affords to express our own feelings in similar
way.
But they who would know the full measure
OF delight in giving and see the perfection OF
grace in receiving presents, must give gifts to
little children. In their reception there will be
no doubts, no af1ectationS and no suspicious
considerations. Now all children expect pres
ents at Christmas, and their desire is mainly
for toys. 1t is wise desire, and ought to be
gratihed for toys are the alphabet OF life and.
through them they learn what poetry and
property mean. Other things will be played
with, broken and thrown away in after years,
but they make their first experiments In the
art OF living with toys.
No toys are so good for bright inquisitive
Children as magnetic and mechanical ones. A
toy that has nothing movable about it soon
wearteS child; after the eye Is satisfied, IL it
can not pun II about, and pull it TO pieces it is
delusion. Then buy toys which excite wonder
and speculation, for through wonder children
attain unto knowledge. Make up your mind
that toys are bought to be deliberately de-
stroyed. child Is hunted by an undying
eagerneSS to know the causes OF things: hence