The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1880-12-23
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.
what 10 Give, and How to Give L..

that of buying present, and of receiving one,
especially when il is bought in that royal spirit
which has no other idea than that of spending
every cent We can spare, and received in that
spirit OF conspicuous enjoyment which marks a
frank and liberal nature.
Everybody with few dollars to spare gives a
present at Christmas. As a method of express
ing the goodwill which the season represents.
IL is more in consonanee with the refinement of
our age than the bosterous efiusion of earlier
epochs But it is so hard to know what things
are suitable to give, and this is particularly the
case where the recipient is to be father, broth
er, or lover.
Gentlemen do not care for the pretty triiies and
decorations that delight ladies'; and as for real
necessities, they are very apt to go and buy any
thing that is a convenience just as soon as il is
discovered. knick-knaeks, 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 gentleman, last Christmas, re-
eelre from his niece an inkstand, in the shape of
dogs head To Use il ut all, was to lift OFF the
half of the head, and make a nonstrueity of it,
Even if a person could persuade himself to sit
and write before such an object, il held little
ink as to be practically a great trouble aud lie
would gladly have exchanged the thing for the
commonest cOmmon-sense inkstand. Another
lady gave her brother q carved hunter whose
qniyes he'd few wax matches Of course,
box of ordinary lucifers would have been far
more convenient. Books are the most unexcep-
tiOnable of holiday gifts; but there is always
the danger, IN choosing standard works. that
the recipient may have it already, in his fayorite
| binding in his own library. 1t should be borne
| in mind, moreover, that men prefer books sub
| stantialy bound in sober morocco OF calf to the
dainty, fanciful volumes which tarnish 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 val
liable, and thus her gift would lose all its grace,
and retain only selfish, commercial aspect.
| What, then, shall she giyef Here is a wOman's
advantage; she has her hands, while men must
transact all their presentg giving in hard cash.
She must give something that represents her
own life, and breathes of the qualities and tastes
of the giyer. She can hem fine handker-
chiefs-gentlemen always want handkerchief
and in order to give them intrinsic value if their
| relation warrants such a favor, she can embroid-
er the name or monogram with her own hair. If
| the hair Is dark, 1t has very pretty, graceful
| effect, and the design may be shaded by ming
! ling the different hair of family. We know a
| gentleman who, for years, lost every handker-
chief he took to his Office at length his wife
marked them with her own hair, and he never
| lost another. Such gifts made precious by
| love, time and talent.
The bare fact Of rarity raise an object,
commercially valueess, to aesthetic level.
Souvenirs from lannon's places. OF of famous peo-
pie, a bouquet of wild thyme from Mount Hymet-
| tus, an autographs note from some great per-
/ sonage, an ancient Jewish shekel or Roman coin,
| some piece of unique curious workmanship
| from Indian isles or HindOo bazars ete-all such
| things are very suitable for presents to gentle
men, and will be far more valued than pins
studs, etc, which only represent a certain num-
Der of dollars and cents.
| Generally speaking, n gift only needs to be
| wisely chosen TO be as acceptable now AS it was
| in the days of Solomon. Children may teach us
lesson on this subject worth noting. They
class their presents under two great heads, those
valuable enough 10 be stored away in their little
repositories for precious things, and those tacit
ly condemned TO be destroyed-the pleasure in
the latter case consisting in the fun of destroy
ing 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 means
poor presents. Among them must be named
flowers, always a suitable gift, because they are
| can assertion that beauty Outlives all the utli-
| ties of the world" Another expression of this
class of presents is something good TO eat. There
| is no greater mistake than to suppose such pres
| ents are not welcome. None bring the giver
more pleasantly to mind, and if the satisfaction
Is short, II Is at least genuine and unalloyed.
| Why should there not, also, be a touch Of as
graceful sentiment in sending friend ease of
wine of exceptionally rare bouquet, as in send
ing him a case of silver spoOns'
| Perhaps those gifts are best which are accept
able from their fitness, which are little helps
| and facilities, and fit into a need. Ii is easy
to believe in the kindness of a Christmas
wish that is father not only to the thought but
to pretty dress or cloak, to little luxu-
ry which the receiver has longed to possess,
! though, perhaps, Is not justified in purchasing
| for herself. Such presents these show a
thoughtful and painstaking affection they have
cost time and consideration, well as money,
and have n peculiar flavor of sympathy and good
nature about them.
The expression OF pleasant emotions naturally
falls into pleasant and graceful forms, but if
sentiment of respect is also to he conveyed, then
the gift should not only he beautiful but also as
valuable as the donor can afford.
Never undervalue your own gift; if il is poor,
you should not have offered it at all. Avoid,
also, such pretenses as, II could get better,r
at was all B. had etc.; and never ask
'How did you like it ~ OF '.Does il fit p
If you give a 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 val
| liable by such autographs display of affection.
Truly, We ought not TO look gift-horse in
| the mouth, but we have no right to give things
away because We have for them our
selves. When thing is not good enough for
its present possessor, ten to one it will be of
service to friend. 1t may, indeed, be given to
the poor; but charity is not friendship. 1t is a
real hardship to have to say Thank you for
what We do not want, and for what we know
has cost the giver neither money nor sacrifice of
| any kind.
DO not give a person who is socially your
equal a richer present than she is able to give
you. She will be more Modified than pleased.
| Between equals it is often an elegance to disre-
| gard cost and depend on rarity, because gold can
| not always purchase it. Still, between very
rich people presents should also he very rich or
| else their riches are set above their friendship
and generosity.
Never refuse present, except under very pc
| euliar circumstances. However humble or val
| ueless the gift, accept the good will that die
| tated it. Acknowledge the receipt of a present
without the least delay, but do not follow it by
an immediate return: II would impart to the
| gift an appearance of investment exchange.
No person ought to give present who is apt
to retain lively memory of her own munit-
cenee. Whatever the receiver feels the donor
must not remember il as an obligation. 1t takes
| as liberal a nature to receive as to give-nOt to
show hesitation, not TO be churlsh, and think
| Immediately of having to give one in return, not
| to he sensitiyely annoyed at the obligation, but
to accept il with frank pleasure, to look upon it
as so much gain-not in goods, but in good will
and to be glad Of the privilege it accords to
express our own feelings in a similar way.
But they who would know the full measure of
delight in giving, and the perfection of grace
| in receiving presents, must give gifts to little
| children. In their reception there will be no
| doubts, no Alterations, and suspicious con-
| sideratiOns. Now, all children expect presents
at Christmas, and their desire is mainly for toys
1t is wise desire, and ought to be gratifed, 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, inauisitive
children as magnetic and mechanical ones. A
toy that has nothing movable abont it soon
wearies child; after the eye is satisfied, if it
can not pull it 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 destroyed
| A child is haunted by undying eagerness to
| know the causes of things; hence, the doll is
mercilessly gouged, and the lamb torn TO pieces.
| Don't scold If this is done-as it nearly always
i-in secret. The youngest child has an in
berited idea that all attempts to below the
surface of things will be frowned upon by the
| party of order"
Though these are such earnest and intellectual
days, it is a mistake TO give children nothing
| but books But if books chosen, then buy
those that appeal to the imagination. Reason
| will soon enough turn them out of that world of
| splendid impossibilities, but they will be much
the better for every visit to it. For the imagina-
tive faculty is the precursor of the understand
| ing faculty; the mind must be formed before it
can be filed, and imagination is the creative
power s.Wouldst thou plant for eternity saws