Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-04

When what was designed to be pleasure be-
comes 4 burden, it is time to stop and examine
it carefully, and if it is the thing itself which
has grown to be such a weight. or whether it is
simply an awkward manner of carrying it. Ger
tainly there must be something wrong in any
celebration of Christmas which results in serious
fatigue OF mind and body. During the first
three months of the year. nothing is more COM
monty given as q reason for i'll health than an
overstrain during the. holidays. 'She got so
worn out at Christmas or ''She worked too
hard In finishing her Christmas presents" or
THE week before Christmas she was tired out
with shopping" are excuses which appear as
surely as January and February come. The
question must appear sometimes to every one,
whether all this worry and wear of heart and
hand and brain are really worth while Is there
not some better way of celebrating this day of
days than for women to wear themselves out in
making or buying pretty trifles for people who
already have more than they can find room for?
Setting aside all effort of eyes and fingers. the
mental strain is intense. Merely to devise
presents for dozen or more people, which must
be appropriate and acceptable. and which they do
not already possess. and which no one else is
likely to hit upon, is enough to wear upon the
strongest brain and when ones means are not
unlimited and the question of economy must
come in, the matter is still more complicated.
merits in this and that the distress when the
article which is finally decided upon does not
seem as fascinating as one had hoped, the end
less round Of shopping, the packing to send
to distant friends. the frantic effort to fin
ish at the last moment something which ought
to have been done long ago, result in q relapse
when all Is over into complete WEAKNESS OF
mind and body which units one for either giving
or receiving pleasure, Now. when all this is
looked at soberly. does it pay? 1t is a remarka-
I1n f,s fhof
on the 18th day of December for more than
thousand years, Its arrival seems as unexpected
as if it had been appointed by the President. No
one is ready for it, although last year every one
resolved to be 80. and about the middle Of De-
cember there begins rush and hurry which is
really more wearing than May moving.
1t seems to be part OF the fierce activity of
our time and country that even our pleasures
must be enjoyable at high pressure. While it is
almost impossible IN matters of business, to act
that we should take things more leisurely,
surely, in matters of enjoyment. we might make
an effort to be less Overworked. Cannot the
keeping of Christmas, for example. be made to
consist in other things than gifts? Let the
giving be for the children and those to whom
our gifts are real necessities AS pco-
pie, we are very negligent in the matter
of keeping birthdays If these festivals
were made more Of in the family, especially
among the elder members we should not find
tIitl We were losing LHe DieSSeuneSS OF giving
and the happiness Of receiving, even if we did
omit presents at Christmas time. In many large
families mutual understanding that the Christ
mas gifts were all to be for the children would
be an immense relief. although, perhaps, no one
would be quite willing to acknowledge it.
Sometimes large circle OF brothers and sisters
can unite in gift, in that way making it posi-
BILE to give something of more value. and at the
same time to lessen the difficult task of selec-
ton.
Above all things, If you give presents, be
more anxious to give something which supplies
want" than to send some pretty trfe, which
can only prove in the end an additional care A
little forethought and friendly putting of your
self In another's place will make this possible.
In the great world of books something can be
found to suit every taste. Flowers are always
graceful gift, and can never become burden
some by lasting after one has grown tired of
them. There are numberless other things which
can be procured, without wear and tear of
mind and body, which make the recipient feel
as David did of the water from the we'll of Beth
lehem. that what cost SO much was too vaua-
bic to be accepted.-,Susan Anna Bro,on.