The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-23
For the y. a NJ. M.-Househoid.
Christmas Gift

One of my letters to-day holds the
text from which my discourse is drawn,
AMI Christmas with its pleasant sur
prises. ard keen disappontments, is so
fresh IN eyerybody's memory that it
seems to me that this is just the very
best of times for me to say what has
been in my mind for a long while. Ny
letter -''Chri. tmas with US was
delightful success, although | was the
only one in the household who received
no present. The fact is, | am Santa
Claus here, and everybody from the
cooks little children up to grandma had
a pleasant little surprise prepared for
Them"
The point | wish to make is this !:
Why should the wife and mother. who
plans, and works, and contriveS that
everybody slall be remembered, why
should she be the only one forgotten? !?
Why can't the husband and children for
whom she plans pleasant surprises"
take the same degree Of thoughtful
trouble for her? Doesn't it seem lit
tie hard and cold and unloving that
she alone receive. no gift-nO tangible
proof the ''good Will towards men, that
was half of the Angelic Christmas
anthem?
1t is never the gift in itself she de-
sires, it is the loving thought that it
representative wish TO please her, that
is the real value of Christmas gifts.
And when her presents are all hestoW-
ed, and her thoughtfulness has made
evcrybOdys contentment and pleasure,
don't you suppose there comes little
bitter throb of recollection that she was
absolutely forgotten? l deliberately az
firm that is n shame And | would
like to propose an amendment IN tu-
ture. And here let me say that great
deal more giving could be done, and
thereby a vast deal more pleasure con-
ferrcd if everybody would understand
distinctly that the only value Il Christ
mas Gift needs to make it acceptable
and delightful is a desire to give for
loves sake. For myself l have no
complaints to make. l am always the
recipient of Christmas and New Years
tokens by the dozen. But have to say
that though some of my presents have
been costly and exquisite, some that
pleased me just as much were hardly
worth a silver sixpence i'll money value.
Yet | would have been sorely grieved
not to get the loving tokens OF remem-
brance from those whose faces were
sorely missed at the Christians gather
ing. Sometimes the not giving is the
result Of a mistaken notion that gift.
should have some value in themselves
to be acceptable, rule that does not
apply to Christmas times. And some
times it is pride on the part of one who
will not give tritle because they cannot
,,i,-n no a l-e
good people! You cut yourselves off
from great deal of hearty enjoyment
by that sort of pride. OF course when
people can afford to give handsomely 1t
is impertinent in them to offer tritles-
but when tritles are all that one can af-
ford, then the love or affectionate re-
membrance that prompts the sending of
them gives value to them which makes
even paper OF pins welcome gift. 1t
is the sweet consciousness OF beng
loved and remembered that makes the
best value of present, be it a sett OF
diamonds or two little gilt pins. whose
cost was five cents. And to be remem-
bered surely is the right of fathers and
mothers and wives. The hus bands gen.
orally get al they are entitled to, and
more sometimes. for instance when
they have forgotten that giving Is
game that two can play. One OF my
points of filth is that Love is giver.
the instinct of real love is to give-ard
where giving is not the impulse, rest as
sured the love is only ''so-called :" is n
spurious imitation a poor thin unsatis-
flying sentiment that will soon evapor-
ate. Lip service is very inexpensive,
the true test is the measure Of the
amount of giving done. Like the
Frenchman's sympathy for the man
who had been burnt OUT sorry ten
dollars worth, how much sorry are
you:"
That's it. real feeling is a doer. not a
mere expressor-and those whose love
is love give as theya aare able bit fhey
gre So next Christmas, good people,
see that you practice the preaching OF
that busy body.
mon QUID SED QUIs."