Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-12-25
CHRusrmAs
ahs Amsrlean way OF Observing the DAY
-SomethlHss About Holiday Presents.

4he American way OF Obserginl the Day
-sonethlas About Holiday Presents.
chielso Tines.
The custom Of giving presents on
Christmas was imported 70 this country
nom England and Germany. Like a
good many other important customs, We
never exactly knew what to do with II.
and It is question il the custCEn has not
resulted in more harm than good. We
have not yet learned how to keep Christ
mas IN this country, and it Is very doubt
full il we ever Will In New England.
the day is hardly celebrated at all, ex.
cePt by the comparatively few Catholics
and Episcopalians. In the Southern
states the day is set apart for cOon-huzt-
ing horse-racing, and playing Whisky
poker. 1t Is reported that an Indian
once came into a southern frontier town
on Christmas morning with some furs
which he wished to exchange for frs-Wa-
ter. Seeing all the places Of business
closed except the taverns and dram
shops, he inquired the cause, and
learned that it was the birthday Of the
Savior OF the world. After surveying
the tald some time, he expressed the Opin-
ion that the aforesaid Savior must be a
very fast fellow, who owned a large
number Of last horses, and who was
mighty fond of hunting coons. In the
west a good many people try to csle-
brate Christmas, but make a ridiculous
failure OF 1t. They read In one OF Wal
ter Scott's poems or novels how the
thing IS done In the old country. and
tOOhshly think they can do it here.
They succeed no better than the board
Ing-schOOl girl does who undertakes to
make an English Christmas plum pud-
ding by the aid Of the information she
derives from a cookbook. The truth Is.
neither she nor her elders are educated
up to keeping Christmas. Everything
Is against It's observance. Our trees
don't provide mistletOs; our cattle won't
kneel in the stable. and even younR
children have no faith in Santa Claus.
We are more successful in copying the
German Observances OF Christmas than
were the English. In truth, the only
German custom we ever took very kindly
to is that Of drinking larger beer. 1t
was reported at the close Of the war that
a cOlpOrteur Of the Young Mems Chris
tan Association presented some one
legged soldiers in a hospital with copies
OF tracts on the evils Of dancing. Christ
mas presents are generally selected with
about the same degree OF appropriate
nessj cigar cases are given to people
who never smoke while, deliberately en-
brddered shaving leaves are presented
to men who habitually wear full beard.
Sometimes an article Of wearing apparel
Is sent to some poor female who has q
sCanty wardrobe. If this is done. it is
very certain TO be Of a character to make
her clothing look worse for the addition.
It Is customary IN some country towns
70 present the minister's wife with an
opera cloak on Christmas. 1t is as much
use to her as a hand-sled Is to a boy iv-
ing IN the West Indies. As a rule,
Christmas presents seem to be selected
with an eye single to making the raeipi-
ent Of them as uncomfortable as circum-
stances viii allow. If the present comes
IN the form OF clothing, it is commonly
some article that viii make the remain
der Of ones dress shabby. Young min
listers always come in for slippers, while
all they need by way OF fOot-gear is walk
ing shoes. The chief effect of making
Christmas presents is that those who re-
eeive them seem to think they are IN
strict duty bound to make returns on
New Years day, or on the succeeding
Christmas, and they set to studying
maHciOusly what an inappropriate thing
can be made or bought to fire back to
the person who put them under "ObIiga
lions" to him.