St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-22
CHRISTMAS GIFTS,

With the approach of the Christmas
tide the shopping season is in full blast.
Everybody is buying, and if they are
not buying they are invading the stores
and ransacking the holiday display just
as if their lives depended on it. A
stranger visiting this section, one who
rame from region where the Ameri-
can idea of Christmas did not prevail,
would naturally wonder what sort of a
craze had struck the people as they go
IN tiOcks, hurrying hither and thither
up and down the streets, in and out of
the stores, restless tide of humanity,
sweeping along without direction, and
apparently without an intelligent
purpose in view. This is the way it
would strike one unaccustomed to our
American methods. But to those of us
who are familiar with these ap-
preaching holiday scenes there is
method in this restlessneSs; nay,
more, there is the sweetest senti-
ment underlying this moving mass of
humanity. 1t is all the prompting of
that divine trait in human nature which
makes all the world akin. 1t is the one
gracious season of all the year when we
are inspired with the belief that it is
more blessed to give than to receive,
for it is the season that brings to mind
that uncQualed and that sublimest ex-
hibition of disintereSted friendship
where the holy One abandoned the
glorieS of paradise fer an existence of
privatiOn, suffering and death in order
that others might be made happy.
While the sentiment that furnishes
the motive for an American style of eel
ebrating Christmas is one that appeals
strongly to our better nature, yet we
must say,in all eandor, that, like every
thing else of the American type, it is
being grievously overdone. There is a
great deal of misdirected energy and
judgment in our manner of bestOwing
Christmas presents, and in many in
stances a fearful miscarriage of friend
ship. In too many cases we buy the
things that ought not to be bought, and
we give the things that ought not to be
given. They fail of the purpose in view
because the gifts are not of the charac-
ter to be appreciated. 1t is undeniable
that there is vulgar tendency in our
American custom of Christmas obsery-
ance of making costly presents without
regard to the appropriateness of the
gift. This is wrong, and we propose to
submit few reasons for thinking so.
A person of good breeding will ac-
cept the slightest token of personal
friendship with as much cOrdiality as if
it were an expensive present. There is
more in the act than In the gift, so that
costly gifts are as useless as they are in
bad taste.
There is a special reason, just at this
time, for retrenchment in the matter of
making Christmas presents. The times
are hard and money matters are light,
and all forms of extravaganza should be
deprecated. 1t is neither rational nor
just to spend money for toys and gew-
gawS when that money is needed to sup
ply the necessaries of life. More than
that. it is dishonest to be buying ex-
penSive presents for your friends while
your grocery bills and your butcher
bills are unpaid, or your house rent is
in arrears.
Buying costly gifts does not accord
with either the spirit or the teachings of
Christianity. The atheist and the un-
believer may celebrate the holiday sea-
son according to his individual notion.
for with him there is nothing like sane
tity attached to the occasion. But the
chUrchman celebrates it, OR is supposed
10 celebrate it, in different spirit.
With the professed Christian the season
is one of transcendent historical impor-
lance. If he is sincere in his professions
and honest in his convictions. then he
will want to celebrate the occasion Just