The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-12-24
Christmas Gift.GiVin%.

| The whole Christian world has been alb
SOrbed in getting ready for Christmas. The
merchant has loaded his counters with nov.
elites in every grade of quality, finish, style
and cost; the publisher has put upon the
market the books at which his editor, artist
and printer have been working for months;
the farmer has disposed of his turkeys. ap-
Piles and celery; churches have planned
! their festivals; homes their reunions; the
poor have studied how to stretch their little
to great deal; the rich how to pour from
their abundance greater blessings. Christ
mas travail is on the world; its object to
make. if may be. one happy day through
out all ChristendOm. TO bring about this
universal Happy Day. one means is adopt
ed-gift giving. To give to others is the
Christmas law. TO give wisely. bounti-
! fully, gladly, where the gift is needed, as
much as the purse will allow. and with the
single object of making others happy. is the
only recognized Interpretation of this law
This Christmas gift giving does not mean
traffic in presents, it permits no system of
obligation by which for so much received
/ hereby return so much," is written be.
tween the lines of the note of presentation.
1t does mean careful, loving study of how
with the means at ones command he can
add the largest amount of happiness to the
world on Christmas Day. This interpreta-
tiOn OF Christmas giving may demand that
the interchange of family presents shall be
abandoned that special comfort may be
placed in needy household. 1t may mean
no home Christmas tree. that some separated
family may be invited or that more tables
may be graced with Christmas cheer. 1t
may mean much sacrifice of things that the
most perfect of pleasures. that which springs
from knowing that we have made others
glad, is ours. For doing for others is the
very heart of Christmas joy.
How widely the world is accepting this
sense of gift making, look to the growing
custom in Sabbath schools OF the children
preparing gifts for the poor instead of re-
ceivng them for themselves. The glad
dest child's festival have ever seen was
a ''give away" Christmas where every child
of the church, rich or poor, brought some
gift. if nothing but an apple or potato, to
swell the offering. When all was gather
ed in and pulpit and altar was piled with
hundreds of fowls. with whole porkers dec
grated with ribbons and bearing in their
mouths the conventional red apple. with
pyramids of canned fruits and vegetables,
of sacks of flour, and OF baskets packed
| Will uiuucIS COiuplcCo 1TOm tlO SIuuOU
turkey to the salt and pepper, the outburst
of applause was the most spontaneous and
infectious 1 have ever witnessed. The
royal-nature of Christmas giving was felt
by spectator and partaker. as no number of
elegant. personal gifts could have i'm.
pressed 1t.
Hard pressed as the working class Is still
by uniting they are able to prepare Christ
mas trees for wretched neighborhOods, to
send we'll filled stockings into poverty
stricken houses. and to place dinners on
many tables otherwise empty. And so the
new Interpretation of Christmas gift-mak-
ing is going around the world. 1t may
bring fewer articles of bric-a brac to the
cabinet, fewer pictures to the wall. and
fewer jewels to the case, but it will put a
new meaning into the life of many lonely
soul. it will hasten the realization of the
beautiful idea of one universally Happy
Day. and best of allit will show that happi
ness is born of good will. of self forgetting,
of natural, tender, loving care for others.
RAMEOUs.