The herald., 1894-12-19
ON MAKING CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
Have We Lost the Real Senti-
ment of the Custom?
A Reform Badly Needed in the Mat
ter of Presents.
They Should be Regulated by Both
Pockstbook and Hesrt-Opin-
ions ON the Subject.

there is no end, at least 80 it seems in
these degenerate days. People are tir-
: ing OF sending costly cut glass. jewels,
plush and ornaments. To find just
what the public thinks on this :mpor-
tant ques tion Demorest's Magazine for
December has the following Interviews,
under the head Common Sense in
Christmas Gifts. Mrs. Margaret Bot
tome, president Of the National Assooi-
alton OF Kings Daughters, writes as
follows:
There are thousands of people just
now to whom the reflection OF the ap-
proach of Christmas time is laden
almost with horror. This is certainly
a time for reform movement in matters
of Christmas gifts.
1 speak from my heart on this sub
jeot, as have spoken from my heart In
writing upon it for years. believe that
in the great tide of extravagance and
competition in the exchange of Christ
mas gifts, we have lost sight OF the real
sentiment of the custom, and are giving
now from the pocket, instead OF from
the heart, The most deplorable fact is
that they who make expensive Christ-
mas presents look for a return In gifts,
ifEnot actually in money.
This miserable feeling in rejecting
upon the approach of Christmas does
not prevail among the poorer people, but
among the comparatively well-fo-do.
These people sorape together every cent
and bankrupt themselves for the privil-
ege of giving presents Unfortunately
to every Tom, Dick and Harry. Now sill
this ia wrong. AS l have said, reform is
needed. actually believe that it will
soon have to be made q distinct reform
measure. In Switzerland it is considered
bad form to give presents worth more
than francs. That's an excellent Gus.
tom, worthy of emulation.
What should be given as presents at
Christmastide The costliest things that
money can buy? Not bit of it. A sim.
pie little note, written by ones own
hand, and couched in terms of kindli-
ness that will touch responsive cord in
the heart OF the recipient. is q better
Christmas present than something that
rosts enough money to bankrupt the
giver for elk monthe. AS Emerson says:
1.-THE gift should be part OF the giver."
yOu1k WOhVh hpAahH B'AtS
might paint something, embroider
,omething, make anything with their
own hands, that may be called part OF
themselves. In their own way, young
men. too. can give something which 10 a
part of themselves, providing it ia given
in the true spirit, even though 1t is
bought with money-money which they
themselves have earned.
oopoatipoaa think wa pnQll a0tuQliv
lose Christmas, for the reason OF this
very excess in the giving OF presents.
New Years has been lost to US. l re-
member in my girlhood days how | used
TO enjoy the old Knickerbocker custom
If receiving ones friends in the most
ample way and having them partake
informally of simple refreshment. Now
all that is changed. Today it seems to be
the custom for callers to 60 where the
finest banquet is served. | sincerely
hope that these words will be conHld-
cred, that in their serious consideration
extravaganza in the matter OF Christmas
gifts will be changed to economy, and
that the real sentiment of giving pres
ents on the birthday, more important
than all others, may be preserved to
US.
Wrs. William Tod Eelmutb, president
of Sorosis, believes in missionary Santa
Claus. She tells the following pathe tic
story:
am aware that there Is too much
extravaganza and competition in the
matter of Christmas gifts, but OF course
that ia generally understood. There is,
however, a phase OF the question OF
making Christmas gifts which suggests
the absence OF Santa Claus altogether. |
can best illustrate what | mean in a true
story.
During my sojourn at Bar HR:bor,
this GUNNER, l had occasion to drive
frequently down the Atlantic road TO
little fishing village where the fishery
people catch HOLSTERS and all aorts Of
things. I went there one day with a
friend for a days fishing. We secured
as our escorts for the excursion a little
boy and his father. both typical down.
easters, and possessing all the innocence
of country people. The little boy wac
particularly interesting. After we had
had our lines in the water awhile my
friend said to the little boy, What do
you catch here?"
The enswer, drawled in the usual
6eher.boy way, was not profoundly
learned. but it WAS truth. lie simply
drawled, "F-i-s-h y
My friend, whose bait didn't seem to
catch very we'll, then asked him, What
do you catch fish with ?"
The anawer was simply, "B~a-i-t."
Just then my friend caught very in
significant specimen of tindom, and the
little boy. noticing her look OF contempt,
phiosophicslly remarked:
"You-have - -catoh-anyth thing
you-can-get-here.
We then became very much inter
ested in the boy, and asked him mis-
cellaneous questions. At last we hap
pened to speak about Christmas.
"What did Santa Claus bring you last
Christmas ?" my friend asked.
This was the reply: "He-didn't-
bring-nothing. Santa-Clsus-never
gets out here. It's - too - far
eway-ior-him."
Certainly the answer was pathetic.
Need say that Santa Claus will get there
far away as it 10, this Christmas? This.
in my belief is where Christmas pres
erts are most needed"
ABE Hummel," the celebrated
criminal lawyer. also has something to
say:
"When we apply to it the ecriptural
injunction, 1T is better TO give than to
receive Christmas offers us an oppor-
tunity to show those we love that we
have not forgotten them. 1t is pretty
custom to have day when we may givs
this outward vent to our feelings. When
annoyed we may, nay, often do, cay
cruel things during year; but we are
l, L., a..