Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1895-12-13
Christmas Giving.

DO not he discouraged from making
your customary Christmas gifts bccaus,
YOU feel unable To iudulgc IN expeu.iv,
presents. u IS poor policy to mrasuu
sentiment by the length OF your purse. I
the presents you make are valued by their
cost price YOU have made a mistale in
the choice of friends, and the sooner you
make new selection tn, hetter il viii b,
for your future happiness. There are
mcrccnary creatures, however. whocoun
the success at their Christmas BIZ the
negotiable value of their rvryipts. and
who esteem a present IN proportion Ia
the amount that might be raised ON it
but they are p,tiable mo.lals who have
in them the instincts OF the hue s,er bat
very little al the sentiment of frien Isl'p.
they give rich gifts With the expectation
OF getting richer returns, putting out
their own money at interest as it were.
One does not have IA mind tins class OF
profit seeking cxchangers when tn
beauty and loveimess of the good ol,
custom of making presents are eXiOlle,
There are in this great world thousands
of true hearts that think more OF tn,
sweet murmurs OF love than they do {,
the cIink of dollars, and WHO wQuh
prize infinitely more simple tritlc IN 2
sincere regard and delicate friendship
Saveas a Christmas token than all tin,
costly things that ostentation sends to
those it scarcely cstcems as friends. !.
YOU can we'll afford to make rich gifts,
why, and good, do so; there is no harm
in it. Indeed, orc should give according
to his purse il his sentiment dictates tn,
purpose. But because you cannot buy Il
horse and cart 1t does not follow that
you may not buy book; or, ii the book
be more than you can afford, Il card may
be sent; if you feel unable to buy card
write a thought upon bit oIpIper and
send it with Gods blessing.
A hundred to one a worthless thing
sent in the right spirit will give great
pleasure to the recipient and he longer
remembered with tenderness than will
the most expensive gift sent merely in
observance OF custom or because pres
ents have to be made" 1t is delightful
custom if we properly regard it. We are
better for it's observance even if we have
to make some little sacrifice in the doing.
Indeed, we are better for the sacrifice
Nothing gives you 50 much pleasure ~
sending to some dear one the thing Won
would like to keep for yourself. But the
sacrifice is not necessary. Woe to him
however, who lacks the sentiment that
makes the giving and the getting 81
Christmas presents genuine spring Of
happiness. He were better in the heart
of a desert than among tie habitations
OF men, tor he is prey to selhshness SC
great that the sight of his fellows gay
happy generosity is a torment to him.
Hard times have nothing to do with
Christmas. Give what you may, and
give it lovingly, theerily, without the re-
hottest thought of apology, and you OBJ
serve the spirit of the dav. whether your
gift cost ten cents or ten thousand times
as much. Never mind what your neigh
bors are doing; the thing to consider i,
the feeling, the sentiment at your heart
and respond to it as best you may. !
rag doll has given more JOY than a dia
mond cluster could excite, and a rose lea
may breathe out more sweety welcom
romance than can flash from the jewel
of coronet.