The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-12-15
Waat DO Yos Want for Chrlstmass

AS the Christmas season approaches
the usual grumbling about hard times,
empty purses, SO many to give to, the
difficulty of finding at reasonable
price what will be suitable for such
and such friends and, above all, the
utter impossibility OF finding out what
"will do for man." makes itself
heard. From now until Christmas
Eve the chorus OF complaints will go
on growing louder and increasing in
volume until it eliminates in per-
feet vail Of despair from those who
find at the last moment that they
have forgotten to buy anything for
this or that friend. The usual resort
in these circumstances is to wait un-
til Christmas morning and then to
select from the gifts received the OBJ
joct one wants east, and send II to the
person whose name has been omitted
from the iisi.' Should anyone consid-
er the above statement exaggerated
let him take a seat in any ct the stores
in King street and, while feigGipg to
be occupied in inspecting some article
Of merchandise, lend an ear to the
conversations that are carried on
around him by the threngs of shop
pers. He will hear little but talk
about Christmas presents, not in
tones that imply any pleasure in se-
lecting and giving them, but with
complaining and weary voices that in
dicate that the speakers regard the
whole business as an unmitigated
nuisance, and that convince the lis
tener it would be an excellent
thing If the custom of Christmas gifts
was abolished, or at least discontinued
until the return Of 'good times"
Perhaps when purses begin to fill up
and we have few years rest from worry
ing over Christmas, we may begin to re-
gard it in different light, and to 6nd
pleasure in what should be delight
to each of us.
The oldest part OF the affair is thas.
grumble aa they may, every peraon
feels compelled to give. Be they rich
or poor, generous or stingy, ell are
afraid to set custom at defiance and to
say that Shey viii accept nothing and
will give nothing this year, because
they do not feel their means sufi-
cient to justify any outlay for things
80 unnecessary as are Christmas gifts.
Of course many of the presents ex-
changed arc very acceptable, and
persons of good sense endeavor to
so select them that they will be either
useful or ornamental, but a great deal
Of what is given is the vcr;cst trash,
and nc amount of bows, wrapping in
silver paper and tying with baby rib
bon' will make it anything else.
Rather than compromise 80 with our
conscience, would it not be better to
be honest with our friends and tell
them We cannot afford to give anything
worth their accepting; OF. If we can
afford tc give, why not make en- effort
TO find cut what they should like?
! 0e COURSE soine OF our readers will ex-
claim with horror at such plain deal
ing and lack Of sentiment, but senti-
ment has been almost banished from
the custom of giving away, and any
pretenoe Of it is mostly sham.
The, true value Of Christmas pres
| ent is entirely independent Of It's in
trinsic worth, although there are some
mercenary souls who Judge only in that
way Of everything received, and who
care for nothing that has not cost con-
siderable money. Important as is the
spizi. that inspires gift, the spirit in
which it is received ;s &C equal i'm
portanee, and nothing is more chilling
TO generous person than to find that
he to whom he has given something is
oppressed with sense Of obligation
until he can return still more costly
gift. The things that. detrac. most
from ones pleasure in receiving q gift
are, FIRST, the realization that it is
duty gift, s,.and not prompted by any
special desire to give happiness, and
the appropriateness Of It, whieh
SHOWS bat toe plainly how little real
thought was given TO its selection.
The latter is the outcome Of the cx-
preston so frequently heard at pres
ent about the. difficulty of finding
something that will do" If we care
at all about friend it is not "some-
thing that will do" We send him, but
something that has cost us thought in
selecting, and that We hope will prove
useful and acceptable.
We saw recently a suggestion for
Christmas book that was a very good