The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-17
About Christmas Presents

The other day when forgathered, with
two or three other women. at Elise's- We
found her surrounded by enticing-looking
| packages. done up in crimp white paper.
| on which she was writing the names of
the fortunate people for whom they were
| intended
What" we cried in amazement. Christ
mas presents already. Why, We hadn't
thought of such thing yet"
No, 1 suppose you hadn't, she re-
turned Il have observed that this Is
the time of year when il is likely TO dawn
upon US suddenly that Christmas is al
most here, and we aren't ready for it, The
same thing happens every year, but we
never get used to il. l suppose that the
only people in the world upon whom the
season isn't sprung as an annual surprise,
like an unexpected Jack in the box, are
the children, who have been counting the
months and weeks and days, and to whom
II seems weary eternity from Christmas
To Christmas
20. WELL" put in one woman gloomily.
an the old Christmas spirit is dead any
way. All the simplicity and sweetness
have gone out of It. Even the babies
now look a gift doll in the mouth, and
making presents has become nothing
more orless than species OF polite black
want 10 send gifts 10 people who don't
need them, or care for them, but VINO ex-
pect them. and we are tired. and cross.
and worn out, and, as general thing.
our Merry Christmas is about as deli
cious bit Of satire as you can run across
in the twelve months
Yes, L know" said Elise, dropping an
other lump of sugar slowly into her tea.
Yes. know all about that. I've been
al along that line, but don't you think
its mostly our fault? Is there anywhere
else in the wide, wide world where We
show as little common sense as about
the way We celebrate Christmas? For
one thing. we wait until the last possible
moment before We buy our presents. al
though We have had a whole year in
which to think about il, and knew We
were bound TO have them at the appoint
ed time. Then we rush out and struggle
with the mobs in the stores. ard it is
when we emerge with torn clothes, and
nervous prostration, and a lot of things
we don't want and never intended TO buy
and realize that we have made precious
geese of ourselves that a cold frost set
ties down on the Christmas spirit. / don't
know of anything more depressing and
discouraging than to sit down calmly and
face the fact you have made a fool OF
yourself.
THAT is one item Another is the home
made Christmas gift. Just now. when you
meet a woman who is pale, and worn,
and sallow, and cross, you don't ask her II
she has had the fever. You know she
IS victim of the home made Christmas
gift fallacy, and has been shaving all day
and sitting up nights connecting things
out of pasteboard. and ribbon, and gilt
braid. l know what I'm talking about,
for I've suffered in the cause. ] have
been taken in by the descriptions of Low
easy it was, and how cheaply you could
make pin cushions that would be a joy
forever TO your friends. and picture
frames, and opera bags, and things that
would only require a little brocade, and
a few yards of ribbon and a little tinse!.
and would be perfectly lovely, and SO sim
pie child could do it. Let the woman
who is thinking of embarking in the
homemade present business just take
a pencil and figure out what ell her ma
terials will cost. and the chances are ste
will find that it is about the price OF old
tapestry and royal orcester, 20 say moth
ing of subsequent doctors hills. II you
have any friends who insist on some of
your own handixork buy them something
at the woman's exchange. 1t viii be
cheaper in the long run.
Then, in my opinion, there's lot Of
nonsense talked about not giving useful
presents. We are afraid of offending our
friends by giving them something they
need yet l am sure that in the majority
of cases nothing would be more welcome
than some little thing that would minis
ter 10 the personal comfort, some added
luxury or convenience that would make
the daily life more smooth and easy.
Doesn't your own experience teach you
that poor girl would rather have a pair
of party slippers or a new silk waist than
a first proof etching? Or the tired mother
of a family. who has to struggle along on
scant means, prefer nice. easy, low sew
ing chair to a piece of bric-a-brac that she
would have to be forever trying TO pro-
tect from the children? II is a moiIIntlIl
reflection how much money we waste in
giving people things they don't want
when We might just as well give them
something that would be of use. I've Civ
en- a good many useful Christmas pres
ents of late years. and / haven found
lone yet that didn't go to the right place
Our poor relations are tired of being
grateful for hand-painted celluloid boxes
and are glad enough TO get something Of
some account
so far as limiting goes" Elise went
on, there's never anv use In throwing
out gentle hints to the men Of your own
family about things you would like to
have. Nothing short of a downright. re-
quest fetches them. l remember one zine
1 had started on the engrossing ard
fascinating collection of silver toilette ar
ticles. Christmas was coming and /
though l would drop a few hints TO my
family that silver puff boxes. AMI pomade
jars. and so on, would be acceptable
Well, I discoursed on silver until L could
have given a Populist orator points in
16 to l convention. I walked them by jew
elers windows and made them read the
advertisements in the back Of the maya
zines, and then when Christmas MORN
ing dawned they gave a $50 book of en-
cravings. as il 1 were kindergarten BABY
to be satisfied with a picture book, and
big fluffy feather boa-and I've got a neck
two inches and a half long. Since then
1 always say If you are going 10 surprise
me with a Christmas gift Id prefer so
and so. Men don't resent II, either They
rather like it. 1t saves them worry ana
bother of thinking about IT, and the poor
dears will forgive US anything on earth
so long as We don't put them to any
trouble.
But TO go back TO what we started TO
talk about. 1 think that IL we would all
do our Christmas shopping in time. so
that we shouldn't be worn out by rushing
through a lot OF things az the last mo-
ment: IL we put more love and thought
and less money in our gifts; IL we would
refrain from giving expensive gifts 10
people who would feel they were laid un-
der a burden by them, and IL we were
brave enough 10 make no presents but
such as We could afford we would find
that the Christmas spirit had come back
10 earth. merry and joyous. and fun ot
peace and good wiN."-Dorothy DIX IN
New ORLEANS Piczvu