Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1899-12-14
Christmas Giving.

thrt~tIlI?s living.
The Christmas campaign has
opened early this wear. People
evidently have money To spend
and the shop keepers are taking
sctive measures tO have them
spend IT, Already the windows
~ the stores are filed with Oh
Iects of ~biguiry and virtues"
and other articles calculated To
please the most fasiidiOus. while
the wooliy dog. the mechanical
COW aud .he humble Noah's ark
are set forth for the de,ectation
Of the rising generation There
will be good business done here
IN the next two weeks and all
the merchants will be glad to
do so. The joy of Christmas
tide - one of the ieS sensations
that never grow old. The de
light OF giving l. perennial an
eter-recurring proof OF the truth
that IL IL more blessed 10 give
than to receive.
Yet there u a measure of truth
IN the declaration of a not, d
clergy man that much Christmas
giving does more harm than
good. II blesses neither him
that gives nor him that receives
When giving becomes matter
OF convention or OF duty rather
than of good will il Is degraded
TO the level of fashion or az a
commercial transaction. The
GIFT that IL bestowed merely be
cause ii is 1.-THE proper thing"
doesn't warm the cookies OF the
heart. The Christmas box that
Is exchanged for another-both
paris knowing what - expected
OF them-is AN article OF barter.
There Is no element of gensrOs-
lily in either transaction.
People become c0wardly
along about Christmas time. The
knowledge that something i eN-
peeted OF them impels them to
become hypOcrites. The dread
! of being thought "stingy" or
mean drains many purse
thar cannot afford II. Emula
ton likNIse enters into the mat
? ter. The poor relation is deter
mined not TO he outdone by his
wealthier cousin. The result l.
that two people make presents
for which neither OF them
cares-and the Christmas spirit
descnerates into a mere eAhIbI
tioa OF ignoble pride on the on,
+ side and careless vanity on the
other.
No gift is worthy which is no
freely and heartily bestowed
. All gifts are unworthy which
5 involve extravaganza upon
the p.alt of the donor. No per
son has the right to rob himsel
. ar his family IN order TO be Os
teuiatioussy generous To others
The man who spends his lasl
cent at Christmas IN order Il
keep his end up Is a mere wi
garlau-a humbug who sacri
ices his comfort to his vanity
The man who incurs debt in a
similar spirit is dangerously
close TO dishonesty.
We are still far enough from
Christmas 10 look al the matter
sqnafe.y. IL is right and prop
er that Christmas gifts shouls
be bestowed by those who cal
afford them IL Is especially
fiitlag THAI relatives should re
member one another at tn.
Christmas season il at no otheI
time. Giving with a free hear
!. aud IN accordance With one
means is one of the worthless
and most salutary of actions
Bat giving IN mere Ostentation
vanity or pride-giving as /
duty or because II Is expected
i the most idle waste of money
Il blesses no one. with the pos
sIble exception Of the merchant
E and If he Is the right kind OF
merchant he will deprecate sucI
gifts
Ii people vii. be honest vi i'll
themselves they Will enter int
the full enjoyment of the holi
day time and there Is 10 better
moment than the present Il
beeiu.