Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-12-21
Some Christmas Dont's.

Some Christmas DontS.
nout think that yuu an. too poor to
kr-r Chri>imp>. You can't br ~ poor
a> al that.
Duu'l >l-ud ~ much ou Christmas
that you can't get even with the butcher
aui gn,crr until March.
Don't give presents that arr a pleasure
i"r tru minutes and burden aud
worl t"r ru wears.
Don't, ycmg women. buy nrckiieS
for yomg men folk: Don't encourage
them la being bigger guys than neces-
,ary.
Don't give drum to the children of
your enemy who works nights. \
watchmau', rattle is just as good, aud it
/, cheaper.
Don't give Your wife something she
doesn't care for just because you want il
yourself. This "dou't" works the other
way just as we'll
Don't try to tind the pricc-marks on
the gifts YOU receive. If the gifts are
worth having, they mean something
above dollars aud cents.
Don't forget that basket of fruit or
q box Of flower, is just rs nice a present
ia many eases as something that will
last q good dca, longer.
Don't put oil everything to the last
because you had better for the Joy of
your friends give nothing as to wear
Yourself out and br us cross as two
sticks when the blessed day comes.
Don't write Your name or anybody
cISn's ON cards if You send them. No
one can keep lot of such truck, and it
j. often highl convenient just to send
them on their travels to carry Christmas
greeting to other people. Aud why not.
Don't forget the Bob Cratchits aud
the Tiny Tins that is, unless you are
mrrgrnrrate Old Scroogc in which
ease iorgcttuIuo,s can be explained
Don't waste any Of your pity ON the
long-hairrd youths who lie at the hot
tom Of the heap in foot bah scrimmages
lou will need all your pity for yourself
in the rush at the holiday counter
Don't check off each gift You receive
against each present that y,n give and
calculate whether you made or lost
Christmas is not the time to be any
smaller or mcmer than You can help.
Don't neglect, if you are a woman. to
lay in stock of some simple things
like handkerchefs and sachet bags for
unexpected emergencies, if You like to
meet various people with reasonable
token.
Don't setyonr own happiness up as
the chief thing to be looked ont for at
Christmas time. Try to make other
people happy and forget yourself; ten
you will he surprised to see how really
happy You are.
Don't give a book to a man with a
big library, or a picture to the man who
makes a speciality of the fine arts unless
you know pretty we'll what he wants
Ten to one he'd rather do the buying of
such things for himself.
Don't Cypress children who are satia-
ted to sadness with toys already by civ
Ing them more. There are other WAYS
Of making them happy, or if there are
not 1t IS because they are spoiled with
many pleasures and are the most pitiful
beings alive, In that case. let them try
doing something for poor children, who
are blessed in powers of enjoyment, and
see II the capacity wont prove catching.
Don't ranSack all the shops for a
fine present for your fiend Dives. and
then take any old thing oft the bargain
counter for your other friend, Lazarus,
Try the fine present on Lazarus for
change and see what real appreciation is.
Don't let your little ones into the Sc.
cret that Santa Claus is an impostor.
Let them figure out for themselves how
a fat man with big pack can get into
the parIor CRATE through the chimney of
modern house heated by steam. Imagi-
nation is a quality desirable to cultivate.
Don't give presents after you have
complained for weeks to all YOUR
friends about the nuisance of the Gus
tom. Christmas can be celebrated in
other ways, and giving gifts ungraci
ouSly is one Of the most graceless things
IN the world. If you will give them,
and still hate to, keep your hate a secret.
Don't take the tone that you are "cut
up if some one for whom you have
nothing gives You present. The thing
is not supposed to he matter of bar
gaining. Preserve decent semblance
OF Christmas spirit and repay the obi
CATION, not by tardy responding gift,
but III some other way at some other
time if you want to.
Don't give any one bric.a-brac or pic
lures unless you are morally sure you
know his taste. Presents that must he |