The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-15
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
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VYT HAT SHALL we get for John?
| wv What on earth would Mary like
| w to have? Would you select this
| or that for Nellie. are samples of the
questions continually heard these days.
| 1t does seem as if there We're never
| 50 many things from which to select,
never such reasonable prices and sell
| dom what we know az "better times"
| yet never has it seemed to be so diff
cult for the average person to make
| this a satisfactory Christmas for all
concerned. Perhaps 1t is the age of
| luxury which year after year is max
| ing it SO impossible to be content with
| the choice of the past season. Each
year the demands enlarge and each
year the luxury of taste and cOstliness
of gifts increase in Il ratio all out of
proportion.
Instead of cutting down the list it is
found to be larger: instead of selecting
mementoes of the day more with respect
to simplicity and expression of regard,
the effort is made to outdo any prob
able return which will be received.
A young girl said the other day: 81
am ut my wits end to find something
which l can afford to get Last Christ
mas she sent me such an expensive
present" AS if the Christmas spirit
must be measured by dollars and cents!
After all. down at the bottom of our
hearts most of us are not really SO
mercenary as we seem. We say: "Oh.
she gives me such elegant presents. |
must try to make an adequate return"
when really and truly we would love
our friend just as much would value
her remembrance on Christmas day
just as much if she sent us something
simpler. Occasionally, to he sure there
are those who seem to regard their
gifts from wholly mercenary point of
view. They like to have a rich dis
play of articles so that they can show
them off to their friends and say
proudly: Mrs, A gave me that. isn't
it lovely and expensive. Mrs. b.
sent me this. | don't know how l
can ever return anything as hand
some" And how utterly out of keep
ing 1t all is with the day. Fortunately,
few of us are thus constituted. Pos
sibly we are vain enough to like to en-
hibit the beautiful gift OF some wealthy
friend. Is II just possible, although
none of us will admit it, that we do
not sound the tocsin over the little gift,
the work of somebody whose very mo-
ments thus spent We're a sacrifice? Yes,
possibly we are just that snobbish. Yet
down deep In our hearts, do we not love
that little thing, the inexpensive ma
teiial, the tiny stitches, because OF the
love wrought into its fabric? Perhaps
we are all snobs, under or on top of the
veneer, and 1t isn't any wonder we are
ashamed of the fact. but 1t takes cour-
age to be something else, especially at
Christmas time. What good thing
for everybody, that there isn't lid to
our thoughts which the world could
pry up and take out the contents for
intimate inspection, 1t would be so
embarrassing to read, IL wish she
wouldn't send me anything this year.
I Cont like her as well as l did last"
II wish to goodness | didn't have to
buy something for that hateful Marin
Louisa. l know she makes fun of every
blessed gift | ever sent her." II wish
l could afford To give the washer
woman's little girl some new stockings.
] know she is cold. but there Is Mrs.
KS present IT cost so much more than
l intended to spend" etc.
We are rather apt to misjudge each
other at Christmas time. when of all
the times our. hearts are most gener-
Gus and tender. Perhaps we say There
Is that, or the other friend who is so