The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-20
FLOWERS FOR
REMEMBRANCE
They Are Coin Current in All Cir
cles and Involve no Troublesome
Thoughts of. Obligations Incurred
3 "A Dearth Of the Flaming Poin-

The florists seem to- have been unfor-
tunate in their calculations this year and
there will be a dearth Of poinsettas for
Christmas. People have grown to asso-
ciate the vivid blossoms with the season
and poinsetta plants are on everybody's
Christmas list. A black line will have to
be drawn through the words, for already
the last of the flowers are in the shop and
the florists can but look regretful and
murnur apologies, but they do not prom
tse any more poinsettas.
However, there will be plenty Of other
flowers, which is fortunate, for flowers
furnish gifts In many places where moth
ing else will serve. 1t is growing more
and more the custom to remember friends
In whom one is interested but to whom one
does not wish to give q lasting present,
at Christmas time with flowers, just as
one does at Easter and Thanksgiving. Men
may send them where they would not pre-
sumo to present anything more lasting. A
flower never brings an obligation, and as
such is welcomed on Christmas morning
with a gratitude given to nothing else
Flowers will not only be plentiful, but
they will be reasonable in price, which is a
desirable feature. Usually the gloom Of
the December days, the lack of sun, the
cold weather and calamatieS make flowers
worth their weight in silver if not in gold
To. be sure American Beauty roses will
range from $40 to $40 dozen, the price
varying with the length of the stems, but
1t is not everyone who would wish to send
American Beauty roses as his Christmas
greeting. Delicate white hyacinths, fra
grant violets, spicy carnations, roses of
all kinds, can be had much more cheaply
and with many they are more popular 1t
Is not everyone who feels that he can live
up to an American Beauty rose. They
seem to belong, to women. young women,
the debutantes, who accept everything
q 11r1nN
cy which makes nothing Of too great value
for them. ~" =
i Ihere Is one woman in the city who Is
wondering If she will receive her usual
tantallzlng box from the florists. For
SIX years she has received each Christ
mas morning dozen American Beauty
roses but no card is hidden among the
blossoms. The anonymous gift makes its
appearance with a regularity. which can
not but provoke curiosity, and the recIp-
lent has taxed all of her friends, begged
information of the florist and used all
n n Woman,s W1les, but to no purpose.
The donor of the gift is still unknown. but
perhaps he is following Longfelow's adj
vice, for the poet held that flowers should
always be anonymous " =
The streets are frightened. by the shop
pers who have tucked sprigs Of holly in
their jackets as they fit from shop to
shop and there promises to be no end to
the holly, mistletoe and green's A man
went into one Of the shops yesterday and
inquired for "Hully an mistletoe" The
clerk pushed forward bunch of holly
and stared to reach for the mistletoe when
the man startled her by looking at the
red-berried branch and asking seriously.
(which is which,"
The holly is particularly effective this
year and its berries are large and full
and of a bright red The mistletoe is full
berried and both have come from far
away Texas to help carry the Christmas
message. Where flowers are too expen-
sive, gay holly wreath tied with scar
let ribbon makes a most excellent substi-
tute and holly wreaths are within the
reach of most of the holiday shoppers. It
is rather fad for philanthropic women
to order them sent to their proteges, to
the hospitals and homes and their bills
show an astonishing number of wreaths
bought and paid for. - .s"s..res. ~.
American people make so much more Of
house decoration than they. used to that
there is scarcely house Which has not
it's wreath hanging by a red ribbon in the
window even if there is nothing more
pretentious. We have caught the pretty
custom from the English, who garland
their rooms with green's and holly and
they surely bring an atmosphere of Christ
mas that nothing else will give, trans
| forming the everyday surroundings and
lending touch of the mystery which is
essential to Christmas , to even the most
ordinary of furnishings. FL.