Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-27
WHEN IT Is OVER
POST-HoLIDAY REFLECTIONS NOT
OVER-GAY.
Is the Joy of Shopping the Real Mo-
tive After All Of Holiday
Givingp
Written for The Evening Star.

| Written for The Evening Star.
81 am not quite sure" said the girl with
| the gazelle-like eyes and the ermine stole,
| as she and her best friend idly watched the
| well-dressed throng gathering for the sub
| scriptlon matinee Of music, whether this
| wonderful thing called the Christmas spirit
| is quite so genuine. sincere We fond
ly imagine"
You have had too many marons glace,"
suggested her friend unsympathetically.
"Oh. but 1 am quite serious persisted
she of the stole. Il have just been think
| ing of the gifts sent out by my own family.
They really prove my theory that we send
gifts to please ourselves rather than those
who receive them.
Take mother, for instance She is
born spendthrift, and, in a pleasant way.
father perpetually, has to put on the finan-
cial brake. But she breaches the necessity
| of Christmas charity so determined;y that
! the holiday season brings her the wild joy
of spending money with free hand and an
unthnking mind. She hunts up relatives
that the rest of us had forgotten and sends
them impossible things from bargain coun-
tiers, from which she comes home with her
garments rent her bonnet awry, and her
heart full of joy. And she sends her special
pets at the Old Ladies Home elaborate de-
votional calendars and texts for every day
L
have something indigestibe to eat.
Then Aunt Lizzie sends her favorite
nephew an expensive edition of her favor
lite author. Carlyle, when L sure the
boy is pininS for slumber robe some
thing else to deck his room at college. He
doesn't know many girls and he wants to
have things. just as nice the other men.
Father loves red-most men do-and so
he gives mother japanese kmona in bril-
liant crimson, embroidered with gold, and,
| though she has put it on each night reli-
| giously, she hasn't yet become sufficiently
| accustomed TO its vivid tones to open her
| eyes real wide to its glories. She likes laven-
ders and grays, but father is in blissful ig
norance of the fact.
When Eleanor planned her Christmas
| gifts l suggested that she send Cousin
Helen, who loves dainty things and has
precious little money with which TO buy
| them. a silk handkerchief case, but Miss
| Eleanor, who goes in for golf and linen
collars, replied:
| oh, L hate those mussy silk things.
| Boxes are SO much tidier
so she sent poor furbelow-loving Helen
a pair af the most mannish gloves L ever
| saw.
Rob- who has just awakened to the
beauties of physics, presented each of his
| boy friends with a magnet and toys to be
drawn thereto.
I'VE give the maids nice, sensible things,
| like towels and handkerchiefs and bargain
dress patterns, when they would much
rather have imitation coral chains, per-
| fumery and ready-to-wear satin stocks.
Yes Nell, honestly, We give to carry out
| our own tastes, and we forget what the
other fellow would like to have.
Come to think of it. 1 embroidered
| pink laundry bag for Kate SaXton, who is
living in stuffy New York boarding house,
simply because the pattern was pretty, and
thought how lovely it would look in my
room. But l remember now that Kate has
her room in bright red, because she says
| II helps the radiator in Its mission. Won't
that pink laundry bag contrast beautifully
with the rest of the rooms decorations?
Wait until next Christmas and il
don't think of the one who is to receive the
gift well. just a little
Hush" murmured the long-suffering
friend. There comes Herr Berniski. You're
spelling my appetite for music. L realize
now that made a few mistakes in select
ing my presents, but there is no need to cry
over split milk and spoil a concert with
tickets at 80 each.'