Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-12-11
CHOOSING CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
A Few Simple and General Rules to
Observe.

II ia unite heartrending to me 10
hear people say. "Oh! don't you dread
christmas? / am always half deau
before It is over" Long years on
Years of inexpressibly delightful days
Gonna hack to me, and / cannot UNDER
stand Memory travels back even 10
NV childhood. and / can yet conJure up
the thrill of delightful excitement with
which DESPITE every precaution on the
na,t NJ NV parents /, reveling In the
,yholly uncommon state of being awake
az midnight. could detect faint echoes
Of footsteps and soft rustlings of paper
which might mean anything. what
effort would be too much to bring to
one's own children the same unique
deIight different from all other pleas
ures because of some subtle link WIN
tho sunernatural, created by the divine
cause of the feast? Perhaps santa
Claus perhaps fairies, perhaps .ne
"Ierald angels"--an imaginative cnlid
10 readv TO see and believe anything on
Christmas eve
Perhaps In the old days men ana Wo-
man wearied themselves with prepara-
tons, but we did not know IL OF near
of II Plenty of healthily, wholesomeiy
their fatigue. and weary only when lhe
empty purses said, GO no further.
Let us count the cost of our celeora-
ton and resolve that our expenditure
shall he strictly in accordance with
our means-that there shall De ho
! christmas bills to worry and perplex
the head of the house-that not once
shall any petty rivalry or ignoble STRIFE
as to exchange of gifts be even thoushl
4 of.
| one can keep happy and even
/ iollv Christmas without gifts. but the
custom Is so natural, so deighlIui, 50
fuu Of possibilities of giving ENJOY
ment, that it Is worth saving from the
/ haginnine of the year to its close, cent
1 by cent, to keep 1t up. Ana the poor
are happier than the rich in thus CIV
ing, since sacrifice enters into thelr
scheme and a bit of ones self lies hid
/ den in the gift.
The children must of course come
first. but to begin with do not crowd
the nursery with a lot of expensive
TOYS that may be easily destroyed
few gifts wisely selected are far better.
Mechanical toys. leaden soldiers, iron
trains of cars. fire engines, hose carts,
etc. are a delight to the heart OF the
small bow. Games are excellent gifts
/ for small children, and so are books
only the selection must be careful IN
! each case.
A doll. or dolls house. of course, is
always source of unlimited dellght 10
the small mother, and these may be
had In all sizes. and in all degrees OF
| condolences In buying dolls be sure
cir For q
little girl wants a dolly in long clothes.
and the mamma doll" must be larger
that the baby.
i The young girl who has put away
her dolls and is merging into woman
hood will be proud of her dainty IAN
brooch or bracelet II she goes in
for athletic exercises, there are num-
berless presents which suggest them
! selves-skates. hockey sticks and ten
mis- rackets for the summer months.
Furnishings for her room, too, are very
accountable A picture in pretty
frame will be appreciated. So will
be a cup and saucer in delicate china
or any article for her teatable. Cases
for handkerchiefs. wells and gloves she
will receive gladly Books. too. may
be given, only be sure the author Is
one of her favorites.
The aforementioned gifts, of course,
are nearly all equally suitable for mar
ried lady friends But one could add
to the list such things as center pieces
and doilies In lace work or embroidered
linen. A pin cushion or sofa pillow
is also a pleasing gift, or, in lieu of
these a quaint fruit and bonbon dish
or cracker jar all of which form hand
some acquisitions to the home.
Christmas gifts for men folks are
somewhat more difficult to choose. and
it is much easier to tell what not to
give than otherwise. Never select
pipes or cigars for a man. You know
nothing about them and he knows ev-
erything about his favorite kind. II
you give him a cigar case. do not Sc
lect too large one. and if there is
any silver mounting let II be fat and
as plain as possible. Then II will be
a joy not trouble If a card case is
TO be the gift let it be plain curved
silver or gun-metal case, Books are
also good presents. \ man likes sub
stantial, masculine-lo looking things and
not gifts which he is almost afraid
to handle.--McCall's Magazine.