Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-12-23
mystified the family few days later
Philadelphia Evening Telegraph.
The Abuse of a Sentiment.

The Abuse of a Sentiment.
Was ever a charming sentiment so
dragged in the mire OF boredom and gen
eral ill-feeling as the one from which
holiday gift bestowal had its rise? Count
over-say on the day after Christmas
the gifts that it was really pleasure to
give and those given for policy, to keep
up appearances or because they were eX-
pected and see if the forced ones do not
outnumber the voluntarily given ones. Is
there not some other season that could
be taken to pay tribute to pretense, to
make ones self sought in desirable quar-
tiers, or to meet the expectation OF the
eXacting and the greedy?
There is danger. as things are now GO
ing, that the beautiful custom of the
Christmas gift will follow other old Gus
TOMS so loud are the complaints becom-
ing Of the unjustifiable eXtortions forced
upon those who observe the custom ever
so slightly. 1t is well-to-dO persons usu-
ally who complain Of what has become a
greedy tax in many instances, but few
can be found who have the courage to
make a stand against it. The majority
so on weakly yielding to Mrs. Grundy
for fear they will be regarded as penuri
Gus, bestowing gifts on those who have
DO proper claim upon them for such
courtesy. The result is that less desr-
able gifts must be selected for those
who have n claim to Christmas greet
mgs of Il substantial sort, and less money
III the aggregate is spent for worthy gifts
than should be. The result is that enor-
nous quantities Of trash are purchased
and household necessaries and little luxu-
ries are done without. No more dis
heartenlng sight is to be had than mobs
of plainly dressed and frequently INSULT
GENTLY clad women and girls squandering
their little all on number of gifts for
acquaintance as well as relatives Such
il-advised money expenditure is as harm
full to legitimate lines of trade as it is to
the individual purchasers. because the i'm
pulse to give indiscriminately deprives the
majority Of givers OF personal necessaries
that did they husband their income, they
could and would buy to the benefit of
trade and the improvement of themselves
as to decency and comfort. AS it is,
shabby things are made to do in the
house and cheap-grade goods are worn,
and meanwhile Christmas is becoming
bugbear to poor and rich alike. and cheer
fulness is rare quality to find in a giver.
Since it is very much the fashion to re-
form all manner of institutions and Gus
toms, and as the tendency is also to ac
compliSh desired results by leagues and
societies, It Is suggested. in the interests
of good morals, trade and the comfort of
the individual. that some woman's club
or other influential body start crusade
against indiscriminate gift-giving. The
custom is not more prevalent nor manda-
tory than that of kissing among women.
and this has been done away with except
among relatives and intimates; and the
other equally as foolish practice could
also be shifted out by concerted action
on the part of some determined women
for there is not human being but would
welcome curtallment of the Christmas
tax. When restricted within proper
bounds. the beautiful old custom would
once again become Il delight. and all OF
us would be cheerful, nay, joyous giyers.
-Noor1a