Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-12-13
XMAS SUGGESTIONS
PRETTY THINGS WHICH MAY BE
MADE FOR ABOUT FIFTY
CENTS.
Cuffs, Collars and Stocks, Unique Hat
Boxes and other Things-A Mother
Who Is Opposed to Santa Claus
Tale.

1t Is sometimes the simplest gift
that Is the most appreciated on Christ
mas morning and If that simple gift
has been made by someone near and
dear 1t is priceless. With the fad of
cuffs and collars, pretty stocks, and
fancy girdles, the woman with a.
small pocketbook who is clever with
her needle can mako innumerable
Christmas gifts for the small sum of
fifty cents.
Somber shaded ribbons are having
tremendous vogue for belts and are
unlined. For the water color artist
the hand painted girdle will have
strong fascination. White elastic is
sold in the shops by the yard. and
suede will also be found available. Dis
tribute a few shapely scrolls around
the girdle, touching them slightly with
a desirable shade of water color. Then
dot these with cut steel beads, which
have fiat heads and are sewed to the
girdle An art nouveau buckle looks
best with this pattern of girdle.
FloWered Hat Boxes.
Flowered hat boxes are Partisan
whim, which are receiving enthusi-
astic approval from American women
Who wouldn't tuck away their best be-
loved hat in such dainty posy-cov-
cred box? A piece Of wall paper may
be purchased for fifteen cents andNwill
cover number of boxes. Rolls Of
paper for this purpose are sold in all
the shops. The hat rest is made Of
cardboard covered with velvet to
match the leading color in the paper.
The box lid, too, should be smoothly
covered. There is certain paste on
the market which Is admirable for this
purpose. Be sure to rub out all the
wrinkles, as they give the box an anna
flourish appearance
Hand made butterfly motifs for
hosiery make gift which will touch
a responsive cord with most women.
The butterflies should be not more
than two inches oh two and one-half
inches wide. and fashioned of either
narrow bebe ribbon or lace braid
Children and Santa Claus.
~ wonder IL after all we do the
right thing in making our children
believe that there is Santa Claus
remarked a little mother the other
day as she stood at the toy counter in
the department store and ran toy
engine thoughtfully UP and down Its
tracks. Sometimes / believe not
for the rude awakening one day de-
stroys all Of the pleasures OF the past
"Ah, but 1t is the fiction OF the big
gift man that makes the Joy of Christ
mas" replied the friend at her elbow
ut is such fun to impersonate god
of some kind"
Exactly l think Santa Claus was
created just to give pleasure to the
grownups. The children would be
just as happy If they thought their
gifts came from mother or father, and
they would in the end be saved the
bitter disappointment of the day when
they are told that Santa Claus is no
body. That dreadful day must come
sooner or later and with it will come
also the first doubts Of childhood.
had this brought home rather forcibly
to me the other evening. My little
girl is 8 years old and l thought 1t time
that she should be told that there Is
no Santa Claus. We were alone to
gether and called her to me and tolt
her. She looked at me questioningly {
long time then she said: Mamma
dear, want to ask you something
You told me last Easter that there was
no Easter rabbit and tonight you sa,
there is no Santa Claus; say mamma
now is there really any God?"