Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-08
HOUSE
HOLD
[INTS

If love is to rule the Christmas giving 1t
should also include the preliminary shop
ping and other preparations. Christmas
| time is a trying season for those who
stand and wait" While the Christmas
shopping is hard enough on the shopper
when left until the last moment 1t is sun
worse for those who serve, being on the
edge of ''all the good times as it WERE
with no expectations of being in it.
None of US mean to overwork our lei
lows, but when we put off our Christmas
shonping until late in the month and late
in the afternoons we inconsiderately
placing burdens on the shoulders OF scores
of men and women who have quite enough
to bear without extra hurry and long
hours often without even time to get their
nroner meals little consideration will
bring the conviction that in the hands or
shoppers lies the remedy ior righting the
wrongs which the seasons hurry and bus
tie fnf1ict upon tradesmen. clerks. delivery
! boys eXpressmen and postmen-for the
most of whom the sweet old refrain OF
peace on EARTH good will to men" seems
but as sounding brass and tink ing
cymbal.
U. S. POSTAL SERVICE.
Where many Christmas gifts are TO De
sent by mail it may save delay and annoy
ance to get and carefully peruse the little
sued by the Post Office Department. rms
is issued for the benefit of the public, and
will be found great convenience Ior
ready reference. There are several new
| additions this year to the parcel post coun-
| tries where any article admissible 10 the
| domestic mails of the United states may
| be sent in unSealed packages at the rate
| of twelve cents per pound or fraction or a
| hound. The exception is in the case or
| Chile and Bolivia, where the rates are
twenty cents per pound. A registry fee
| of eight cents in addition to postage rs
| also essential. There are, however a num-
Der of little wrinkles in regard to marking
| and mailing such parcels that must be dis
| tinctly understood beforehand.
In mailing any package parlcu ar pains
| should be taken to write legibly, giving the
! full address of the one to whom the pack
| age is sent, and in the upper left-hand
! corner the name and address of the sender
| This is to insure return In case Oh nom
! delivery.
WRAPPING OF MAIL NATTER.
| This calls for special care at this sea-
! son. when mail bags are filled to bursting
and scant courtesy is accorded any one
package however daintly wrapped MANY
| articles, such as calendars, drawing DOCKS
| pictures. ETC., are damaged in the mail be-
cause they have no protection for With
, standing the weight to which they will be
! subjected. Aside from this, in small towns
where the mail trains do not stop, the bags
are thrown from fast moving trains to the
ground. In cases of articles liable to break,
! the inside box of wrapping should be sur
| rounded by sawdust, excelsior or other elias
! tie substance Mail clerks on the trains
! frequently profit by other peoples care
| iessness at the Christmas season. Boxes
of candies and similar goodies which are
| broken open and carry no address are
1 considered as one of the perquisites or Of
| fee In doing up any package, wrap first
! in soft tissue paper, using enough to give
| the parcel body. Tie with ribbon or Irvine.
| Then If possible pack In pasteboard box.
| II wrapping paper only is used. holes are
| bound to be punched in it. Finish with a
! medium grade manila paper and a good,
! strong, but not too heavy Irvine In tying
parcels tie the string as tightly as possible
A without hurting the article wrapped.
In expressing a package, always set a
valuation on it To some persons ii seems
unnecessary to state what a package con-
tains. but as. express charges are in some
cases based on the character Of the article
| 1t pays to be quite frank in the matter.
| For instance candy and cigars are now
sent registered by the express companies
| of their own free will. Such commodities
I frequently proved so tempting to clerks
| companies preferred to safeguard them
selves against possible claims for loss.
THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TRAGEDY.
! Scarcely a Christmas goes by without
! the record of a tragic death by fire of some
! one taking part in the Christmas party.
Between. the candles and the infiammable
cotton batting used as in costumes or as
decoration, there is too cicse an affinity and
| too great possibilities for harm. In making
I'D the costumes for Santa Claus little
| frost kings fairies and elves all infiamma-
Bile material should be strictly tabooed
Where candles are used. wet sponge at