Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-12-16
HOUSEHOLD.
WARNING ABOUT CHRISTMAS.

! The Christmas rush is surely on
again. Not in full force, because
there are yet too many days remain
ing before the eventful twenty fifth,
| but in volume to keep all hands as
! busy as bees, where the things that
make Christmas SO joyous day are
sold Christmas this year, as in years
past, will mean no more and no less
| than exchanging of gifts to countless
numbers. Already ] have heard re-
marks passed back and forth between
shoppers which show in what spirit
part of the giving is made. Two
/ ladies in the thirties were looking
over some novelties in silver in one
of the stores The elder Of the two
picked up an inexpensive trif1e and
offered it to her companion. with the
words, Wont this do for Ethel?"
The woman looked at the price and
frowningly shook her head, replying,
81 must give her something better
than that. She gave me that beauti
full lace scarf last year.
Those few words, pleasantly enough
spoken, sickened me in a flash with
all this conventional exchange of gifts.
/ "You have given me something, so I
am bound to return the compliment. -
That is the way large part of it is
done, and in that sense it is more than
/ barter and disg listing proceeding
right straight through. Probably
everyone does give to certain few
in spirit of generosity and love,
with desire to bring pleasure upper
most. but sometimes even these hold
the spirit of self closely entwined.
| [ thought of the list of little things
! that | had planned to purchase and
aside from the children, decided
there were but two to whom my
remembrances would bring the cheer
and joy which is the one reason in all
the world for Christmas giftmaking.
The rest, children included. gave me
the personal satisfaction of a duty
1 was pleased to perform, we'll per-
formed.
But what are you and l doing to
bring a taste of joy into lives that
experience little of it? Two lone
people were all that was counting on
making bit cheerier on Christmas
day. The others will be happily re-
membered by host of loving relatives
and friends. The children / know,
who are loopking forward with longing
to the night of Santa Claus arrival.
will be surfeited with toys and will
be met with no bitter disappointment
when Christmas morning dawns. But
there are little folks who will be en-
FILTERED and discouraged because with
all the world dispensing Christmas
cheer no little bit of it flows in their
direction. .
Much is done in Christ's name on
Christmas. Societies Of one sort and
another are active and individuals are
plenty who do not let the works of
the left hand be known to the right.
But with all that is done that know
about and all that is done that hav e
no way of finding out or estimating.
l wish Christmas could be more gen.
orally entered into in the spirit of
making it the day of days for those
whose lives are hard and dreary with
poverty's infections.
would make children happy, but
II would purposely withhold some
desired toy and explain that Santa
Claus did not have money enough
to buy "the suit to play Indian with
and get a warm cap and pair OF
mittens for the poor little boy whom
we have seen passing by without
warm coverings for his hands. AS for
! making Ethel an expensive gift simply
because she gave you something that
,, cost quite sum in coin of the realm
, that should be impossible to the
j intelligent grown up with any appre.
citation of the true Christmas spirit.
Give Ethel something by all means
if you care for her but do not measure
the extent of your gift by the cost OF
: the one she gave you. Remember
Ethel with some simple token and seek
out one Or dozen who will not have
), much to make Christmas seem the
> joyous season it should be to all PEG
Il pie. and do some giving in true Christ
i, mas spirit. Peggy Quincy in thu
e Boston Journal.
q
= Two Ways to Cook Oysters.
d Oysters and Macaroni-Break enough
re -,