The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-12-02
Rrly Christmas Shopping.

good will tVward men for the sake of
One who lived on earth many, many
years ago and whose lowly birth into
a world heavily weighed with OPP
pressive sins, was accompanied by
the soft lowing of kline and the
heavy breathing of many cattle. And
up through the long ages since that
wondrous manger-birth, the Christ
mastide has brought message OF
peace and Joy and love and glad
ness to all men, a message which
should cause the saddcs5 heart to
sing and the weariest soul 10 be up
lifted into new day. And yet, so
shametully, have we abused that
Christmas message, and especially
that portion of it which has to do
with consideration of other people,
that if we went downtown this after
noon and from store 10 Storo. ana
asked of the clerks therein What
does Christmas mean II your we
would be astonished and, possibly
shocked by the replies vouchsafed us.
Christmas, and what does 1t mean
to me?" they would say as in one
yoce. work, and work, and then
more work, waiting upon people un-
til you are ready to drop and then
waiting upon them until you do drop
Peace on earth and good will toward
Nd he AIn ~
of them would add, What you giving
us?"
Everything, even that which is
most symbols of worth while things,
may be carried to an extreme which
borders on the ridiculous. 1t is so
with exchange of gifts. With each
succeeding year, the Christmastide
message has stirred us so wondrous-
~ that our hearts have overlooked
with love and, no longer content to
make the will speak for the decd we
inaugurated the system of exchanging
GIFTS as a visible sign of that love,
AND the gifts VIE simple little
things, made by hand, or wrought nut
of Natures store and represented
less monetary value than love but
times have changed. We overload the
people who have the most with con-
fusion of gifts for which they have
no possible use or need and we are
cold to the appeals of those who need
the most We throng the stores and,
dazzled by the splendid array OF the
shopkeepers, drive the clerks nearly
to distraction in suiting our wants.
And it is of this which l wish to speak
most lengthily
We mistake fearfully if we think a
clerk goes behind the counter in the
morning six days week and remains
there until late in the evening for his
or her health or because the advan-
tages of the position are unusually
alluring That clerk retains that po-
sition because he must needs have
the money but the most thoughtful OF
us seem to forget that the woman be-
hind the counter is thing of flesh
and blood and nerves like ourselves.
We buffet her about and insist upon
seeing this and that and ply her with
questions and she stands YEARLY
waiting the closing hour which is, as
the holidays approach, eleven and
eleven thirty at night. And she
began that day at eight in the morn
ing and was tired enough to sleep the
sleep of exhaustion at six. What dc
few extra toys for the children or a
bauble or two for some one who does
not care snap for the gift, amount
to, pray, in the light of this fearsome
wear and tear which we cause the
shopgirl at Christmas. Sometimes
we jeopardize her life. If she isn't
recovering from the strain of Christ
mas, Christmas, mind you, which thai
babe in the manger meant should be
thing of beauteous peace and infinite
calm amidst the strife and turmoil
of the rest of the year.
And the youngsters who are eager
to earn penny during the schoo
recess. Look at them at 8 or II
O'Clock in the evening and note the
WEAKNESS in their eyes and the white
lines about their grim little mouths
that ought to be smiling at swee
dreams. Are we Intentionally guilty
of taking so much of life and health
and energy from these shop girls anG
men and boys or are we criminally
careless or just thoughtless? In any
case, the harm is untold. If you have
anything of pity in you go forth be-
fore the middle of December and pur
chase your gifts. Hurry to complet,
the list of purchases and be as kind
ly and unexacting as you are able
toward the girl who waits upon you
Shop early, shop as little as possible
waste less of your substance on tri
fies when men at your very door are
crying for food or shelter or cloth
ing. And if you give nothing to char
ity, if your Christmas giving is {
mere exchange between friend ant
friend, relative and relative, do this
one act which will humanize you
shop early and considerably. Yol
,I,o&