Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-04
GRANDMA URGES ALL
TO BUY PRESENTS EARLY
Thinks Postponing Shopping
Until Christmas Eve Is
Bad Practice.

IF there ever is a time when the family
ought all to be gathered under the home
roof" said sensible grandmother, with
her arms full Of bundles, yesterday. lit
is on Christmas eve. If there ever is a
time when mothers and fathers are
needed by the family fireside 1t is then.
why? Did you ever stop to think of
the childish screams Of delight that
waken the neighborhood Christmas morn
ing long before the break OF day? Did
you ever stop to value them at their full
worth? Have you ever tried to imagine
just how many days that childish delight
at that time adds to your own life? II
you haven't, why 1t is simply because
you have not lived right-thats all there
is to 1t.
Maybe you belong to that unthinking
army that holds back to the last day
and the last minute to buy the things that
make that delight. Maybe you imagine
Tor your money. Or maybe You don't
care what the little ones get to bring out
their shouts of joy and laughter.
Can't Fool the Children.
Don't fool yourselves. The children
know. They know when the little
bundles Of surprises clustered around
the well trimmed Christmas tree are
what they should be. They know, too
when You have left off buying them until
the last minute when the best have
peer, neen picked out. They are cute, those
little children. They get together and
other girls doll. or the other boys wagon.
or drum, or whatever he has, and then
draw mental conclusion as to whether
santa Claus has given them the snub.
why. l wouldn't have one of my
darlings in that position for anything
In the world. That's why 1 am out now
looking over the best in the market, get
tlng the pick of the stores, gathering
In the new toys or the latest things in
o ONE KINDS OF presents. don't mean
thermore, If there are any others in the
world that 1 think enough Of to buy them
christmas present. want them to have
the best can get.
You are not sacrificing yourself to
please the shopkeepers by shopping early.
Oh! No! don't get that foolish notion in
your head. They will get you sooner or
later anyway. But are sacrificing your
Daples and your loved ones, for whom
you ouy your presents. by waiting to get
Christmas eve.
Hard for the Clerks.
And then did you ever think of the
poor shopgfrls. the clerks in the stores,
the messenger boys and others who have
to chase around all night and even we'll
into Christmas morning serving you and
| trying to make up for your shortcom-
| Ing by straining the lives out of them
selves with overwork. Do you think a
| proper Christmas spirit would prompt
you to do that? Poor souls who have to
| work for living and work hard, very
| hard. at that, 1t seems to me, are en-
titled to at least a little human con-
| sideration at Christmas time, Of all the
year.
That's why I do my shopping early,
| and I wish I could make law to COM
pei everybody else to do it, too"
And Grandma rang the car bell, stop
ped the car, got off and went home with
her armful of bundles, thoroughly con-
WINGED that she needed no urging to do
her Christmas shopping early. Her love
for her own and her kindly considera-
| ton for others had taught her the les
son long ago.