The Washington herald., 1911-12-17
"CHRISTMAS INSANITY"
SCORED BY CRUSADERS
Senseless, Indiscrimnate Shopping and Giving Is Oh
ject of Attack by League Recently Organized.

man who has slowed away dozens of un-
wsarable slippers and impossible ties, and
other concoctons OF the exchange spirit
and who in turn has rushed up to some
worn-out shopgirl at $50 o'clock Christ
mas Eve and gasped: please find me
something for a lady about thirty-fve
and a man about the same age" but
who will be found in prominent seat
Of the "amen" corner.
No woman who has spent months IN
preparation, or who has worked night and
day for a month before Christman, and
sometimes all night the remaining few
days Of the mad time, but who, If she
were honest with herself. would admit
the foolishness of 1t all. No woman who,
IL she knew her many women friends
would do likewise, but would welcome the
freedom from it all. 1t isn't the love Of
giving that we so fondly tell about that
prompts all this work, all this striving,
this unhappiness- 1t is simply because
some one else does it. We are all such
sheep.
No shop girl who has stood on her feet
from nine to twelve hours in the thank
less task Of pleasing hundreds of shop
mad women, who tear from one counter
to another in a frenzy of indecision and
finance, but who would thank God for
relief from the strain and a chance
to enjoy her Christmas in rest and peace.
No buyer in the big stores but who would
breathe q sigh of thankfulness for relief
from the tremendous mental and physical
strain placed on him and his department
II the truth were known, the big depart
ment stores themselves would no doubt
say: Thank your
The Underlying Fault.
And why do we do all this2 For no
other reason than that so often given
for all senseless acts-"Why, every one
does itH' And who is every one? Why,
Just thousands and thousands OF others
like ourselves-people without sense.
And the underlying fault? We have lost
our sense OF value. We have pinned the
blue ribbon" on the wrong entry-t
should be on Loving Thought" and we
have 1t on Dollar Mark" And where
are vein a maze of worry, care, eX-
haustion, unhappiness and greed, an an
nual attack OF mental, moral, and physi-
cal exhaustion.
What a contrast is this Christmas to
that beautiful old-fashioned Christmas Of
the Puritans, filled with peace and hap
piness: when the joy was not the giving
OF gifts, but the giving OF thanks to the
''Giver of every good and perfect gift
the giving of each others presence and
love was in commemoration OF that other
giving, which We OF this later day so
defile. And to relieve this situation comes
the Worlds League for a Sane Christ
mas. It offers In lieu of gifts, cards Of
greeting and letters Of love. Can one
imagine a more delightful Christmas
morning than to find at ones breakfast
place pile of letters and greetings from
those who really care for him! How
much more would this Christmas spell
loving thought! Each letter is peculiarly
his own-the product OF time set apart
for him, and not the mad grab at the
last moment for "something-anything'
sent in fear Of a similar gift from you.
One must not confuse the purpose Of
the league. It's purpose is not to dis
courage giving-far, far from 1t. 1t is
rather to promote an honest, loving, un-
selfish and thoughtful giving. 1t advo-
Gates the giving throughout the year
when the heart prompts the giving-when
loving thought for some friend, results
in a desire to make that friend happy.
II says, give, yes, but give because you
want to give, not because you are driven
to it.