The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-12-17
Christmas Giving Should Be
Prompted BY the Heart.
Religion In the Orthodox Sense Nee
Necessary to Appreciate Finer
Qualities Of Great Christian
Holiday,
er PRupENcE srANplsl,.

crowds suddenly about him sing OF
glory In the highest and peace and
good will. The wise men who have
seen his star In the East. kneel and
spread their gifts OF gold and myrrh
and frankincense without question
The miracle OF 1000 years ago IL
still new and glad and lovely. for.
10! in all Christendom bells peal and
sweet choirs sing the message given
by the binding angel and the crowd
Ing host;
For behold bring you tidings Of
great Joy which shall be to all people.
Glory 70 God In the highest. and on
earth peace. good will toward men"
This Is the message Of the Christ.
mastide. yet the bigger half Of Chris.
tendon makes the period the pagan
festival 1t once was at the time OF
the winter solstice. We give gifts.
for sake OF the gods OF custom and
merriment. forgetting entirely that
they are for sake OF the great spiritual
Joy which shall be to all people"
The gold and myrrh and frankincense
Of the heart are withheld-we give
gifts because we've got to. and keep
our hearts as much closed 70 the
Christmas child as was the Inn. We
have our own selfish ends TO gain, the
rich patron TO cater to. the friend TO
appease. We heap little children with
dazzling toys. and light the starry
lamps OF their fP trees because II is
the fashion. and we do our Rmals
Christmas charities because II would
seem mean not to do them.
We have forgotten the joyous and
sublime meaning OF Christmas One
does not need to DO religious in the
orthodox sense to appreciate the finer
quality Of this great festival. for what
u known as Christian feeling has
come TO be q moral obligation at this
time-a point Of etiquette. In truth.
TOR the heart and mind.
In point Of mere stiquette-what
the social world thinks on the sub
iect Of Christmas gift giving--it is
thought bad taste for a person OF mod.
est means 70 give presents OF value
10 others OF wealth and influence. for
this savors too much like curTying 70
continued favor II the giver Is already
under obligations. But some knowl-
edge OF the helpful friends existence
r. necessary. and this may take the
form OF q pretty Christmas caro- with
an appropriate greeting: or q knot OF
flowers or winter berries may be sent
with a note expressing warm Christ
mas wishes.
That the servant who has given heI
bodily strength and hearts best inter
est 70 the home must not be forgot
ten. goes without saying; but II IA
certainly bad form 70 make the poor
servitor's gift an inexpensive trifS
when something better can be afford
Cd.
Then what q woeful want Of tastt
II shows for US to defer buying .
friends or sisters present until w
have found out what she means q
give us. and 30 make the exchange Z
guild pro quo. The gift that goes "a
friend or relative is above all one fol
love. and Il Is undoubtedly better
taste for the recipient OF the simpler
gift in the exchange TO appear a.
pleased as n she had received some
tsIEg ten times its value.
But, then. what matters the natur,
Of the gift after all? The spirit Il
the thing-and does not this silly pic
ture or cushion. 30 unbecoming 10 III,
parlor, mean that the friend or sistel
has thought Of us7
As for the little children, so mucl
are their feelings painfully straine,
Of his time that would like to writ,
Dook. on the subject. I beg even
mother not 10 threaten the poor littI,
heart that misbehaVes sometimes with
the eternal word that Santa Claui
won't come II you do that any more
The dear kiddie who forgets to b,
good knows better after q year or tw,
OF this narrowing threat. which make
you out a story teller. Meanwhile
there is the little heart staying awake
at night with its dreadful anxieties
there are the sudden storms OF bite
tears. with all the glory OF Christina
sunk in the bottomless pit Of absolute
sureness that Sanfy--dear. abused
good old fat gentieman--w won't come
We remember the poor and drop
few pennies gladly for the blind ehIl
dren.
But, Why do We do h--why7 II 1
because . wide. sweet star has stoppeI
over a stable In the far East. bscauB
, the church choirs are singing o
peace on earth and good WIN towar'
men.
SO let Us never lose sight a tina
fact with our gifts. whether our hand
tender or receive them. for the hear
closed TO the deeper signiheanee o
Christmas may truly be nkened Z
the INN that held no room. Let O
send with each gift soms Of III
hearts true gold and frankincense-
bind Il with the core Of some memor
! Of Bethlehem Let NJ receive eae
and every one Of our gifts - 1ding
Of great Joy