The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-12-23
HOW WOULD RE
PORN CHRISTMAS

Christmas apiri; j. dcad.--or % neAfiy
80 tl1st urgent action is necessary 4
NC hope 10 revive Il again. There p
vast difference 10 the holiday atmos-
phfre to-day and that Of two score
wears ago. The frenzied effort 70
make one dollar DO the work of .wo,
d. mad racc against time to get the
hundred ard one gifts of, until the
body and brain are spent beyond tell
ing.--is 10 be greatly dcplored
The matter ~ reform rests with the
individual. Let Us use a little common
sense in choosing gifts. ] have before
me two letters from which ! will quote
10 illustrate: Il am a bachelor girl
Why should my fifty, or more intimate
friends each send me gif.. ranging
in value from ten-cent calendar TO
dollar pair Of gloves or something
even more costly, not knowing if |
need or can use one Of the articles
sent?"
Perhaps half these people had no
reason for sending gift except the
feeling that custom demanded 1t. No
doub: they could have spent the money
more wisely for some one who would
have been really benefited by it,
while for this girl it simply meant SO
many obligations, ard pile of odds
ard ends TO care for. Could she have
had the aggregate amount expended,
and have become the happy possessor
of some long desired object--a set OF
books, cabinet, fine picture or per
haps a coveted jewell. would have
brought into her life that rare happi-
ness such as the true Christmas spirit
brings.
One more 81 am the mother of four
children The Christmas holidays
drive me nearly crazy, and utterly de-
moralize the youngsters for some time
% come, -if they ever recover from
the effects. The house is turned into
a department store, which looks as Il
IL had been visited by an earthquake
or cyclone and the several depart
ments shaken together in confusing
tumble; living has become hideous
nightmare, and happiness is banished
from our home"
How much better in this case if (
common sense had prompted these .
numerous and well meaning friends to
have consulted the parents in the Sc
lection Of gifts, or even better put all
the money to be expended into fund
10 start bank account for each child,
which at some time in his or her life
would be appreciated, instead of send
ing, every year, wagon loads of toys
that are soon broken and thrown
aside.
The question conf,onts us: What
can we do to restore he old-time
Christmas Spirit--partaking of love
and Joy MISUNDERSTANDING every
member of the family pleasure and
happiness Personally | do not care
for Christmas except as it serves to
bring human hearts into sympathy
with each other,--making a common
bond of love and goodwill to circle he
earth, thereby bringing us one step
nearer to a right expression of life.
Believing in simplicity, and caring
nothing for the dictates Of fashion, it
is very easy for me to carry out my
own ideas for reforming Christmas.
First Of all would always spell :he
word in the good old way, viz;
C-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s. never use the
abbreviated word Xmas" | have an
odd notion that this detracts from the
finer meaning Of the word and what 1t
stands for. Here are few rules that
| try to follow:
Never send a gift unless the heart
it.
Never send a gift just because j. is
expected Of you; you are acting the
hypocrite If you do.
Try to ascertain what manner Of ,,
gift will carry most pleasure with it.
In many cases it is well TO let the
remain in ignorance of the
giyer's name, for then there can be no
sense Of obligation felt--only real
pleasure If the gif. is appropriate.
DO not try TO rival your neighbor in
The number of gifts you make,-but
Il Il well TO exert q friendly rivalry in
trying TO create happiness on this day !
If peace on earth, good will TO men,
Do no. make Christmas Day time
% burden your friends with white !
elephants which they must keep and !
-eturn in kind.
Do not try to make expensive gifts
o people who have larger means than /.
TO such some simple gift will :
,ct.er express the giver and carry /;
more genuine pleasure with il. :
These rules can be modified u suit !.
circumstances. The very rich would