The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-27
BEST z XMAS EYER,
ALL N. Y. AGREES
More Generous Giving and
Liberal Spending Reported
Than Ever Before,
A OF STORES HAPPY

When the seasons popular little old
gentleman with the white 'whiskers and
the twinkling eyes folds up his empty
burlap bag. stands his shiny tired boot,
In the corner and sits down with a well.
now-let's-see sort of sigh to look over
his Inventories labelled "C~hristmas-
1915 the smile OF satisfaction that
wreathes his kindly face will simply be
the broadcast. grandest smile that ever
happened.
well" he'll muse, "I'm getting v
Her every year. ! don't think I missed
many this trip. It certainly was some
Christmas all around"
And so II was. THE SUN reporter who
trailed in the old mans tracks yester-
day among the city and State chari-
table agencies. among the public and
private distributors of Christmas cheer
10 Old and young, and sounded sentiment
among the mercantile leaders of New
York. found that all agreed tina never
before In the greater city was the Christ
mas spirit of generous giving. liberal
spending and general sharing of the
holidays good things so all pervadins.
II would be quite true to say that more
Christmas money than ever before
changed hands.
According TO the directors of pub,,o
and private charities, the Christmas jus.
passed was an unusual one In the gem
eral manifestation OF Christmas giving.
The number Of recipients of material
blessings at the hands OF others was
larger. 1t Is reckoned. and the number
OF persons VIII shared their better for
tunes with others was greater, though
individual contributions Of money were
perhaps smaller as IA rule.
All lean Satisfaction.
BY the same token. heads Of the city's
biz department stores who were asked
what they thought of Christmas this
year beamed with satisfaction. Every
body shopped early and late. Purchases
far exceeded IN Sc recorded I'm previous
years. according TO estimate. for It was
impossible to give definite figures for
comparisons. There was far less un-
employment In the city this year. To
lie sure. there was scarcely less poverty
and distress, 80 the charitable agencies
said, but ~ spite Of that. holiday buy
ing was the largest In history.
" things were noted by the relief
tgeilcies with regard to the Christmas
giving. One was tn. remarkable in
crease IN small contributors to various
charities. The other WAS the apparent
arrange effect OF last years depression
that was noticeable among those who
app,ied for Christmas help.
The Charity Organization Society.
me Association for Improving the Con-
d:tion OF the Poor, the state Charitie.
Ala Association. the city Department
OF Charities. the salvation ARM and the
Volunteers of America found their con-
triDuting friends on the Increase when
tney tailed up donations just before the
Christmas distribution. There were no,
30 many exceptionally large gifts of
money and other things rs last year.
but the total wac greater. The appre-
citation OF one-half OF how the other half
lives was manifest to those who were
agents of one to the other.
The salvation Army and the Nuiur-
teers OF America. whose ~tirelcss Santa !
Clauses and Christmas pot tenders
gathered the pennies, dimes. nickels and
quarters for Christmas dinners for the
poor. did not get as much rs they did
last year.. but there vas a good excuse
for the apparent waning OF generosity
On the part OF the casual passerby. |
More Generous Gi,iua.
~1ndeed. this has been an unusual
Christmas aid Director W rNank
Persons OF the Charity Organization So
ciety. Las year was Unusual too.
BON were marked by more generous I
giving. Last year BECAUSE OF the un-
p~recedentei conditions in the city there
was a 'e"''r- that those who had "A great /
. should give accordingly and the
gifts we're large but fewer. This year
rhe number Of givers was larger than
ever before. but the amount Of their
contributions was smaller.
The same Views were expressed BY
William Matthews. director OF relief OF
the New York Association for Improv-
ing he Condition OF the Poor. but Mr..
said too that although Christ
mas contributions flowed In more freely
than IN previous years his organization
has found II more difficult to raise funds
for It's REGULAR work.
tn. belief t-at 1855 Christmas was
marked by greater general prosperity.
generosity and true charitable spirit wns
emphasized also by Commissioner Jphn
A kingsbury Of the Department OF Pub
Vic Charities, Mr.. kingsbury charac-
terized it as unusually gratifying.
Perhaps the greatest evidence of the
general sharing of Christmas spiri, was
found in the department stores. the
city's shopping centres. War business
has gradually gravitated 10 the general J
population, It seems. Department store !
managers looked gratliediy at the
unusual crowds and one familiar with
the shoppers cum many among the
purchasers W-o had not dared to he 50
reckless vim their money In years.
New York merchants said in general
that the season has been the best In the
history Of the city, There was more
buying, not bigger buying. but a greater
of individual DurchasAs