The Washington herald., 1915-12-20
AS SEEN BY A WASHINGTON WOMAN
CUTTING DOWN THAT LIST.


you originally made it out had to b.
y revised. Christmas lists always do
One of your best friends, quite by al
oversight, you forgot to put down a
all. Then an old school friend o
yours has just returned to town. Sh.
5 hasn't been on the list for years. anc
your husbands great aunt, with whom
you never exchanged presents, will b
visiting you, worse luck, and there:
the laundress! You forgot her too il
the first list, and the new president oi
the club. She hadn't even been elect
ed when you made the list out. And
your new sister-in-law. How are yor
going to manage?
First of all you probably stay awake
almost all of one night trying to jug
gle things around till they come oui
right. You simply can't get any more
Christmas money, for you have taxed
your bank account to the limit as il
is, and you can't put anything more
"on account" for you have already run
the bills up as high as you can pos
sibly meet in January. The only
thing to do.is simply 10 make re-
vision-crop. off little here and lit
tie there. Where you had planned to
give two presents give only one. Rob
yourself little. A new book or a
new picture that you bought for your
own pleasure will have to be neatly
wrapped up in the conventional white
tissue paper and red ribbon, the vari-
Gus sorts of stamps and seals and
pastors and join the pile of Christ
mas packages.
But some timcs-quitc TOO often in
fsct-something else happens. The
laundress, faithful soul, you had put
DOWN on the list for the munifcent
sum of dollar. You had planned
also to give her some old piece of
clothing for which you no longer had
any earthly need Well, who'd know
the difference if you. withdrew that
dollar and just left the piece of Old
clothing? The laundrcss and no ono
else. But if you didn't give that new
club president anything. or gave her
something much better. That would
wouldn't snub you for it, but you'd
always feel that Mrs. Smith, and Mrs.
Brown and Mrs. Jones gave her
something much better. That would
make You very uncomfortable. Then
there is the money you planned to
pu, in the Christmas collection, money
that goes to pay for the Christmas
decorations and special music that you
enjoy so much. That money goes in
an envelope. Who would know if
you took half, thrce-quarters of it
out? Though there would be just that
much less with which to pay for those
lovely poinsettias that add so much to
your Christmas cheer and the cheer
of every one else that goes to church
in Christmas tide. And in moment
of warm hcartedness you had planned
to buy some stockings for the chill
drcn in the home That is quite inl-
possible. Why should you buy stock
ings for orphans when there are dear
knows how many millionaires who
simply don't know what to do with
their money? 1t isn't your fault if
they arc selfish and don't remember
the orphans.
Yes, that is the way ii sometimes
goes. But d new spirit of Christmas
giving is abroad. You can feel it
everywhere, you go. 1t is the spirit
that bids you give as much as. and
ven more than, in other seasons
tempts you to tax the bank account
and stretch your credit evcn-but not
to give presents to those who have.
Nowadays women do not count their
Christmas achievements by how
many expensive gifts they have given
to other women who will also give
just expensive Christmas presents to
just as many other women. That sort
of thing has rather gone out of fash
ion. And instead there is this new
spirit of giving to those who have
not. NJ. M.