Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-26
CHRISTMAS GIFTS
BY DOROTHY DIX,
The Worlds Highest Paid Woman
Writer.

. . .. 20. .
rHE season Is upon US when the
dread spectre OF the Christmas
Present stalks through opr midst
and when wild eyed women sit down
with pencil and paper and try to dope
out some system by which they can
make one dollar go as far as two, and
what they shall give to whom as \
token OF love and remembrance.
Getting ready for Christmas has al,
ways been a time OF toll and travail.
OF .blistered and 'sfrazzied nerves, but
this year II will be more strenuous
and barrewihg than ever before, for
with 'plain bread and meat the price
OF erstwhiie nectar and anbrosia the
average family will have dimes In.
stead Of dollars with which TO go a.
shopping.
And this suggestion that this is the
psychological moment at which to put
into execution much needed reform
( in Christmas giving. Not to stop max
ing. Christmas presents. Heaven for
bid that beautiful custom should ever
die, but only TO make presents to
those who need them, and when we
do give to give useful things instead
of unloading lot OF junk on the for
lorn recipient.
Who does not blush to remember
the thifAgs he or she has bestowed up
on helpless friends and relatives at
Christmas time? Ornate and expen.
give pipes and cigarette. holders that
nobody could possibly use on men
who already have dozens of them;
fragile bric-a.brac that breaks at the
first handling; silly gift books that no
intelligent human being could read;
dinky fancy boxes that are nothing
but dust catchers; imitation Japanese
art that is an eyesore; all sorts OF
near silver trinketry that is Of no
earthly use except to clutter up a
house
We give these things not to express
our animosity towards our friends,
but our affection. And we give them
because in the course of annual pres
ent making to the same group OF peo-
pie for umpty tumpty successive joy.
Gus Christmases We have bestowed
upon them every conceivable sort of
Ioolishness. that they don't want and
can't possible use, and are driven to
desperation to find something differ,
ent each year
As for ourselves, we are filled with
gratitude for the kindly though of us
that prompted our friends to send us
a remembrance at the blessed Christ
mas time, but there is not one OF us
who. when we survey the mass Of
trash that represents our Christmas
presents. but could burst into tears at
the spectacle of so much good money
wasted. With half, or even third,
that the idiotic trumpetry cost we
could have bought ourselves some
thing that we really yearned for, and
we wish with all our hearts that it
was considered proper to tie up dol.
lar bill, or even a quarter, with sprig
of holly and a red ribbon and send it
as a Christmas present, instead Of the
foolishness that 1t has been spent up
on.
In times OF peace and prosperity
this exchanging of embroidered and
hand painted rubbish at Christmas is
a matter Of individual give and take,
and makes no particular difference,
but in hard times and war times 1t be-
comes a crime. and this year no dollar
should be wasted on meaningless gifts
10 people who need nothing.
Among well to do people there
there should be no giving of Christ.
mas presents to each other.
Please give to the Red Cross the
money that you intend putting into .
Christmas gift for me, or send it to
one Of the base hospitals to. relieve
the sick and wounded soldiers in
France, or to some poor mother in
France to help her keep her children
with her. or buy with it one of the
Christmas kits that are being sent to-
our own soldiers in far away camps"
That is the message that each one
of us should send TO our friends. That
IS the way in which we should spend