The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-10-19
Dorothy Dix Says
CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
BY DOROTHY DIX
The Worlds Highest Paid Woman Writer.

THE season IS upon US when the
dread spccter OF the Christmas
Present stalks through our mids''
! and when wild eyed women SIT down
with pencil and paper and try to dope
out sone system by which they can
make one dollar 20 as Tar as two, ana
what they shall give 10 whom as a
token OF love and remembrance.
Getting ready for Christmas has al.
WAYS been a time OF toll and travail, ot
blistered and iraIrled nerves, but this
year /, will he more strenuous and mar
rowing than ever before. for with PLAIN
bread and meat the price OF erstwh,lc
nectar and ambroSia the average family
will have dimes instead OF dollars with
which to 60 shopping
And this suggests that this Is the
psychological moment at which to pu'
into execution a much needed reform
in Christmas giving. Not 10 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 unload
lng a lot OF junk on the iorlorn re-
clpicnt.
Who does not blush to remember the
things he or she has bestowed upon
helpless friends and relatives at Christ
mas time Ornate and expensive pipes
and cigare, holders that nobody could
possibly use on men who already hayt
dozens OF them fragile bric.a-brac
that breaks at the first handling silly
gift books tina, no intelligent human
being could read; dinky fancy boxes
that are nothing but dust catchers; im,.
%itation Japanese art that is an eye
sore all sorts Of near silver trinketty
that is OF no earthly use except to
clutter up a house.
We give these things not to express
our luminosity toward our friends BIZ;
our affection. And we give them be-
aus in the course OF ANIMAL present
making 10 the same group OF people
for umpty turfpty successive joyous
Christmascs We have bestowed upon
them every conceivable sort OF foolish
ness that they don't want and can,
possibly use, and are driven TO despers-
ton to find something different each
year.
As for ourselves, we are filled with
gratitude for the kindly thought OF u
that prompted our friends to send u
a remembrance at the blessed Chris.
mas time, but there is NOT one OF u
who. when we survey the mass OF trash
that represents our Christmas presents
but could burst into tears at the spec
tacle Of so much good money wasted
With half, or even a third, tina, III,
idiotic trurnpery cost We could hav
bought ourselves something that W
really yearned for, and we wish wi,
all our hearts that it was considere
proper to tie up a dollar bill, or ever
quarter, with a sprig Of holly and a re
ribbon and send it Is a Christina
present, instead OF the foolishness thu
il has been spent upon.
In times of peace and prosperity tn
exchanging Of embroidered and hand
painted rubbish at Christmas is a mat
ter OF individual give and take, an
makes no particular difference, bu, !
hard times and war times II become
a crime, and this year no dollar Shout
be wasted on meaningless gifts to PEG
pie who need nothing.
Among well-to-do people there shoul
be no giving OF Christmas presents {:
each other.
Please give to the Red Cross In
money that you intended putting int
a Christmas gift for me, or send it I
one of the base hospitals to relieve IN
SICK and wounded soldiers in Franc,