Gunnison news-champion., 1918-11-01
THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

"
SlOO, sum which is usually spent in
various treats" during election cam
pa gns, they did generous thing
which could be easily followed by the
rest Of Us in the coming holiday sea-
son.
Our government asks one and all
to please do our Christmas shopping
and mailing early, and to complete II
as soon as possible. Likewise the
goyc crnment requests Us to buy only
sensible articles for gifts, except in
the matter of small children. Why
cannot We go the request one better
and cut out the unnecessary part al
together-the shopping and mailing
and, as the Democrats did, give the
total amount usually spent, to either
the Red Cross or to one of the charit-
abb organizations, for which "drives"
for funds are now being carried out,
but. alas. which the Flu has about
spoiled. Here's a suggestion, although
you can, Of course, improve on 1t and
suggest something as good or better.
When the Flu" ban is lifted, in
yite all the friends whom you are
in the habit of remembering at Xmas
tim. and likewise all whom you are
pretty sure will remember you. Ask
I them in the invitation to bring a GER
tain sum Of money (lou needn't name
/ the exact amount). When they have
arrived on the evening designated.
/ provide each guest with pencil and
| slip Of paper and explain to them that
/ you are neither going to receive
l or present Christmas gifts this year
but instead they and you, likewise are
to write on the slips of paper the
name Of each person present to whom
I you and they intended giving gift,
and after the name place the amount
! that the present was to have cost or
I whatever sum you had intended spend
/ ing on that particular person.. After
wards have each guest add the sum
total and place the amount in money
I in receptacle which you have ready.
| This may consist of little box shap-
ed like Red Cross and beside it have
little doll dressed like a Red Cross
nurse. Securely wrap the box SO that
there is only a slit in the top through
which the donations are to be slipped.
After yours and the guests donations
have all been placed in the box, fast
en- large Christmas seal over the slit
and with Christmas greeting card
on which each guest has written her
name, send or take it to the Red Cross
or other organization for which it is
| intended. Should you wish the money
to go to some other charitable purpose
than the Red Cross, you might deco
I rate the box in a different manner
/ for instance, a little shaped box
and little doll dressed as a soldier
Many other ways and ideas will sug-
/ gest themselves to you. The whole
1 th,nD ka tal IN ha
of q game and the remainder of the
evening spent in various ways.
No doubt, on Christmas morning,
you will miss the dainty holly-wrap-
ped packages from the many friends,
but remember the good the price of
the gift will do for those to whom
Christmas will be nothing but heart
ache unless we help to make it other
wise.
OF course, we all have one or more
persons on our gift list that we can
hardly leave off without hurting their
feelings-someone who is not quite as
well off in worldly goods as we are, or
a dear old lady whom we have always
remembered at the holiday season.
In this case make your gifts as prac-
tical as possible. Instead of knitting
your old lady friend pair Of slippers
or q shawl, which she probably does
not need and hardly ever would wear,
buy enough yarn for sweater and a
pair of nice knitting needles and give
them to her and tell her to knit the
yarn into a sweater for some Sammy
'over there" if she hasn't boy Of
her own. She will appreciate both
the yarn and the chance to contribute
her "bit."
II you must send presents thru the
mail, do SO early and avoid the last
minute rush which causes such an aw-
full congestion Of the mails and brings
down on your head the wrath of both
the government and the over-woried
postoffice force. Sure! they get paid
for it, but remember, they, too, have
likeing for rest and a little cele-
bration during the Christmas time,
so do not compel them to waste their
own time as well as part of the gov
ernment's getting your last-minute
Christmas mail thru the postofice-
for it has to go, though the heavens
fall-there are no slackers in the gov
eminent offices.