Gunnison news-champion., 1918-10-11
DO YOUR CHRISTMAS THINK
ING EARLY

No! the above statemen5 isn't . ty-
| biographical error. That's just what
we meant.-Do yeur Christnas think
ing early.
Along about this time, or real soon,
the do your Christmas shopping ear
ly" bug gets to buxxing around, and
we make q huge drive on the fancy
work for gifts, or else we shop and
spend great gobs Of good money and
heaps of time picking out gift for
some one we love, or some one we
don't give tinker's darn for, but feel
we ought TO remember because she or
he remembered US last year-and 80
| it goes. Very little thought is ever
expended on the real issue, or little, if
any thought is given to the reason we
celebrate Christmas. The real spirit
Of the most beautiful day on the cal
ander is entirely forgotten in the rush
TO- get the gift buying over and done
with.
Christmas is the birthday of the
real and only author of Democracy,
and it is to uphold the spirit of Demo-
cracy today, that our men are "over
there" We, at home are making
every effort in our power to help them
to win the war, SO, therefore, let's go
about our Christmas giving this year
a little different. Remember the mon
ey SO sorely needed, and do not buy a
lot Of useless things just because we
feel we must give something"
That dainty camisole you spent so
much time on last summer for your
dearest friend, was beautiful, no
doubt, but it took lots OF time to make
lit-enough time to have finished two
pair of warm socks for some Sammy,
or sweater for another. And be-
cause your gift was SO nice and looked
like such a lot of work, your friend to
whom you sent it feels that she ought
to do as much for you this time, and
30 lot more good time is spent on
something for you, while the Red
Cross rooms call in vain for more help.
Don't do it-girlie. Just write to
every friend and relative, to whom you
intended giving something to this
Christmas, and tell them fiat that you
are not going to remember them this
year, that the price Of your gift is to
60 towards charity, and the Red Cross.
No! they won't get mad-not II they
are the real red-blooded friends they
are supposed to be. Tell them that
you wish them to use the money in.
tended for your Christmas present
from them, to be used in the same way
Never mind il your dearest chum
hasn't . lovely crocheted yoke for her
might gown. Let her go with out, and
instead Of wasting time making her
one, take the money down town \end
buy yards Of nice, warm flannel hnd
make lot Of dainty little night gowns
for the soft, little bodies Of Belgian
and French babies, for whom women
"over there" are caring for, and for
whom there is never enough clothing.
That little chafing dish apron you
were going to embroidery for Mabel,
mabel isn't her name but it will do)
can wait. Let Mabel or Sue or Jane
tie o handkerchief around her tummy
when she stirs up messes in her chat
ing dish. Use your time instead in
making things needed for the hospit-
ais. II you don't know how, there are
plenty Of Red Cross workers who will
show you how.
The girl friend so recently married,
will, no doubt, be ticlled by the dain-
|ty white cloth embroidered in her in
itial, but it will take time, and It will
cost too much any way. "Over there"
linen u being used to wrap around
broken and bleeding bodies and the
only embroidery on them are the huge
stains made from the blood being shed
for US. Mayhap your own brother is
one Of them. So never mind the fam
cy work this year, write each and all
q lovely Christmas letter and then
some day when the war is over, and
our loved ones are home again, we can
have Gvlovely Christmas, and likewise
have more to spend on it with the
money we invested in Liberty Bonds
and 6tanps. They, you know, draw
interest," while the principle works TO-
make tie world safe for Democracy.
Already the government is sending
out appeals to us to cut down rs much
as possible IN the number Of packages
we send this yekr, since, even in the
most peaceful times of peace, the
Christmas rush has been something
fierce. With such loads Of soldiers
mail going thru daily, to say nothing
Of the increase about the time Of the
holidays, II is going to be sti6 job
~ A