The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-12-19

Yet Christmas day has its dangers for the chill
dren and DR.. Frank ]. Monaghan, health commits
sioner of New York, gives out these timely "Donts
for parents:
Don't allow children to lie only partly dressed
and in cold Christmas morning. Many
colds can be avoided by needing this warning.
Don't rob the children of their proper amount
of sleep during the holiday week.
Don't overdress them with their new sweaters or
furs just because 1t is Christmas.
Don't overtax their stomachs with too many
goodies. and especially with food they not used
to and that is too rich. 49,
Don't fail to be sensible during the holidays
thus saving the children much discomfort of body
and considerable mental distress to the mothers.
That Christmas, aside from its religious signif-
canoe means much to the American people, is
shown by the unofficial estimate that they will
spend considerably more than $5,000000,000 in
gifts this year. This was the figure put the
expenditures of 1923. The increase in 1923 over
1922 shown by the December business of the
Post Office department was 16 per cent in amount
of first-class mail handled and an increase of 18
per cent in parcel post. The increases ranged
from to per cent in 81 widely scattered cities.
Some of the increases reported were: Dallas,
Texas, 20 per cent in first class and 275 per cent
in parcel post mail; Kansas City, 8 and 10 per
cent; Louisville 10 and 1S.5 per cent Chicago,
S3 and 81 per cent Milwaukee, II and IS per
cent; ST. Louis, 8 and 10 per cent
Yes the postman is a busy man at the Christ
mas season. His pack is big and heavy But he
should feel repaid, in way, for his extra work,
for he carries much JOY into many household and
he is one man who knows to a certainty that the
American people are prosperous 1t was a men,
Der of the Letter Carriers union who made this
statement last year:
There is group of workers in the world bet
ter qualified to give actual testimony to the
standards of living among the workers of the
United States than the letter carriers The city
letter carriers enter every home. We in inti
mate contact with phase of the daily life of
our people. And through our experience
bring to you the absolute testimony that the work
of the United States In the three great
tails of life which food and clothing and shell
ter. far better off now than ever before.
Out of this situation has grown the Spugs-So-
ciety for the Prevention of Useless Giving-and
many somewhat similar organizations. They speak
strongly against the Degradation of Christmas"
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, for example, said in
the Century Magazine that the descent from Jesus
to Santa Claus was of the saddest in the his
tory of mythology and that the cause of our gross
observance of the sacred day is our substitution
for the gracious and loving Teacher, the lover of
all humanity, of this chimney-climbing distribu-
tor of presents, Santa Claus In other
ligion, she tells us, has there been lovely
vision as that presented by Christianity in its be-
ginnings-"divine love coming earth baby,
a little child, that child growing up to teach of
human unity, of God in man. of worship in love
and service. 1t is than fitting that such a
birthday should come to be the children's feSti-
VAL" But preChristian origins of the annual
celebration have come to dominate it. Santa
Claus has replaced the memory of Christ. The
prevalent idea of celebrating Christmas in our
country. told. is roast turkey and
Christmas tree, banquet and the giving and
ceving of presents"
The "Pay-asY ou-Go Christmas" movement is
now under full Roadway. Its advocates hold that
old-fashioned Christmas giving, the original pur-
pose of which was to impress upon children the
significance of the day, has degenerated into pro-
miscuous Christmas trading. Unconsciously we