The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-12-18

Yet Christmas day has It's dangers for the chill
dren and DR.. Frank J. Monaghan, health commits
sioner of New York, gives out these timely "Donts'
for parents:
and in cold rooms on 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 are not used
to and that is too rich.
Don't fall 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 signif1-
canoe means much to the American people, Is
shown by the unofficial estimate that they will
spend considerably more than $5,OOO,OOO,OW In
gifts this year. This was the figure put on the
expenditures of 1923. The increase in 1923 over
1922, as shown by the December business of the
Post Office department, was 10 per cent in amount
of f~rst-class mail handled, and an increase OF Is
per cent in parcel post. The increases ranged
from 5 to 6 per cent In 81 widely scattered cities.
Some Of the increases reported were: Dallas,
Texas, 20 per cent In first class and 27.5 per cent
In parcel post mail Kansas City, 8 and 10 per
cent Louisville, 10 and 1876 per cent; Chicago,
8.3 and 81 per cent; Milwaukee, IL and IL per
cent st. Louis, s and 18 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 a way, for his extra work,
for he carries much JOY into many a household and
he is one man who knows to a certainty that the
American people are prosperous. 1t was a mem
Der Of the Letter Carriers union who made this
statement last year:
There is no group Of workers In the world bet
ter qualified to give actual testimony as to the
standards of living among the workers OF the
United States than the letter carriers. The city
letter carriers enter every home. We are in init
mate contact with every phase Of the daily life of
our people. And through our experience 1 can
bring to you the absolute testimony that the work
ers Of the United States, in the three great essen
tails of life which are food and clothing and shell
ter, are 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 one 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 no other re-
ligion, she tells us, has there been so lovely a
vision as that presented by Christianity in its be-
ginnings-"divine love coming on earth as a bal y,
a little child, that child growing up to teach Of
human unity, of God In man, of worship in love
and service. 1t is more than fitting that such a
birthday should come to be the children's festi-
VAL" But pre-Christian 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. we are told, rs roast turkey and a
Christmas tree, a banquet and the giving and re-
ceiving Of presents
The "Pay-as-You-Go Christmas movement is
now under full Roadway. It's advocates hold that
old-fashioned Christmas giving, the original pur-
nose of which was to impress upon children the
significance of the day, has degenerated into pro-
miscuous Christmas trading. Unconsciously we