Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-26
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

On Christmas the fault lies with
candy. It would be interesting to know
how many million pounds of candy are
eaten on Christmas day throughout the
United States. Surely the total would
stagger the imagination, as it already
has the bodily economy.
Mankind insists, however, on not
| taking its rites too seriously, even the
most serious Of them, and in this hui
mainly asserts its old-time common
sense. There is something queer about
man. there Is no doubt of that, and
one Of the strangest facets of this
queerneSs is his inability to be totally
severe without something rising in him
to jest. Shall we place the blame or
the poor animals again? We think not
| The creatures have enough to suffer
from without that.
The day after Christmas finds the
| first needles falling from the Christmas
trees. The dogs and cats of the house
hold have chewed the choicest tips OF
the finest branches, and perhaps even
wrecked whole string of tinsel
The white star at the very tiptop il
tilted to an extreme angle. The wreathS
In the window show the first signs Of
whiting. They are beginning to turn
brown at the edges in just the slightest
degree. Next year we will attempt tc
holly outside in the fresh air.
But why should one have exercised
so mundane q quality as discretion al
ChristmaStide? Those are the happies,
today who spend foolishly, who gave
reckleSSly, who did not stint them
selves or others, in so far as they were
able.
Yet splurging is not the essence OF
Christmas, after all. Any child can tell
you as much. Take a good look at the
little ones today and you will find In
nine cases out of ten that it Is not the
expensive toys they get the most pleas
ure out Of, but almost without excep-
ton the smaller and less costly ones
OFTEN the grand dolls are left by the
tree for some old affair stuffed with
SaWduSt. As likely as not, the elaborate
| engine OF some description Is given the
go:hy Tor a wooden one which cost ex-
| actly 10 cents.
No, the Joy we got out Of Christmas
was not measured by money, although
| that had something to do with 1t. espe-
| cially if we are oldsters, so sunk in the
| sins OF this world are we. But even
with us 1t was the gift well placed. the
gift well intended, which struck home.
The man who liked outdoor sports
appreciated his new rod and reel, or his
golf clubs, or his tennis racket, or his
rlT1e; he who cares most for books liked
his splendid copy of Admiral Byrd's
Little America" even if he did fee
That within six months it will be selling
at dollar copy.
The woman who thinks most of dress
cared most, of course, for her new fur
cloak, and her sets of f1lmy underthinos
ana the ike. She who fancies the arts
OF the household rejoiced in some labor
saving device which promised better
household management.
So 1t went down the line, the Christ
mas that Is past. And it will continue
TO go down the line. No, the special
spirit does not vanish entirely. Some
OF 1t fingers, and it fingers best. per-
maps, when 10 is unknown and unrecog-
nized For humanity is, as we have
said, rather queer, and when 1t thinks
1t Is doing good it is inclined to gel
seH-conscious. But when it does good
| indeed. wv e"0O'