Evening star., 1936-11-22

hdihes are not very suitable when
formally engraved.
When a card is intended for the
whole family and one dislikes the
rural superscription, MIR. and Mrs.
Brightmeadows and Family, it is best
to address the envelope MIR. and Mrs.
and then on the card itself and below
the wording of the message write in
ink Love to the children too" - or
whatever message is suitable. Or if
one would like to include other men,
bers of the family. it is proper to write
on the card Greetings to your Mother
and Father" or Happy Christmas
wishes to all your family"
When sending cards to a business
acquaintance whom ones husband Tor
wife) does not know, one properly
signs ones name alone. But when the
acquaintance is social one or when
you are sending card to any one who
is really a friend and whom you would
very much like your husband or wife
to meet, the name of the latter may
be included. In the usual case you
would do what your own impulse
tells you. and send an impersonal card
alone and a friendly card together.
And this applies to people working in
business with you, for you, and above
you.
A card to some one who is in deep
mourning can be kind if its picture in
some way illustrates the birth of
Christ or the promise of peace, or if its
message be of loving friendly thought.
Whether or not those who are them
selves in mourning send cards depends
entirely upon their own feelings.
Although red and orange and green
ink are still tabu for social usage,
there is no tabu against signing cards
in red or other colored ink to match
the wording on a gayly informal
Christmas card. Also Christmas en-
velope Innings can be as wildly color
full as you please. 1t is quite all right
to paste return address stickers or to
write your address on envelopes going
to people whose address you are not
certain about.
According to best social precept the
sheets of tissue paper that protect
engraving should be removed before
mailing. But if the ink is found to
smudge, it would probably be better,
because common sense is more i'm
portant than convention. to leave
them.
The question of how far apprecia-
ton may be shown to clergymen.
doctors, and other professional men is
a matter of circumstance as well as of
personal impulse. In the case of a
clergyman who, unlike other profess
sionals, receives no fee for individual
service. a gift at Christmas, or more
particularly a contribution to the
parish fund, would of course be accept
able. There is no objection to ones
sending a small present to ones doctor
if he is a friend as well as physician.
A custom, which almost invariably
leads to a very real financial handicap,
is the exchanging of Christmas pres
ents by Office employees among them
selves and the giving of presents to
individual employers. Where these
customs have been established, it
would be hard for a newcomer not to
follow suit. But if an employee is
thinking of starting either of these
ideas, my advice to her (or him) is
don't! 1t is the sort of thing that is
much more easily started than stopped,
should it prove a purely mechanical
exaction as well as financial effort.
Only in exceptional cases of long
employment and personal affection.
does any one in domestic service give
his or her employer a Christmas gift.
But the giving of. small presents to
little children in the family by one
who is especially fond of them is not
unusual.