The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-11-27
Observations
Hurry up Plan
For Christmas
Irksome
BY HELEN EssARY

- AANAA - ~NNN
Der is here now" is obeyed then,
in a couple of days, Christmas will
just a memory.
I'D always thought that in the
DRY at least, Christmas was time
TO be happy. II was also a seasonal
time Of the year. 1t usually began
TO drift into the mental and fnan-
cial consciousness about Dec. ]
or Dec. IS, il you were a twice-a-
month pay-check-ee. From the 18th
on, you ran around in a frenzy with
a list in your hand and burrows IN
your brow. Getting more ana more
agitated by Christmas spirit and
aching feet
And then before you we're ready
for the big celebration. Christmas
was upon you, Christmas day
itself,
Christmas was fun then But
what is this thing they call Christ
mas this year, And is there a
Santa Claus?
There isn't a Santa Claus this
year il he's got himself disguised
as my Aunt Louisa.
My Aunt Louisa came TO see us
three or four weeks ago. Aunt
Louisa had a package with her.
The package was wrapped in paper
decorated with sleighbells, reindeer
and cannon balls. The package
was tied with some kind of plastic
ribbon that wouldn't make a bow.
Here, said Aunt Louisa, firm
ly. Here is your Christmas pres
ent. I've not only shopped early.
I've mailed early. And I'm deliy-
cring early
OH How sweet of you, Aunt
louisa" all of us cried cheerily.
Don't be too grateful said Aunt
Louisa. 1T is a family present.
And practical Three dozen cakes
of soap. That's what it is Thought
| might as we'll tell YOU. Well,
I've got that done" she sighed.
Taking a little memorandum
book out of her pocket, Aunt Louisa
scratched off our names. To our
satisfaction. she shortly thereafter
departed. With her, | hasten TO
say. went the spirit OF Christmas
And | haven't been able TO get the
darn thing back yet
wouldn't have brought up the
subject of Christmas al all today
if / were not unconsciously yielding
10 the pressure OF the Have-Your-
as-Ready-Early campaign.
Fact is, an now engaged in
writing a Christmas column.
What | honestly think about
Christmas this year is that it hasn't
a leg to stand on. It's too organ
lied. Christmas ought to be hit
and miss sort of occasion. 1t ought
to be a muddle and an extrava-
gance and a confusion and an up
roar from which everything turns
out very we'll indeed. But what
are you going to do about Christ
mas in which the military takes
over?
How are you going to feel right
about Christmas this year and
chant of Peace on earth and good
will toward men" with a flame
bomb in one hand and block bust
er in the other?
You've got to forget so much
this Christmas. You've got to pre-
tend more than you usually do.
IT would seem you'll even have to
pretend that concoction you serve
on your Christmas platter is a tur.
key. Where all the turkeys will
go, on Dec. "a, don't know. Ger
tainly the chickens are stay-at-
homes. And the tough old hens
never wander. But turkeys. so the
prophets are saying, will not be
with US.
There's the toy shortage, too.
Terribly hard on the dear little
children, you say. Not at all. Only
adults like toys. Manufactured
toys. Children prefer to make up
their own toys.
To return to sacrifices-there's
a scarcity of everything but money.
That's nothing you really want
that money can buy. Shoddy stun
everywhere you go. This years
money is kind OF shoddy. too. When
you think of what made this extra
cash with which we are doing up
our Christmas, when you think
what a price We have paid for
this prosperity-why-w ell-but
there's nothing we can do about
that. either.
So-A Merry Christmas to you!
Remember-have fun, Remember.
too-whatever else you feel or
think-Christma is the hope Of the
world,