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CHRISTMAS GIFTS | There is a g-ood deal of blundering In Christmas giving. There are a number of delusions in relation to this subject which it is worth while to discover and avoid. One delusion which prevails is that all our gifts are to be valued at the dollar and cent rate. At this rate the gift which cost flOO will be worth to the recipient just a hundred times as much as the one which only cost one dollar. This is surely a bad blunder. The value of the gift depends comparatively little upon its monetary value. It depends vei-y much more upon its suitability, and most of all upon the person who gives it. While Christmas is no time for extreme and unnecessary econ omy, it is jast as little a time for ostentatious display of wealth. The emphasis must not be laid upon the dollar, for, if it is, the value of Christmas will be sadly impaired, and possibly wholly destroyed. Another blunder is to allow our Christmas giving to worry us. It seems strange that this should hap i)en, and yet we are persuaded that 'here are not a few who every Christ- jaas really suffer from nervous ex- liaustion on account of the worry in- cident to their Christmas shopping. This probably may be largely avoided if we take plenty of time to choose our gifts, and purchase them as we have opportunity. And if the gifts are largely our own handiwork we can probably commence them much earlier and escape the penalty of Christmas weariness. Another mistake is harder to rem- edy. It consists in giving people what we think they ought to like in- stead of what they really do like. The boy would like a top or a sleigh; the father gives him Baxter's Saint's Rest. The girf would like a book or a brooch; the mother gives her a pair of boots. In all giving we have a right to consider what is best for the recipient, but we have an equal right to consider what he (or she) would most prefer. The tragic element in such cases too often lies in this, that the giver is woefully out of sympathy with the one he wishes to please. Probably the heart is grayer than the hair. Christmas, rightly used, should help to keep us young. Another blunder lies in foolishly giving what our better judgment con- demns. There are fathers and moth- ers who are too fond to be kind, and at Christmas they seek only to get that which the children most desire, forgetting that the day may come when the child, grown wiser through bitter experience, will curse the well- meaning folly which made his own wishes his parents' law. The child's wishes should be consulted, but the parent's judgment and experience must not be ignored. Another mistake lies in confining our Christmas gifts to our own little circle. If the Christian church in Canada were fully alive to this, there need be no family in the whole land without a goodly measure of Christ- mas cheer. If each one would only look after his own corner! It would mean a little more time, a little more money, but a good deal more happi- ness, both to those who give and to those who receive. The Christmas time, if it is to realize what it seems to us it is divinely intended to rea- lize, should make the whole wofld of mankind, at least for a little time, oite great family, of which no mem- ber should be left out in loneliness or neglect. DINNER FOR FAMILY OF SIX ;»«5'®a5®5«'®g5®ssi5'^«««st®?K«48*:s®S!®^ Good Christmas Fare at a Cost of Less Than S2. As the holiday season approaches the housewife is busy making the usual plan for a family dinner party, or for as many guests as she can ac- commodate. Christmas and New Year's dinners are frequently elabo- rate affairs, especially with those who can afford to buy all the good things in the markets. It is the less expen- sive dinner that the housewife has to figure out and plan for. The dinner given below is of good quality and costs very little: What Soup to Make.â€" Cut celery and one onion 'nto very small pieces, cover with four cups of cold water and let boil until thoroughly cooked; do not strain off the water, but crush the celery and onion with a large spoon or potato masher, season well with salt and pepper; add to this one cup of milk and one teaspoonful of butter, thicken with a little flour or bread crumbs. Stuffed Shoulder of Pork.â€" Have the butcher remove all the bone from three pounds of a shoulder of fresh pork. Wipe the pieces of meat with a damp cloth I Holiday Games I At our Christmas bazaar green canes (cut on the river bank and closely resembling bamboo) furnished the foundation of a most effective Japanese booth. Tliey were easily made into a latticed summer-house, over which wild smilax was trained. This keeps its glossy green leaves all winter in the South. When heavy clusters of loosely made pink paper flowers were added the result was beautiful. Several hundred of these flowers were made in one evening by simply scalloping two circles of pa- per, one slightly smaller than the other, twisting them together in the centre and slightly curling the petals. A LITTLE CHILD. Babe of Bethlehem Was a Simple, HelplesH, Human Child. Did you ever stop to think what it must mean to the world of Christian men and women that once in every year they are everywhere impelled to g^ather about the cradle of a little human child. For we must remember always that Jesus was that. He was, indeed, no make-bciieve child, any more than He was a make-believe man in the after years. The Gospels tell us no marvel tales of His early years, for there were none to tell. We cannot understand it; it is the great- est marvel of the many marvels that crowd our lives, but wo must stand by this, that the Babe of Bethlehem, though He was the Son of the Father, i was a simple, helpless, human child. And every year we stand about His They were fastened to the leaves with j cradle, learned and unlearned, and pins. This little flower-covered standing there, with Him the centre booth, with its lanterns half hidden by the flowers and leaves, had a distinct^- ly Japanese air. of our thought and feeling, our earth ly hopes and ambitions and longings ! grow to be something other and bet- , ter than they were. Apart from all The "lucky bean" game can be . ^^^^^ j^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^ ;„ ^^^^^ ^.^yg^ played at any informal dinner, supper, ^j^ influence over us as the little children's party, fancy dress dance or (-,^j,j j^ Bethlehem is wonderfully full masquerade. Each guest, on arrival, ^^ blessing and of helpfulness. That GIFTS FOR THE MEN FOLKS. A Few SuggesUons That Will Come In Useful. HOLIDAY SWEETMEATS A remark often heard at this sea- son of the year is; "I can't think what^ to give So-and-so for Christ- j There is no culinary secret so dear '"'*>*•" 1 to the feminine heai-t as a recipe be- That is the trouble â€" to think of queathed by one's great-great-grand- things. The making or the shopping mother. The recipes for these little are minor details when one has de- cakes have been used for generations cided what to make or buy. The by the Moravians whose quaint Old shops do not help much, for there is World religious customs have with- so very much to be seen that they stood our fin-de-siecle civilization for are apt to dull the imagination rather a century and a half. To them tlw than sharpen it. Here are a few suggestions ; neighborly e.xchange of Christmas that cakes is an institution as honored as and be sure there are â-  '^ ^^^^^ *° partake of a sn,all piece jj^^j^ ghild must make the life of the ana pe sure incre «»rB ^ ^^j^^ ^ ^^^^ ^^ hidden in one , . , „i_,„i„r honester nurer more maiSl'it Rui"' the' meT weU ^ °^ '"^^ P'-^" '''^^ '-^^^ «-'"• f "^ ^ndfy "0'^' hc^ Jm thaTit Tould mainmgonit. Kub tne meat wen , becomes king or quern of the „,, ' • v...„„ k..1 T.,„i.ino. nt Him otherwise have been. Looking at Him Si t^e kvirfrom w£The bo^^^^ ^J^ "°""''' ^'^^ •-'â- â€¢;" ^he- in all His helplessness, filled has b^n removed wUh a stuS '^'^^^^^^y- The sovereign holds full | ^i^j, ^j, ^he mystery and strangeness made ^f two cups o7 bread crumbs! ^.T."^ *°'' '^' 't"- f *,1 «Tf"f ! «"<» condescension of that scene in made or two cups 01 oreaa crumos. Whatever he or she does all must fol- i B„thlehem's inn the hardness and the onion finely chopped, chestnuts ,„^ ^^.^ if he chooses to hop around fXtla -TfUeS^^^^^^^ the room, all must do so, if he drinks, ^^^^^ ^^.^^ ^^ ^^ ,gj,yt ^ ijttle, and all do the same; in fact, every action purp^,^^^ fg,. bettor and kinder and has to be imitated by the other guests, ; j^^j.^^. jj^j^^^ ,j,j .^^^ ^^jp ^^j. hearts. : or the penalty is a forfeit. that have been blanched and put through the grinder, season well with salt and pepper, tie together with a strong white cord and bake in a double roasting pan. Bake in a butter- ed dish three or four cooking apples ! ^^ ^j^^ left-handed party the host that have been pared, cored and ^^^ ^^^^^.^^ ,,^^,g tj,eir right hands quartered. Serve on platter with the f^^stened behind them in receiving meat. One pint of cranberries, sugar, make into sauce or jelly. The cran- berry sauce or jelly is very attractive when served in small individual glasses. Take seven cents' worth of pota- toes that have been boiled, mashed ! In a fulness of meaning that we but little understand, it is true that "a little child" is leading the world into ever new and better and happier and , . holier ways, their guests. Any guest giving his ^ Locking at Him to-day we ought to right hand in greeting pays a forfeit ^gg^j^,^ j^at our lives will realize the later in the evening. Potato races ^omptings that stir within us as we form a part of the entertainment, ^.j^g with the shepherds and wise men It one end of the ^^ ^^j^ ^^ ^^^ strangest, most beautiful Potatoes are placed at one room in a row. Contestants start We , ,, ... ,. , from the other end, take up the pota- , determine that we will let and seasoned well with salt, pepper , ^^^^ j^ ^p^^^^ i,^.,j by tha left hand, °"»"^ 'L^^.^"" " .. . , and sufficient milk to make them . ^„ j ^^^^^^ ^^ ^he other end of the ^.^ ,„ ^^ch more that we may never milk to make creamy, place in a well-greased bak ing dish and put in the oven *""?.'*'"â-  .. o . • TT u ,* * I table, and each guest removes as Creamed Pumpkin.-Use half of a 1 ^.^^^ ^^ j,^ ^an on the back of his pumpkin, remove all the pumpkin j^^^ ^^. ^^^^ ^^^ tj,e partaking of from the rind, taking care not to 1 refreshments. Iroom within a given time. Then a ynjerstand, lead our lives up along: ' large bowl of peanuts is put on the ^^^^^ higher ways of love and charity and holiness and service. may prove useful, or may at least the singing of carols, and much more suggest something else to your mind, gratifying to the youngsters who re- We will think of presents for men vel in edible birds and lieasts cut first, as they are by far the hardest, after the grotesque Moravian pat- The older man, who usually is ade- 1 terns. The cutters used to form these quately supplied with gloves, ties, unusual shapes are now found in handkerchiefs, sleeve links, cigarette some house-furnishing stores, but cases, etc., who has no idea what else i they can be made by any tinsmith, he wants, is the problem of every | Cakes made from these recipes will household. Would he, for instance, j keep for weeks if they are put in a like an electric toaster. They come ; stone crock in a cool place. Pepper now for $2.50. They make the best ; nuts are especially good for long toast imaginable, and the man with a keeping, because they contain no toaster beside him on the breakfast , shortening to become rancij. If they table can be sure of hot, delicious ' are made before Christmas they will toast each morning, no matter how \ keep perfectly until late in the spring, early or late he may be, for his break- .W\ of these cakes are better if they fast. are mixed one day and baked the If there is a motor in the family, ' next. The dough should bo covered brass initials or a monogram will 1 and kept in a cool place overnight, make a nice gift for its owner. These : Pepper Nuta. â€" Mix one pound and a can be made by a harnessmaker or a ' quarter of brown sugar, two table- silversmith. Pocket travelling slip- j spoonfuls of cinnamon, one table- pers of soft leather that come in little spoonful of cloves and one teaspoonful leather cases and cost from ?1 or $2,; of baking powder. Stir into this three are a good idea for a man who has eggs and add as much flour as it is to travel much. Florida water is a ' possible to work in. The dough must gift often appreciated by the fastidi- j be ver>' stiff. Roll it out moderately ous man, as it is a toilet water that thin, and cut the cakes no larger than can be used after shaving without ' a silver quarter. Bake in a very cool leaving an offensively perfumed odor. WHEN .MISTLETOE WAS SACRED. Ancient Druids Brought Greens With- in for Sylvan Spirits. oven. These cakes will puff up round, and are more attractive if the flat side is spread with a hard icing. This re- cipe will make between three and four quarts of cookies. Bethlehem Spice Cakes. â€" Cream one pound of brown sugar and one pound of butter, add to this one quart The Druids with ceremonies of great solemnity used to collect mistle- ' of molasses, one ounce of cinnamon, toe "against the festival of winter | one ounce of ginger, one ounce of all solstice." Only the oaks bearing mis- tletoe were sacred to this ancient or spice, half an ounce of cloves, the grated rinil of one orange and flour break the latter, as it makes a very attractive centrepiece for the table filled with fruit. Take the pumpkin that has been removed from the rind ' ^^^'^^^^ „ ^^j nothing else, can often then mash , * HANDKERCHIEF GIFTS. and steam until tender tnen masn '^-^'^^^l,^ ^.^^ jt^ starched stiffness and add seasomng or salt, pepper and ^^.^,i„tg„^.ctual game of a spoon of cream or butter. \^^ câ€"? /u., „i..„„,= in â- , o\ro\p A Very Intimate Little Token of Re- .A. company of boys and girls who membrance. seem determined to play "Quaker, ^gnj^^jj^, handkerchiefs are the most delightful of gifts. Every wo- man likes a dainty handkerchief, but many women consider them an ex- travagance not to be bought out of their own purses. It remains for friends and anniversaries to form a a spoon ot cream or Dutter. | - g^^^ ^^^ , , ;„ ^ eircle A Mixed Salad.-Salad made of one' .^ ^,,^. ^.^^t^e to be the cat. small head of lettuce. wo apples ^^.^ ^^j^^, ^^ ^^^^ p,^,^,^^ to make apples and cheese on the crisp lettuce -jj^, ^^^^-^^ before some member leaves, pour over all a trench dress- |;, ^^„ '^^^^^ ^„j ^,.1^3 to make him A FEAST OF LIGHTS. The Jews Keep Up the Hanukah. Festival of ing made of two tablespoons of oil, two of vinegar, a pinch of dry mus- tard, salt, pepper and a dash of pa- prika. Apples, cheese and dressing. Steamed Pudding. â€" To two cups of bread crumbs add one-half cup of finely chopped suet, one-half cup of seeded raisins, chopped nuts, three- quarters of a cup of sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon; moisten all with equal parts of water and milk, put into a well-greased pudding pan and steam for three hours. Serve with a pud- ding sauce of one large cup of boiling water, two tablespoons of sugar, one i tablespoon of butter, half teaspoon | of nutmeg, and thicken with corn- ! Ha! ha! starch to consistency of cream. Just of the par . laugh. The cat can make three pleas, each as lonft and doleful as possible. Meanwhile the seated players must reach out his hand, pat the cat on woman a supply of daintiness that will last her until another gift time comes about. As color is one of the leading notes in handkerchiefs, both feminine and masculine, pretty, plain handkerchiefs can be made from squares of sheer linen button-holed in the shoulder and say. ''Poor pussy, ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^j^^ ^^^^^^ instead of be- poor pussy, poor pussy! three times .^^ hemmed. Add to this a mono- without laughing. If he lauglis ne ^^;_^^ worked in color, and possibly a must become the cat. This "* "«t » ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ wreath about game that can be played long, but to ^^^^ _^^^ ^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ _^ ^^^^^ break the ice it is very succc ssful. kerchief as one could wish. Still other bit. Santa Found Out. You can't fool me â€" I know who Sant» is! before serving add a little brandy or I For I lay awake the whole night long, sherry wine. Cost of .sauce, 9 cents. And solved the tactless quiz. Crackers and Cheese.â€" Crackers, I wondered why my mamma put cheese, spread cream or grated cheese I Us kids to bed at eight, ^ ^ on saltines or water crackers that ' While she stayed up a-workm round have been split. If using grated | Till it was awful late; cheese, place the crackers in the oven ' So, with my eyelids alnost closed, just before serving. If cream cheese I I kept awake, ha! ha. Almost coincident with the Christ- mas festivities, when the lighted Christmas-tree is the special feature of the occasion, another feast of lights is celebrated by Jews. It commemorates the victories of the Maccabeans (Jews led by Macca- beus) over a tyrant king of Syria. This king had attempted to force the Jews to idolatry, hesitating at noth- ing to compass his ends, but the lat- ter, led by Maccabeus, resisted, and, fortified with a true belief in their own religion, they gained a complete victory over the large armies of the enemy. The Holy Temple, which had been polluted by the heathen soldiers, was again sanctified, and the true service of prayer re-established. But on attending to the perpetual lamp it was discovered that there re- mained but one flask of holy oil sufli- eient for one day only. By a miracle of providence it sufficed for eight days, until a fresh supply could be obtained. In memory of this dedication of the Temple, the Jews keep up the festival of Hanukah (the Hebrew word for dedication) by lighting up a candle in their synagogues and houses on the first ni'jht of tho festival and adding one more each successive evening, so that on tho eighth evening eight lights are kindled. After the candles have been lit a special hymn, express- ing feelings of gratitude, is chanted to end the evening's ceremony. *. Why He Needed It. "There are things more valuable than money," ruminated the philoso- pher. "Sure!" retorted the iconoclast "Thai's the reason I need money to buy them." is used spread on crackers sprinkle with a dash of paprika! since it is so utterly ridiculous that ^g^j.^.^jg handkerchiefs have little even the shyest must smile at least a ^^^^^^ ^^ foliage and flowers, worked in the came color, in one corner. White lace and sheer linen combina- tions are as welcome always. They may be simple little hemstitched squares with an edging of lace, or more elaborate handkershief with in- sertion, edging and even inset madal- lions of Valenciennes or filet. A handkerchief has the advantage of being, if you wish it, a very inti- mate little token of remembrance if enclosed in the .same envelope, with an affectionate note. A handkerchief will make a "letter" gift worth hav- ling. der of men, and they made solemn , enough to make a dough stiflf enough procession to such oaks, a prince of . to roll out very thin, the order cutting the mistletoe with a 1 Moravian Chocolate Cakes. â€" Mix golden sickle. together two cupfuls of light brown It is recorded that the people's rev- ] sugar and half a cupful of butter and erence for the priests proceeded in lard mixed. .â- \dd tv eggs, a half great measure from the cures which cupful of grate<l chocolate that has tho priests effected by means of this been melted over hot water and one curious green plant of the pearlike teaspoonful of soda. Stiffen this with berries. It was collected thus cere- flour and form into a long roll as moniously by the Druids because it large .-round as a small baking pj was supposed to drive away evil spi- j der can. Slice this down very tliT rits. I dip one side in granulated- sugar, and The reason among tlio Druids fffr . bake in a moderate oven, bringing in bits of evergreen from the ' Nazareth Chocolate Cakes. â€" Cream woods and adorning the house is a | two cupfuls of granulated sugar and most charming and lovable one. "The a scant three-quarters of a cupful of houses were decked with evergreeps butter. Stir into this one cupful of in December that tho sylvan spirits - water, two eggs, two small teaspoon- might repair to them and remain un- ! fuls of baking powder, half a cake of nipped with frost and cold winds un- melted chocolate and four large cup- til a milder season had renewed tho fuls of flour. Roll very thin and bake foliage of their darling abodes." slowly. Almond Cakes. â€" Kub together a quarter 01 a pound of powdered su- gar and a half a pound of butter, add Would Recall Events Which Happened the yolks of four eggs three table- uouiu ivimii ^ spoonfuls of cream and one pound of I Hundreds of Years Ago. j f^^^^. .^jj^ suffioient sugar and riour i It is a startling fact that if some Ian equal parts to sprinkle over the animals could tell their life history dough board. Roll tho dough on this â-  they would be able to recall events until it is a quarter of an inch thick, i which happened hundreils of years then cut in diamonds, and when tho jjgo ' cakes are baked ice them with the â- V Russian eagle, for instance, following icing: Beat together tho i would be able to remember watching yolks of two eggs and two tablespoon IK ANIMALS COULD TALK. and .And waited for old Santa Claus I To find it was justâ€" Ma! with greedy eyes as one by one the French soldiers under Napoleon fell fuls of water and thicken with confec- tioner's sugar. Spread this on tho exhausted out of the ranks in their cakes and sprinkle thickly with ul- awful retreat from Moscow in IS12. monds that have been blanched and There are crocodiles alive in India cut fine, then set in the oven a tew to-day which saw the first English minutes to dry. traveller set foot there, while there Crisp Molasses Cakes. â€" Mix a I are whales in the sea which might pound and a quarter of dark brown have skirted the coast of France when sugar, half a pound of butter and the English invadeil it in 1415. half a pound of lar.l. Add to this A great many elephants couUI re- one quart of molasses, two table- call historical events of u hundred spoonfuls of ginger, two tablespoon- vcars ago, while there are ravens still fuls of cinnamon, one tablespoonful living whose memory could go back of cloves and a small teaspoonful of twice that period. soda. Work in enough flour to stiffen Talking of birds, the parrot, the a^d roll very thin, crow and the swan often live a hun- Bavarian Christmas Cookies.â€" Mix drcd vears-thal is, of course, if they half a pound of butter with a quarter do not meet with misfortune-while of a pound of granulated sugar, add the heron will live CO vears. Geese three-quarters of a pound of flour anrt and pelicans will survive half a cen- moisten with three tablespoontuls of turv and the sparrow 40 years. \ orange juicc. Roll the dough ^thin. linnets, canaries, cranes cut into small round cakes and spread Pigeons, and peacocks will live to well over 20 a little of the well-beaton yolk of an years while the goldfinch, partridge, egg in the centre of each. Sprinkle Dhca4nt, lark and nightingale will pulverized sugar and a little cinna- Hvrfrdm iTto i3"years,"the''robini2 moii over the egg, and bake in a slow years and the thrush and hen 10 years. sm-^ Napoleon and Hannibal. Napoleon and Hannibal wore both supreme in the art of battle winning. To the question, "Which was the greater?" it is difficult to give an answer. A great many military au- thorities give the palm to Hannibal over all the great captains of history. The common hen lays about or 600 eggs in ten years. 500 oven. White Christmas Cakes. â€" Cream one. pound of butter and one pound of sugar, add five eggs and one cupful of sour cream in which has been dis- solved a leiispoonful of soda. Stir in flour enough to make a soft dough, roll thin, cut into round cakes and press half of a hickory nut meat in the centre. Rice Cakes. â€" Rub together one pound of biillor and one pound of su- gar, add two eggs and one pound of rice flour. After tho dough is rolled thin and cut, spread a little beaten egg on each cake and sprinkle with One-third of a "I undersUmd Smith and Jones Knd sugar and cmnamon. In the matter of recruiting, Wales ! of a cupful of sweet milk, two and a ha.s done better in proportion to her , quarter cupfuls of flour, one teaspoon- population than either England or ful of baking P.<>J^'''-"'_'^"'' .''^'â- *'„ *^' Scotland spoonfuls of vanilla. Bake m a mod- The Busiest Fellow in the Land Proud Father â€" "I believe, my dear, thfit the baby knows as much a.'* I do." Mother (gazing at the infant)â€" "Yes, poor little fellow." erato oven. Some people are always more sus- picious of a self-admitted saint than thoy are of a self-corJesscd sinner.