Zurich Citizens News, 1970-12-17, Page 13THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1970
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
From My Window
The Christmas Racket
Shirley Keller
INA
• I want to weigh my words very
carefully for this particular col-
umn because I know it is a touchy
problem with many readers... but
then, I have an opinion of my
own ideas about certain things.
The topic is Christmas cards,
I suppose Christmas would riot
be Christmas without Christmas
cards. It would be something
like having St. Patrick's Day
without shamrocks.
But somehow, sometime, I'd
like the Christmas card racket
banned by municipal bylaw,
perhaps, or by government inter-
vention if all else fails.
I don't know what the average
Canadian home spends annually
on Christmas cards, but whatever
it is, it is too much. At the
Keller abode, just for instance,
it would take a minimum of 150
cards to get around to all the
-relatives and friends who should
possibly be remembered with a
card - if all things were equal,
At ten cents a card (and I think
that's a fairly conservative estim-
ate for the price of the card and
the stamp) you're talking $15...
and $15 is a fair amount of cash
for some colored paper to decor-
ate someone else's mantle.
That may sound harsh and cruel
especially so close to Christmas
when everything is supposed to be
peace on earth and goodwill to
all men, But take a moment or
two to examine the reasons be -
bine the distribution of many
millions of Christmas cards an-
nually and then tell me I'm
Bowling Scores
(November 30, 1970)
Night Hawks - M. Schilbe - 667
Dominionaires - T. Stark - 717
Left -Overs - D. Rood - 678
Happy Gals - D. Hamather - 599.
Packers - L. Rader - 676
Starlites - P. Schroeder - 732
Ups & Downs - V. Miller - 603
Mix -Ups - A. Faber - 693
Pin -Poppers - D. Beaton - 634
Scamps - M. Thiel - 508
Alley-Oops - M. Laporte - 696
Jolly -Six - D. Bettke - 667
LADIES BOWLING
(December 7, 1970)
Night Hawks - J. Hogg - 610
Dominionaires - H. Horner - 528
Left Overs - L. Vandenberg - 671
Happy Gals - E. Smale - 563
Packers - L. Rader - 662
Starlites - P. Schroeder - 646
Ups & Downs - L. Riddell - 623
Mix -Ups - A. Faber - 565
Pin -Poppers - B. Corriveau - 528
Scamps - I. O'Rourke - 559
Alley Oops - D. Ducharme - 591
Jolly Six - I. Reid - 596
Santa Claus Draws
Crowd at Hensall
The annual Christmas party
for the children of Hensall and
community was held at the local
arena on Saturday, sponsored by
the businessmen, organizations,
and individuals of the village.
Santa caused quite a stir when
he arrived at the Arena, in the
new fire truck. Some four hund-
red bags of treats, the same
of chocolate milk were handed
to the youngsters by the local
firemen.
The children enjoyed a number
of films. The chocolate milk
was donated by Ron Mock, of
Hurondale Dairy.
Scrooge.
First of all, many, many cards
are sent out mostly to prevent
so-and-so from being offended.
Maybe Alice sent a card last
year and she'll be hurt if she
doesn't get one from you this
year. Rubbish. If Alice sent the
original card just so she would
get one back, better she is of-
fended and off your list of friends,
Could be Sam and Elsie are
good friends of your friends, Hildt
and Frank... and to some folks,
that's reason enough to rememb-
er Sam and Elsie with a card at
Christmas, After all, it just costs
a few cents.
Some Christmas cards are sent
entirely for business reasons. You
really couldn't give a dam about
the kind of Christmas your boss
spends, but because he holds the
purse strings on your job you thin1
it is purely good business to send
off a card for the old B. , and
his wife.
And then there's the Christmas
greeting for the minister, who
if you took the time to ask him,
would admit that he would soon-
er you saved your ten cents and
came to church on Christmas
morning!
There's the Christmas card for
the mailman who's plainly and
simply worn out from carrying
around those mounds and mounds
of cards other fools have mailed
for reasons just as silly; there's
the card for the milkman who
tosses it in his truck somewhere
between the yogart and the choc-
olate milk; there's the card for
the paperboy who would rather
have a bit of understnacling all
year round than a card of Christ-
mas; there's the card for Cousin
Herman whom you dislike intens-
ely and who dislikes you even
more; there's the card for the
next-door neighbour who is over
every other day to borrow some-
thing anyway; there's the card
for the doctor to help him forget
that bill that's overdue; and on
and on it goes until there is
hardly an argument left for send-
ing out Christmas greetings.
Don't get me wrong. I think
Christmas cards have their place
as cheery greetings for folks who
are sick and shut-in; and pretty
hellos for distant friends and rel-
atives whom you truly miss; and
as special messages of love for
those who are very near and deal
to you.
But for the most part, Christmas
cards are a racket we could do
without at Christmas. I really
believe that most people begrudge
the time and the money it takes
to send out Christmas cards...
and that's a stupid way of Christ
PAGE THIRTEEN•
mas spirit to spread, isn't it?
If you really want to spend $15.
more or less on Christmas cheer,
give the cash to your favourite
charity and speak your Christmas
greetings to those normally on
your card list, or write them down
in a column such as this. Merry
Christmas, family and friends.
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