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THE NEWBERRY SUN, NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26. I96T THE BANK OF COMMERCE BROWNE & COUNTS, Agents C. Chapin, S. C Christmas shopping need not be such a chore. Like anything else, it can be made much easier with some planning and fore- thought. Shop first in stores where you regularly trade during the year. You know where everything is to be found. Plan your trip through the store, on paper. Make a list of the items you are interested in, separating them by the departments in which they are located. Don’t spend too much time “looking” for a particular item. Pass over it. Get the other items on your list. During this time you may run across the item you “missed.” If not, don’t continue looking. Ask for help. One question directed to a store clerk can save you several minutes of valuable time. If the store delivers, as many of them do, take advantage of the fact. Don’t lug packages around with you when you can have someone else bring them to your doorstep. If the store gift wraps, and most do during the holiday season, don’t be fooled into thinking you can do a better job. Maybe you can~but you’ll have more time for other necessary things if you. let them doit. 1 While none can deny that there are commercial aspects to our modern-day celebration of Christmas, it must be remembered that each of us observe Christmas in our own way. Gift-giving is in keeping with the spirit of Christmas—if it is done with emphasis on giving and sharing, rather than on being sure that we give each individual a gift that is as good or better than the one we receive from them. It is even more in the spirit of Christmas if we give to the less fortunate, with no expectation of receiving something in return. Let us enjoy the practice of gift-giving by keeping it in its proper place. We’ll enjoy the holiday if we give wisely. We will give with pleasure if we give no more than we can afford. It’s almost Christmas. Ask anybody. Ask the housewife, dashing about in the kitchen, cooking up plenty of food and goodies for all the “company* that is expected. Ask the average father. Christmas is practically here and he has done very little (or none at all) of his gift buying. He’s been visualizing the total coot of all the other packages that have been brought into the house and wonders if he won’t have to find a piece to hide come January 1. Ask the children. They are “wound up” tight as an eight-cay clock and it seems to them Christmas “will never get here.** Ask anybody. They’ll tell you Christmas is almost here. Re gardless of whether all preparations are made, all cards addressed or mailed, or whatever, just ask anybody . . . and you’ll know. Ask anybody. They’ll tell you why Christmas is almost here. IDs a feeling that comes to virtually everyone at this time of year. It is difficult to describe accurately, but it is a mixture of joy and warmth, of happiness and friendship. Lets just call it the Christmas spirit—and hope that it is shared by all men, everywhere. The holiday gift giver-Santa Claus in America-has many fferent names around the world. ^ In Russia, he may be known as “ Father t F ™ s J; . F fJ, h Z. inter.” In Germany, children may hear of Christkindl or triss Kringle.” Chinese children expect their stockings to be led by the “Nice Old Father” and^Norwegian children antici- ite gifts from an elf, “Jul Tonten.” French children await the arrival of ‘Pere Noel, Hollanders ok for “Saint Nicholas” or “Sinterklass.” ^ There are many more "Santas" all around the luorM. W/iereyer e exists, by whatever name, his mission is the same-to gladden ie hearts of childhood.