Trainman News

Your Money's Worth
By Mary Sheridan

This is mostly about Christmas, in one way or another.

Probably there are some last minute gifts you've overlooked in your lists of friends and youngsters to remember at Christmas. Unless you thrive on shopping in big, over-crowded stores, remember that you'll save time and energy by selecting staples in smaller stores closer to home, selecting gifts that you can ask for specifically without having to worry about size or color.

For youngsters under 10, there is a delightful Burl Ives' record, "The Lollipop Tree," for $1 (grown-ups will enjoy it too); if you can't find this one, any of the Burl Ives' records for children are above the run-of-the-mill stuff.

"The Golden Book of Words" ($1.50) is fun, educational, and full of enchanting colors and illustrations.

For teen-age boys, think of gifts that you can find at the nearest hardware store, like a jack-knife, or a sporting goods store, like a bat or fishing lure. For teen-age girls, cosmetic counters in the modern drugstore offer, to the selective eye, gifts to delight the young gals and not displease their mothers—a small box of scented, milled soap, or bath powder, or a bottle of a light, youthful cologne, like the lasting favorite, "Tweed."

For families with assorted ages to whom you want to give a friendly remembrance, don't overlook those fine old games of "Authors," "Pit," and "Monopoly."

For adults, try to think of their hobbies and strong likes. For gardeners, a good trowel or the "Garden Calendar" (available in book and stationery shops, $1.25). For adventurous cooks, "The World's Favorite Recipes," which includes more than 100 tested recipes from countries in the United Nations, and is kitchen-tested by the American Home Economics Association; $1 in bookstores (published by Harper & Brothers).

For men, or anyone else you know who wants a good, workable fountain pen, the Sheaffer Craftsman model ($3.75) is an excellent buy. This is a standard, not ball point, pen, of good design, with an attractive pencil to match available if you wish to buy it.

For an unusual and lovely table decoration for the Christmas season, make a hole in a small board, about three by five inches, which is big enough to hold a pretty branch you can conveniently break off in the back yard or get on a walk. Paint the branch white or green or red, a choice which might well depend on what leftover paint you may have in the basement.

Put small balls—a few are more effective than a lot—on the branches.

A friend in St. Paul with three small youngsters has just written me about a daily practice which saves time and adds pleasure to the day. It might be particularly helpful during the next few crowded weeks. While she is washing the breakfast dishes, she brews a fresh pot of coffee, fills her biggest thermos with it, and thus has a cup of coffee on hand for the friend who drops in, or for herself when she takes a few minutes off from housework. This saves time and provides better coffee than a pot which is warmed over.

When you're shopping for a Christmas tree, shake it before buying. If any needles fall, the tree is dry, will rapidly lose its woodsy odor, and is sure to drop its needles too quickly. If you have a small room, or limited space for a tree, look for a flat-sided tree. These usually cost less than the symmetrical ones and may be more suitable and attractive for your space, because they can easily be pushed back against a wall.

As soon as you bring your Christmas tree home, cut off the butt end about an inch slantwise, to open the pores for drawing water. Put the tree in water in a cool place until you want to bring it indoors for trimming. The tree that gets water this way will keep its color and fragrance.

Replenish water daily, during temporary storage and when you set the tree up in the living room. A big tree drinks about a cup of water a day. Set the tree in the coolest part of a room, away from radiators, fireplaces, lamps, and radios.

When you trim the tree, use a step ladder to reach the upper branches. Use decorations that present no fire hazard, like metal or glass.

Check your old Christmas tree electric lights ahead of time, to be sure they are in good working order and present no hazards. If you have to buy new electrical equipment, be sure it bears the UL (Underwriters' Laboratory) safety seal.