"MUMMY, LOOKIT."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 302, 21 December 1935, Page 11

"MUMMY, LOOKIT."

1 We child eyes. puying father christmas. SIDELIGHTS ON SHOPPING. i : %es wide open in wonder under a f° a ll floral poke-bonnet, small, sturdy Wy pulling back on an adult arm, and 'childish voice crying, "Mummy, look- *' Another "bunged up" face, stumble 11 ? tegs and grizzling, tired, almost 'ewt-broken voice, "Mummy, I wantta ' • •" It is all part of this Christmas Meiness—part of the hurly-burly ot Wo PPing, part of the drag-picnic., and fart.of the great joy that makes Christas« in tfew Zealand and all over the Jwld the happiest time of the year. « matters not that at other times of we look and say, "We cannot Word it." Thig is Christmas, and we n 7- Wage envelopes are mortgaged * Weeks ahead, savings bank balances Off a sudden drop, and the money j>° e 8 round with a will. And in the of spending "a little child ehall ■"*4 them." So This Is Christmas. Bee a worried looking mother, her °°d pulling about her knees, trying to . *%te Queen Street in the face of &T*tr~ and sa y " So this is Christmas." yn& same mother in the midst of the tv» , a st ore watching with proud w . e little Jan et whispers her *»« into the ears of Father Christof! \y ■ takes in the whiskered wisdom into rt Sher ve B e tables; see her plunge Jju the bottom of a scanty purse to Va-treasure for the same Janet, and i/r^ ain (with envy almost), '"So this '* Uffistmas." * «nni tlle Bentimental reflection is only thafc n° ne; tnere is to ° much noise for toy V - 8 hoot and Ware, whistles and * "Utnpets shrill tiunily, voices buzz and ris&'w heiglxte-of.

excitement and a fretful infant lifts a wailing protest. About the counters of a toy store rush two juvenile gangsters, miniature sub-machine guns ("rods" or "gats," if you prefer that) clutched in hands while they pour an imaginary stream of lead into whoever happens to be the Public Enemy No. 1 of the moment. Rat-atat-tat-tat-a-tat! Grandmother's Treat. Mother looks on with, anxious eyes when grandmother takes the little one for a treat. Memories of her own days of motherly responsibility fading she is determined 1 , to give the youngsters a real grandmotherly Christmas. And so the children trail from one tea room and milk bar to another—top milk shakes with Rangitoto "specials," pink cakes'and cream and sugary sweets to the general "cram"! It's great for orandma and the kids, while it lasts; but think of the midnight watches, and pity mother. Christmas does not exist for mothers and children only, however. Think of the girls and men whose job is to attend to adult and juvenile wants in the various shops. Rushing all day long, trying to be civil when feet are aching and heads are buzzing with noise and figures. It's a great life for the uhopgirl. But— here is a problem. When does the shopgirl get her shopping done? Then there is the young man out to do some Christmas present buying for the <*irl-friend. Consider him a moment. What does one buy a girl anyway» The shop windows spread out invitingly, but take a glimpse of what lies just inside the door. Perhaps he doesn't care, and ladies' shops hold no terrors. But, what if he is bashful? However, its all over eventually and then there is only Christmas dinner to worry over and who worries over that—except doctors and dyspeptics. Christmas comes but. once a year Thank Goodness!