Christmas Shopping

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 9 December 1936, Page 13

Christmas Shopping

Wealth of Variety: Public Buys Freely QUALITY GOODS IN DEMAND. Now is the time when shoppers are caught in the rush of shopping early to avoid the rush. For Christmas approaches apace, and, with the shop windows displaying seductively a range and variety of goods never before equalled, prospective purchasers cannot resist the temptation to linger before taking the plunge. Shopkeepers find that their customers are willing to pay a little more this year than they did last year for first-grade articles, instead ■of being content with second-grade goods, as they were, hut they are still "canny"' in their selection, and demand full value. The lessons in economy that were bitterly learned in harder times have not, apparently, been forgotten. Many new labour-saving devices that have appeared on the market only within the past decade and have hitherto been looked upon as luxuries, are now coming to be regarded as household necessities. Somo ol these, such as refrigerators, electric cleaners, radios, and the like, are not now too expensive for ordinary folk, and the demand for them is much greater now than it was at this time last year. In many homes, it is found, the whole family, instead of giving each other Christmas presents, have pooled the money to buy these more expensive articles of general household utility. Looking at the variety of gifts displayed, one would guess that during the past year some of the Avorld's most ingenious mechanics have devoted their talents to the invention of new ideas —and possibly one would not be far wrong.- Such gifts are almost unbelievably cheap, considering the amount of labour that must be involved in assembling their complicated mechanism. Toy motor-cars and boats are perfect miniatures of the originals. So, too, are the tanks, armoured cars, ambulances, and pieces of artillery—grim reminders of the unsettled state of "world affairs at a season when goodwill and peace on earth are supposed to be the uppermost thoughts in human minds. The gift departments arc, indeed, so fascinating that it is hard to get past them into the regions of more serious shopping. Not more important, however, for after all, Christmas time is the kiddies' time It is a Child we honour at Christmas. Buying presents for adults is more difficult this year than ever before, not because there is a-dearth oC appropriate articles, but because there are so many from which to choose. New household appliances, fabrics, dainty toilet articles, and novel ornaments for the fair sex are displayed on every hand. Even those who, year after year, give father a new tie or pair of socks, may be in two minds when they get into the men's department. There is incredible variety even in socks and ties, ndt to mention a host of knick-knacks and labour-saving devices that would probably please him better than either.