SHOPPING TIME.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12857, 23 December 1912, Page 4

SHOPPING TIME.

EVERYONE ON THE. MOVE

BUSTLING FOLK IN THE STREETS

THE SEASON OF GLADSUEPBISE?

MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY Off

GOODS.

Only., two days more, and the trr->\ Christian' festival will be with us, arul■ .' diiring that time every available minute will be spent'by storekeepers and their... assistants in supplying" the heavy, demands. Bustling folk are now :. seen everywhere, hurrying to purchase a little gift for a small son or daughter,: wife something for husband, husband something for wife, lover something for sweetheart; and at no time of the year is such secrecy displayed. It is a,season when wifieis absolved from holding secrets from the better half, so that she might give him a glad surprise on Christmas morning, when husband can go to bed on Christmas Eve knowing that for once he is justified in mot telling his partner in life everything, cognisant of the fact that an "the morrow there will fee a practical demonstration that the heart of his mate will throb a little faster for his thoughtfulness. Santa Clause., of course, brings his own gifts down the chimney to rthe little folk, but those over twelve are not catered for by the old white-whiskered gent ., who travelled the country in. the airship before human inventors tfrasped the idea; consequently they are obliged to do. their own shopoine: In anticipation, therefore, of the demands that custom is surety make at Yuletide, everyone practically sets aside ■a stocking with a sound foot and a string about its middle. Its contents,, growing week by week, are-inviolate until the shops blossom arid burst with gay colour-and exotic goods; and then the stockings are emptied and disappear. .Yes, Christmas, as an institution lias undoubtedly - been " transplanted whole into New Zealand, and the people of the",country will no more suffer it to die than will the conservative folk of the old world. s .'■■••,., It is certainly a time when many go sailing, riding, motoring", or touring, 'but a time "when the majority stay at home to rejuvenate, enjoy family .reunions, andvthe richest foods that money can buy,;; ..jf£ is fortunate that -this custom - of [innocent . extravagance has heen foreseie^a "By nature, and that wool, butter. a.nd.Ji<#e have gone up. _ 'There isWory "going round that money is tight. W^on't"believe it, Money is loose, andv^his 'being the one part of. the^ year;-tj|at is .singled-out for a festival of- s]]w>pp;ers.v-it -is'being taken iull «dvantai"e^«"f. From" *ib-day until the shutters]^ g6 up > to-morrow.' might,' there will b^-a'great buying of presents, and it ,is quite certain that in Wanganui, as in other towns, there is no lack of variety. For the Mast couple of weeks shop windows have been" temptingly dressed. Art has been, brought to bear, and whether we take a jaunt iwind the streets of our own. beautiful |ji'-> city, or motor down to Marton and 1< eliding, thence to Huriterville and to Taihape, or if we journey to Waverley and subsidiary townships, there we will find the same grand exhibition of toys and presents; Fruits of unexcelled ripeness and virtue; (preserves and sweets, and unclassified 'dainties are stocked in tempting arrays ; fancy, goods are displayed in almost astounding variety and to-day and to-morrow these will be bargained for cash arid exchanged for smiles and nrood cheer. We heartily compliment our business folk upoir the grand shows they have made. Thousands and thousands of pounds of wealth are stored up in shop windows, glass cases arid unconfined W o ®*' And to-day and, to-morrow the ;^reat, expense and ' ; ehe^^*prepara-:""■ tion. will; have its compensation fey the' return of some of ;.tHe capital irivesteu-., ...',•:■■ :' ■ ■

Our business men and their aasistant-. will surely have a 'btisy-time'to^ajr and to-morrow in. dispensing these goods-— practically given away in each instance. Choppers t will be on the trail early, and we wish "Our business men every success just now, for they deserve it. Seasons have not always 'been, favourable. Great stocks havo Ibeen purchased an anticipation of a. harvest that,failed, but ot .a truth <( man proposes^' etc. This year-the weather is glorious; it is ideal and ;we sincerely, trust that its fruits wjll be gaTnered in by all. Our jnany readers will notbave a complaint that there is .no variety, for the variety is endless., . ..

The shop assistants -also deserve a ■P^.^tt^-the, back for the happiness they display in serving. Nothing appeara to be too much trouble. Tired limbs will be commqn when the hour of closing cornea to-morrow, niglit,, but they will be happy limbs, nevertheless, in that they ,nn so well in the service of the master. Wages and Christmas boxes certainly sweeten the labour; but we .honestly believe that interest in the 'bosses' " work counts most just mow, and we trust that in the two intervening days before Adeste Fidelia rings out in the midnight air, the shopper, the business man and his staff of assistants will have a. jolly and profitable time together in the heralding in of the .1912 great Christian festival. Now is the time to shou.