THE CHRISTMAS RUSH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19478, 23 December 1925, Page 8

THE CHRISTMAS RUSH

j CATERING FOR THE PUBLIC FAMILIAR SCENES. Christmas is here once bgaln, its long, hot, drowsy days and its spirit of holiday gaiety that all through ths Dominion makes the season a time thatl is eagerly anticipated almost from commencement of the New Tear. ’ “Great .Scot,! It’s thia week,” njseulatcs the fiend of the family as h« catches sight of the family almanac in the, morning, and after a hasty breakfast and a fervent prayer that ha may find time during tho day or in the evening to do tho round of the shops, he dashes out of the house. Bestowing n smile upon the strangely effisive baker’s assistant who is tramping up the garden patch, ho makes for the office, where all is hustle aud confusion owing to the busy season. During the luncheon interval he flndj, time to sit with his wife and family grouped round him and. discuss the important, question of whore to go fo, the holidays. Tho attractions am numerous. There are tho Dunedin Exhibition and other attractive holiday trips to choose from—so many, in fact, that it. is hard for the family to choose the place they like best. Each has some particular attraction tall its own. Excursion Fares. The question of fares and excursion rates is always upppormost in tha mind of tho thrifty family man, for excursion fares lighten the burden of expense and make the holiday more enjoyable. Already tho train services from Wanganui are well patronised by holiday-makers.

| “Few people have any conception of | tho amount of extra work that is put 1 hrough by tho booking office staff in the I Christmas rush,” stated ar ailway of* ! lb‘in Ito a “ Chronicle” representative I yesterday. “Aside from the greativ inerea.sed ticket sales, the booking Jrom I Wanganui to all parts of the Island hat» i to b« calculated so many days aheiad, j and the greatest earn must be taken to avoid duplications. A mistake in very easily made, and every traveller knows tho confusion it. causes, and ths • amount of abuse which is hurled at tha J head of tho luckless railway man.” i It is too early yet in the holidays, | to form any estimate as to tho number lof people using tho Pailway services, ' but tho officials are inclined to think i that the figures will bear very fax ou rabbi comparison with last year’s returns. Through Toyland.

1 To-day and to-morrow Wanganui “toylands” of 1925 will be crowded with happy parents intent on the an nun I purchase of fascinating and ingenious articles for the children’s amuse* ment, and they will spend hours, mol - ing from one to another of tho gaily decorated shops, gazing nt. dolls and trains ami engines and motor bu«C« an«l all tho thousand and one different toys and novelties which are di~ played this velar. Some of tho lines are really unique. There are mechanical divers which sink to the bottom of 1h«» bath and rise to the surface in quite a mysterious manner. Dolls which are almost human can bo found, which when manipulated walk and sleep ir. a most realistic manner. The over green Noah’s Ark with its hinged lid and hollow interior crammed full ot wooden animals, of all shapes and siz n -. is b'aok in slock again, and ihe dozens of motor cars will again delight the hearts of tho little ones. Doll'' furniture, unburstablo rubber balls, sponge toys, and children’s books of every description may (also be chowon from and the usual stocks of garnet ami balloons are readily available. The Season’s Novelties. The drapery houses are to the fore with entirely now gift novelties for tho Christmas season. Table centre-, embroidery work, embossed land hand painted duchess sets ami centres, wonderful artificial silks manufactured from wood pulp, thousands and thou sand of presentation handkerchiefs, silk stockings in every conceivable shade, huge Japanese parasols of qua ini ami fetching design, ami gowns ami frocks by the hundred are spread in tempting array to catch the eyes nf tho ladies, while novelty gifts for men are supplied by tho other departments. There is no doubt that Wanganui tradesmen have forgotten nothing in their efforts to make this Christmas a. notable one for purchasers, and the shops are crowded from daylight to dark.