CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 281, 30 November 1935, Page 2

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

ATTRACTIVE DISPLAYS USEFUL AND PRETTY GIFTS HELP YOUR CITY BY SHOPPING LOCALLY. “Shop early for Christmas.” This reminder Jn the papers and in shop windows, give you a thrill every time, unless pennaps you feel like defying the universe and go shopping on Christmas Eve. But housewives, with their homes, their families, their relations, and friends, are already busy with their plans so that the last minute rush will be avoided. The Christmas' shopper always benefits by making purchases early, for more attentive service is available than when the shops are full of a seething crowd, so people will find the advice to shop 'eai'jy, is sound. Besides, hurried shopping los€s its thrill, especially so if after carefully compiling a list of presents that will give happiness to our relatives and friends, At is found that seme of the things we had set our hearts on obtaining are sold out. Just at this time of the year shopkeepers always make a special display of their goods. The reason is obvious. It is the festive season, the tinre for giving, and the ksowledge that the people are out to buy in greater measure probably than at any other time in the course of the year makes them carry a Larger stock than they normally do, and they exhibit to the best of their ability. The windows of the Avenue display most attractively the articles suitable for gifts. And all departments of shops are guy with Christmas goods, and here one will find many suggestions for suitable presents. There is no need for local people to go outside Wanganui to make their purchases. Anything just as good in quality and its reasonable in price as anywhere else, and in regard to variety the choice is excellent. Through various causes the shops have had a few lean years, so that one hopes they will fare well this Christmas. Some very attractive gifts are to be found in the Wanganui shops. Women nearly always appreciate gifts for the adornment of their home, and dress accessories, such as stockings, gloves, jewellery, handbags, make really useful presents if you choose them with the recipients’ dress colour scheme in mind. The same principle applies when choc-sing gifts for the home of a houseproud friend. Of suitable presents for the home there are legion. Beautiful pottery is being shown in wide variety, and what more pleasing gift than a novel table lamp with an attractive parchment shade? Pleasing novelties are book-ends in all manner of designs, and a useful gift wc-uld be a cocktail set or a lemonade set. These are being features in the shope and are delightfully tinted. For the bridge player there are bridge accessories and novel gadgets. Dainty lace and hand-em-broidered supper and tray cloths, table linen and centres make welcome gilts if a little taste is shown in their selection. Acceptable presents, too, are lovely pieces of silver, the new glassware, or the latest attractive brassware, with its new and delightful coloured designs. Sm#ll clocks are being shown in wide variety, also parchment lampshade, either of which would give pleasure to the recipient. Marquerterie work is also beautiful and would make a perfect gift. Then there are little novelties galore, from small pictures, plaques, dainty powder bowls, trinket holders and ash trays—with raised flowers of exquisite beauty—and china in great variety. Indeed there are many new ideas in the novelty line which are interesting women in search of original presents. And novelties for the kitohen are appreciated by most housewives. Presents for men are always rather difficult to choose and one must beware of letting ones’ gifts to the menfolk become monotonously alike. There are more things to choose from than cigarette boxes and ashtrays. Golf coats, pullovers, leather slippers, silver pencils, a sports cardigan, all come within the range of useful gifts. Foi the men folk who smoke it is not difficult to choose presents but it is always a wise plan to find out beforehand the brand of cigars or cigarettes that are favoured. People can be observed taking an added interest in the displays, the nature of the goods they are desirous of purchasing and the prices that will suit their pockets. Presents for Children But Christmas brings the greatest joy of all to the children, who live in a fairyland of toys. They rub their noses against the glass of the yhop windows, so eager are they to get as close as possible to them. Never has the world been such a paradise for children’s toys as it is at present. The modern toys are lifelike, and the grown-ups are more impressed by the wonderful selection than the children themselves. The toy departments are a sight to behold. Engines, aeroplanes, motors are miniature replicas of the real thing. One would almost imagine the dolls could speak, so realistic locking are they. Older people can -appreciate tAe difference between the beautifully-dressed doll of to-day with its natural-look-ing features, and the rather non descript toy with gaudily-coloured lips and cheeks which was prized and lc-ved in their childhood. No one could resist a cuddly doll, in shape and size as near a real baby as possible, with features made of some pink and white unbreakable composition, that withstands the harshest treatment. Model aeroplanes, cars and trains deligtht the mechanically-minded small boy who takes an interest in the construction of real aerQplanes. Beautifql toys are an education. The small girl with a family of dolls develops a sense of criticism. She takes a pride in the doll’s appearance*

and the doll’s bed, with its array of sheets and blankets is “made” exactly like mother’s bed in the morning. The small boy with a car or train modelled exactly like the real thing becomes observant and compares his beloved plaything with the car he rides in or the train he travels in on holiday. Cuddley bunnies, doggies, dolls and toys made of velvet-like material will delight the hearts of the tiny people.