The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-19
BUYING CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
The Kinds Of Presents That Are Pre-
ferred by Purchasers This Year.
An Unusual Demand for Costly and Artistic
Articles-The Books That Are in Great
est Demand By Literary Buyers.

Christmas. He hated Romo and the state
church so thoroughly that all their feasts fell un-
der the same ban. His conscience was eased for
his failing TO observe the birth anniversary OF
Christ by the doubt that attaches to the 10Th of
December as being the day of the nativity. But
the Puritan's descendants have gone far away
from the austere observances that marked New
England life two hundred and hundred and
fifty years ago If their forefathers remembered
Christmas at all it was in the heart, but donbt-
lees there came to them recollectons of the fes-
hvities that attended this day of all days in
Christendom before persecution had driven them
into exile and detestation of whatever belonged
TO the so-called pagan worship. 1t matters moth
Ing now whether the 25th of December is the
true Christmas not, gentle and jew believer
and unbeiiever. always greet it as the merriest
time Of all the year. A Christmas heart
is something different from the ordinary day-in-
And-dsy-ou hear! Mankind lets the crusting
Of sel6shness fall off for twenty four hours ard
is in every way the better for it Even when
lhe time was but little regarded merry Christ
mas greeting showed q warmth through its dull
formality that, like good wine impaired glow
TO the better nature There is somsthing in the
very air of Christmas day, whether it be that of
green" one, which is supposed $50 make fat
graveyards," or the crisp. wintry atmosphere
with the earth covered with white, which seems
1nseparable from a perfect enjoyment OF whe
time that leads us to use the generosity of our
hearts to it's utmost. If one cannot give any
thing more he surely does not hold back the Civ
Ing of merry greeting TO all the world. But
custom prescribes. the rites of an observance,
and the custom OF beetowing Christmas gifts
Gb,wicf DOW
thinks he has not fulfilled his duty unless he has
added triae to his friends presents.
1t required many years to get Christmas out
or the rigdty of puritanical ceremony which,
Ice IN commemoration of the day; but the day
has kept step with the advance of conditions,
and what, twenty-five years ago. was considered
the richest and best of Christmas offerings.
would not now be considered worth moments
thought Holiday goods have become of first
consideration to the dealer. and his stock has
been scarcely depleted at the close of the season
before the toy maker, the publisher. novelty
manufacturer and producer of pictures are at
work in anticipation of the season year ahead.
Within recent years the florist has stepped in
to reap benefit from the holiday trade. Ten
years ago wreaths OF holly, festoons of mistle-
toe and other Christmas greens were as little
known IN the average American home as the oh.
servance of the day is ont of Christendom. Now
1t is a poor place, indeed, that does not have
some memento Of this kind. no matter how
small. Christmas trees, too, were a novelty
but they have been pushed into general adoption
and belong to the American holiday season
rs much as they do to the English and
German Flowers from the lighthouses come in
also for the consideration of purchasers. The
demand is not confined to plethoric pocket
books but the porte monnaie in which every cent
is known and carefully watched is opened to
secure these beautiful tributes to Christmas
Toys are staple in this trade, and the crowds
that throng the store houses where these offer
ings for children can be had express more than
anything else of the near approach Of the
brightest. best and merriest day of all the year
There few novelties this season, but no
matter how new. ingenious and attractive they
may be, Noah's arks and the old time friends of
childhood days hold their own. Fancy goods,
also. keep to the front, and the way money goes
from salesman TO cashier indicates the plentiful
ness of dollars and cents set apart from the
years prosperity for holiday expenditures.
Publishers have supplied the hook trade with
many new ideas IN the elegance and art OF book
making More attention has been given this
year." said large dealer, ito illustrations. The
letter-press is rich, and in many instances the
perfection of art has been made subordinate
to genius in illustration. Steel and wood once
the artist did not go beyond. but now the meth
DDS of making pictures are so numerous that the
widest variety rs found in this class of embel-
Iishments. The bindings. too, are more the re-
suits of finer art 1t is hard to sell the paudy,
cheap and inartistic combinations Of gilt and
SHOWS genuine
typography, binding and Illustration finds ready
demand We are doing larger business for the
holidays than ever before. Purchasers do not
stop at prices. 1t is the costly they are after
We have books that we could not have sold with
ia year that have been duplicated in orders the
past week or two. Our retail trade has hardly
begun, but from what we see and know it will be
twice az large as that of last year. Ladies are
purchasing more than ever to make gifts in their
own behalf, and their tastes reject what
10 NJ AE AAn E.ak
has been, during the few years past,
a great advance in juveniles, but Abbott's
stories retain hold as great as they did thirty
five years ago. Among the latest of this class of
literature Mrs. Bnrnett's Little Lord Fauntle
roy has great sale, but Maurice Thompson's
Boys Book of Sports equals il in demand.
Standard works have lost none of their former
popularity Christmas offerings, and the red
line editions are called for as much as ever
General Wallace's Fair God is in demand We
have duplicated orders for this several times
since our Christmas sales began. In cards the
devices are wonderful. 1t seemed to me that a
limit had been reached, but Nature will have to
hurry herself to keep up with art. There seems
to be no end to improvements and elegance.
Calendars of various designs find popular sale.
They have driven the old almanac into obscur
ity. Art has made a great advance in folios and
quartos. Their illustrations in tints the very
acme OF genius IN such work. There 10 a constant
growth IL literary and artistic taste as observ-
which we sell at $3.50 per dozen at wholesale 1t
WAS a venture in securing the stock but it has
been disposed of, and some country dealers to
whom we sold have renewed their orders This
shows that liberal Christmas expenditures are
not limited 10 the CITY, 1t would have been i'm
possible a few years ago to sell in the average
town and village such class of goods. But il
Is the same in books, the more costly and artistic
the better the demand
jewelers., who are the last TO get the benefit
of an approach TO good times. are pleased with
the trade they have been having. Like the
book dealers they are called on TO meet requests
For higher-priced and elegant articles. One
leading dealer said his Christmas trade was
double that of last year. Diamonds find
good many purchasers. while the demand for
the best watches has been measurahiy increased.
Ladies, thus far, have been the principal pur-
chasers. and in two or three places the clerks
and prOprietors were busy waiting customers.
1T is rare said one of them, that the sale Of
u watch or jewels is not made. There is no
change in articles of cheap grades They are