The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-17
FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS
THE NECESsARIEs AND COMFORTS
OF LIFE ARE LEADING.
UNUSUALLY LARGE DISPLAY.
AND MANY VARIETIES FROM
WHICH TO MAKE SUITABLE
SELECTIONS.

ing Robes for Gentlemen.
Usual Array for ChiIdren-MarlSet
Merchants Have Made Ample Sup
ply for Christmas Dinners-Gather-
Ing the Christmas Greens-Mcr-
chants Report Much Early Buying
and Weather Is Ideal for Large
Holiday Business.
The weather is ideal for hol-
iday trade. There is just enough
crispness and freshness to the air to
make being out of doors a delight
while the sunshine counteracts the ef-
fects of the cold.
The cold spell which began during
has continued with more or less Sc
verify during December thus far, has
been just about what the merchants
wanted.
Had our wishes been directly con-
suited by the weather man we could
have specified no better weather than
has been given u.s." said a Broughton
street merchant yesterday. 1.-THE cold
which is usually a slight drawback
has this year been particularly fitted
for the class of Christmas goods In
stock The tendency this year in the
gift line seems to run toward the warm,
comfortable wearing apparels, and the
cold weather makes them all the more
pleasing to the buyers.
Then, too. the pleasant weather
which has followed so closely upon the
excessive cold, is doing much to solve
the problem which always confronts
us on Christmas Eve, how to accom-
modate all who are taking the last
moment before the big holiday to make
their purchases. There is more gen
eral run of early trade this year than
ever before in Savannah, and this aft
ernoon our clerks have been kept busy
constantly. And the people are buy
ing, too, and not simply taking the
lay of the land
IF the present weather continues
until Christmas we shall be able to dis
pose of all our special Christmas nov
elites. Our first order we soon found
was not going to be large enough,
and we sent for a larger consignment.
From the present outlook we will be
able to dispose of practically all of
this stock and not be bothered with
the usual lay-over' and consequent
post-holiday bargain SALE"
Novelties Are NccessaFies Displayed.
Practically all the merchants now
have their full displays of Christmas
goods arranged and any of the stores
of the city are we'll worth visiting.
The Christmas goods are of all varie-
ties, though the demand, according to
the consensus of opinion among the
merchants is for the necessaries and
comforts of life, and not simply for
novelties and little membranes.
For the gentlemen the usual dis
play of goods is offered. The lounging
robes, In all manner of rich designs,
apparently have a call. Many of these
now on display are particularly hand
some and quickly catch the eye of
the lady shopper. One merchant stated
that the great majority of
these goods had been purchased by
lady customers.
other articles of daily apparel for
the men are having a large sale and
there is a great variety to pick from.
The old standard gifts are as in great
demand as ever and a liberal supply
has been laid in by the merchants.
In the jewelry line, there is the usual
display of cuff buttons, rings, watch
fobs, etc, and a fairly ready sale is
reported.
For the Ladies and Children.
For the ladies, merchants say there
is greater demand than usual for
furs. The cold weather has done much
toward making a ready sale and If the
remainder of the winter is as far be-
low the normal as this month has been
nothing more appropriate could be Sc
lected. One merchant said that the de-
mand had been larger than ever before.
Saturday he had telegraphed an order
to Northern house to rush sec
ond consignment.
In the jewelry line many novelties
are offered as suitable gifts for the la
dies. Chatelaine bags and pocket
books take the lead. While the general
style is practically the same, there
has been a sufficient variation in the
smaller details to make a wide range
of selections possible. Hat-pins Of all
varieties are displayed. one particu-
larly handsome set being 1.-The golf
set In this set all the pins are
shaped as golf-clubs and a Scotch
plaid golf case making a handsome re-
ceptacle for the pins when not in use.
For the children there is the usual
display of toys. The automatic toys
are far in the lead. The guns and
cannons for the boys and the dolls and
tea-sets for the girls are, of course,
leading in the number of sales. The
fireworks merchants are busy from
morning Till night accommodating
small purchasers. The indications are
that there will be plenty Of fireworks
this year and already the torpedo-cane
has made it's appearance on the streets.
Christmas Dinner and Decorations.
For the Christmas dinner the custo-
mary good things are offered by the
green groceries and the market. The
prices of turkeys. ducks and game re-
main practically the same as 1t was for
Thanksgiving, with perhaps a slight
falling off in some cases. This will be
small, however, and will make little
difference in the end.
No raise in prices is expected by the
merchants unless there should be u
warm spell I'VE have laid in the
greater part of our supply" said one
market dealer, land the cold weather
is doing much to enable us to preserve
them. Unless warm weather should
set in the price will remain about as
at present, as our supply is probably
large enough to meet all demands. The
other accessories remain at the Thanks
giving price"
In the matter of decorations for the
homes all the prevailing greens will be
on hand. Parties have been organ
lied by many of the merchants to Sc
cure the greens most in demand, and
they will make their appearance in q
few days In the matter Of Christmas
trees for the little folks there has been
a liberal supply especially of the pines