Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-17
CHRIST MAS IS COMING
Holiday Crowds ThrongStreet
and Shop.
THE WINDOW CHOOSERS
TOTS WHO VIEW WONDERS IN
THE SHOW CASES
Coming of the Glad Yuletide Hera1ded
in the Stores by Increase
Of Trade.
Christmas Is coming.

Christmas Is coming.
Evidences of the near approach of this
greatest Of Christian holidays can be seen
on every hand There is something in the
very atmosphere that seems to breathe the
quaint old saying, Christmas is coming"
Children wear 1t in the happy expressions
on their smiling faces and the benign coun-
tenances OF parents and grandparents tell
OF the coming of the joyous Christmas tide
with its good cheer and its true spirit as
voiced In the trite declaration, Peace on
earth, good will toward men,"
Perhaps the most convincing evidence
that the day of days in the Christian world
Is but one week away can be found in the
Sustling and hustling business marts Of
washington. The pushing, Jostling crowds,
(he elaborate window displays, the street
fakirs and their cries, the delivery wagons
dashing hither and thither, the winter
greens and holly berries in the market
places all tell the story mutely but elo-
Quently that Christmas Is coming.
Holiday Crowds.
The holiday crowds yesterday were not
as great they would have been had the
weather conditions been otherwise, but
they were good natured and generous in
their spendings. Scenes typical Of each re-
curling holiday season were features OF
the business streets last night Fond papas
and mammals lugged along their burdens
OF drums, sleds, dolls, wagons and other
toys galore, to be taken home and con-
ceated until next Sunday night-Christmas
eve-when they Will be brought forth from
their hiding places to gladden. the hearts
of their little ones.
Another unfailing sign of the near ap-
preach of Christmas are 1.-The window
choosers,' and many of the grown folks OF
stVr-1y,
gone past. These chocsers girls and boys
line up in front of the shop windows with
their tempting displays of toys or confess
IONS, and one by one choose the articles
they want, and that they are secretly wish
ing Old Santa Claus may bring them Christ
mas eve. incidents known where
kindly and phllanthropic men and women
have talked with window choosers' of
the other half and learning their wishes
nave played the good fairy or Santa Claus
ana supplied the wishes of the Wishers.
In the Stores.
An interesting lesson to the student of
human nature these busting days preced-
Ing tie holidays is to make n tour Of the
spiendldIy stocked and equipped department
and other stores of Washington. Mix III
the surging throngs. Read the expressions
OF expectancy on the faces of the shoppers
and calculate the amount of genuine
christmas cheer that is in store Tor the
Another interesting study of these ante
holiday cTUsades of papa. mamma, grand
pap ana grandma is comparison of the
scientific toys of today and the homeiy af-
fairs Of the Christmas of yore- 1t will be
seer that the tendency is away from the
Jumping jacks and ''whirligigs'' of fifty
years ago and toward greater perfection in
the twentieth century toys of artistic de-
sign and scientific operation. The fairy
land of Christmas times in the long ago
was builded in the childish imagination on
weird, romantic lines and teeming with
pleasant impossibililies and interesting
magical situations.
The Modern Fairyland.
The up-to-date fairyland is a far different
proposition. for the fact of the present is
almost as mysterious as the fiction of the
past. That this is an age of wonders finds
illustration In the toy shop as well as in the
world of mechanism. Even electricity plays
important part in the toyland of today.
There are electric tops and dolls and minia-