New-York tribune., 1906-12-12
REALLY SHOP EARLY.
Women Surprise Store Heads by
Yielding to Requests

The annual rush Of Christmas shopping began in
earnest Yesterday. Heads OF the big department.
stores who have been emphasizing the idea that
their customers ought to get their shopping done
early IN the month and surely early in the day,
looking on resIgnedly at the thronG or women
sprnkIed. though. with mere men. which came
trailing down from Harlem and IN from New Jer-
sav and Long Long Island and other appendages
Of New York When they gave the advice, they
had no idea that it would be followed 10 any con-
siderable extent. for long experience with the
Christmas rush has convinced more than one man
age- that even II housewife has every conceivable
gift all ready for Christmas she'll not be able to
keep away from the stores in the last two weeks
before that day.
And really. the big stores don't want them to
stay away, for these shopping "org1es," catching
the women off their guard. mellow man
under the influence OF somewhat different variety
Of Christmas spirit, usually result in many pur-
chases they have found. What II those purchases
do prove superfuous? They ready sales for the
stores and what woman ever truly regretted the
money she spent Christmas shopping expedi-
ton?
The streets yesterday in the shopping district in
dicated the nearness Of the holiday season. All the
stores have their windows dressed IN holiday
fiuery Toys and the perennial figure OF rotund
Santa Claus, OF course, occupy the places Of honor
but the display ranges from five cent toys to i'm
ported gowns and thousand dollar automobils
coats Santa Claus has a large constituency with
varied demands and the stock must be large
enough TO 90 around Inc CFOWNS bWlTlilS dIols
from store to store were quite as varied in their
clements as the displays in any window. Miss
West End and Miss Fifth Avenue, clad in dainty
hnery and handsome furs. descended from their
carriages or trinity appointed motor cars, 70 run
elbows with little Miss East Side, whose father
is peddling cheap suspenders TO make a Yiddish
holiday while sne ventures uptown 70 take her
holiday enjoyment in watching the throngs and the
windows
Street railway never are especially joyous
around the merry Yuletide-not that they are not
human enough to Ike the holiday feeling. but
because the ten days before Christmas mean 10
them the hardest work and the most anxiety of
any period In the entire year.
The traffic never is so heavy at any otner time
In the wear as II is then" said traction official
Yesterday ''Au the roads IN this city extra
cars and the subway and the elevated lines try 10
shove up their headway for trains little Bit But
you simply cannot handle the crowds in any de-
gree OF comfort, and nobody can get much peace
Of mind till it's all over. There are hundreds OF
strangers in town, somewhat unused to the vari-
Gus lines That in itself causes the employees in
convenience and makes delays. Then every car,
about this time OF the year Is Jammed full of
women with big bundles. and that kicks
from the people who do not get seats. And find
the streets at this fuller Of trucks
and delivery wagons, and people just floating
around loose than they are at any other time.
That ties up the surface cars. Oh, yes, all
love the merry YUletide.'