The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-18
CHRIsTMAs SHOPPING.

Undoubtedly, one OF the most inter-
esting features of the newspapers OF
these days is the advertising. This Is
especially true as far as their readers
among the women are concerned. For
on their shoulders falls the burden OF
the Christmas shopping. They have to
see to it, in the main, that old Santa
Claus makes as few miscues as pos
sible. This is no slight task. Father
thinks he is hit pretty hard when ne
has TO fork over the cash that is nee
essary to make the holiday season an
that it puld be to every one in the
family and those associated with it by
ties of friendship But that consu-
tutes the sum total of all his troubles
in this connection, unless 1t Is TO ASH
Mother what she would ike Ior q
Christmas present, to be purchdSeu'
perhaps, some weeks after that DAY
when furs and other things are marx
ed down and when the family purse
has been replenished. On the otner
hand, though, Mother has to take the
sum that can be spared for SANTA
till and make it go around to the Oese
possible advantage, and for a tre1nehu-
Gus variety of things that will be suit
able for the recipients, and pleasing as
we'll No wonder her hair turns gray
a trifie prematurely. No wonder she
looks a little more haggard and worn
than usual when Christmas finally ar
rives. although she is also inexpressl-
bly, happy, if all of the stockings are
weII-filled.
Neither is there any wonder that she
picks up the newspapers as soon as
thev are delivered these days. and
eagerly turns to the pages where the
list their wares. The news
paper advertising is the first aid to the
shopper. and more tticularly around
Christmas time when folk are put &c
their wits end to decide just what
things should be bought to satisfy the
varying likes of so many relatives ana
friends. And Topeka women are es-
peciaIly fortunate in this respect Inc
burden of their Christmas shopping is
lightened materially by the general ad-
vertising of the local merchants. !
Christmas shopping is much easier
than it was not so many years ago,
and before the advantages of adVer-
Using were so generally appreciated. A
woman nowadays doesn't have to go
down the stores and tire herself to
death walking from their cellars to
their garrets just to ascertain in the
first place what the stores have to
sell, before she makes up her MIND
as to the things she wants to buy.
She can do this hunting now at home
in the evenings through the advertis-
ing columns of the newspapers, as she
revels in the delights. of an easy chair !
in front of a cheering fire. From the
columns she gets sugges-
ton after question for suitable gifts
that she might never have thought of
on merely her own initiative. The wo- !
men of Topeka are also doubly fortu- |
nate that they live in town where /
the DEGREES of fashion are not ex-
orbitant if they are exacting, and
where all kinds of alert merchants are
disposed to be reasonable in their
charges, and intelligent enough to stock
their stores with merchandise of good /
1uaIity, and at prices that are not be-
yond the means of their patrons.
And while many Topekans. no doubt,
are inclined to the belief that they
have to pay pretty stiff prices for
everything they buy during the pre-
Christmas season, they ought to take
A squint at the prices that prevail in
some of the metropolitan centers. A
page department store advertisement
N one of the New York city papers
If 1nt issue contained hints to wo-
men of things that would be acceptable
20 sons and husbands. Topcoats were
mentioned at prices running from $50
10 $40. Room robes" which must be
he equivalent of the more plebeian
Jackets were listed at from
rs to $65. Then there were fancy
vaistcoats at from SIS to s25, with
plain ones at SO and $12 Neckties
we're priced all tn way from Sc down
% $1.5O; and walking sticks ranged
rom $3.50 to $50 each. The cheapest
article offered on the whole page was
l linen handkerchief for so cents. anu
here were different grades of such
up to one costing $3.50
Zach.
But why prolong the agony. Let's
iraw the curtain. Those are New
York city prices, not the ones that pre-
7aiI in TODeka