The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-21
Can NOT. ESTIMATE
CHRISTMAS TRADE
nERCHArrs DoUnTFuI. HOWEVER.
WHETHER THERE HAS BEEN
ANY InCREAsn.
THEY SHOPPED EARLY
TENDENCY OF CUSTOMERS TO BUY
BEFORE RUSH Sc, SON he
GAN ACCOUNTS FOR WEEKS
TRADE DECREASE.
THEY sHOPPED EARLY

Christmas shopping has reached
its last lap. Christmas shoppers have
TO large extent taken notice of the
admonition to ''shop early" and al
ready the shopping for many families
has been completed.
Still there is much to be done. This
much must be done within the next
three days, else Christmas will pass
on unhappily for many who have yet
TO reach out for the little reminders
which help spread the cheer which
should come with the merry yuletide.
The shops arc still filled with the
things which bring Light to the eyes
and happiness to the minds OF all.
from old grandma to the month-oid
tot, Just beginning TO smile the dim
pied angel laugh. These things are
aching 20 be removed from the shelf
and transferred to sorne ones home,
there 10 shed happiness.
Eax1y Shopping.
While there has been much early
shopping, and the crowds at the stores
have not been subjected to as much
jostl1ng. a. a result still 1t Ii doubt
ful say the dealers whether the pur-
chasing force this year Is On far, as
strong as 1t was last year.
Highsr-priced articles are not going
Is fast a. has been the wont Where
there are crowds there are the bar
gain counters. and the exhibition
places Of the low-prtced toys.
With the early shopping spirit.
however. say tho merchants, and the
distribution of the purchases along a
month or SO, Ii liz hard to say wheth-
er the real Christmas shopping will
fall of iro mthat Of last year. Many
merchants say that for tho past week
the sales do not show up to that Of the
week Of last year.
This may be attributed, thor IN. :"
said one of the largest Broad street
merchants. ito the fact that the
shopping began earlier this year, and
lii may be that at the end OF the
month. our sales may have gone above
that Of last year, and the year be-
fore"
Prices this year have been lower
In most cases than ever before. A
dollar goes farther for toys. small
gifts and candies Higher priced ar
ticles, like furs and diamonds. main
tain their values, while In the cloth
Ing and haberdashery lines prices have
been slightly less. for valuation. than
last Christmas.
ysrsaitr. 7s rriii ~. ttits- customer. that
while money Ia a~triiie tight. ii goes
a little farther In the real goods which
go toward making tho Christmas
holidays bright =.
Prices Are Lower.
A suit of clothes and an ove~coat
or a hat. can be purchased this
Christs mas for little loss than Ii cost
las, year.
The only startling evidences Of Ia
crease in prices are seen In the mar
kets rrocdHtuffs are by no means
cheap. nor within the reasonable
reach Of those who must eat
With aii the hurry and hustle of
the Christmas crowd. bent on max
Ing its dollar 60 az far and - fast
rs possible, there has been no display
Of rudeness. disorder or undigniiiad
merriment- All has. to date. gone
along In the happy spirit that should
pervade the atmosphere Of this sea-
son.
Few complaints have been made
In thu shops Of losses. either by GUS
toners or dealers There sscans to
be fewer iight-inEe~sd persons
abroad, and those who have bean re-
ported have not bean shown 70 have