Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-24
CHRISTMAS EVE TO SEE
SHOPPING SATURNAL|A
I}clatcd Gift-lsuyers Promise to Set
New Record To-Day for
business.
SPIRIT or GIVING IS ABROAD
Elcvcntf-lIour Rush for Holiday
Supplies Will Bring to Climax
Biggest Winter Season Since Prod
igul Year of 1913.

! igal Year of 1913.
/ AS the climax of the busiest pre-
Z holiday season that Richmond mcr-
chants have known since the prodigal
year of 1913. to-day will witness Il mad
S:.turnalia OF shopping. Despite the
shop early notices that have admon-
ishcd people since the first nip OF cold
weather. Il vast bulk OF gifts remain
still unbought and Christmas Eve 1915.
will see a sprightly last-minutc scram-
BILE
In the retail district yesterday the
siEhtScers and shoppers cho>cd ;he
sidewalks and T!.ops with the largest
crowd Of the holiday season. 1t reach
c, its high tide in the mid-aftcrnoon.
surGins in Il dense mass from shop to
shop. Later in the day il was aug
m:ntcd by tn" matinee crowds 1t was
estimated that not less than 3O.0O0
people poured into the Broad and Main
street retail districts Yesterday during
the "hoppin" hours.
TRADE N EVENt:REENS
REACHES HIGH WATER MARK
The trade in ccdars, holly and miStlc-
toe reached its high mark. From Broad
/. Marshall. Sixth street was banked
ia both sides with grccnery and How
rrS. For half Il century or more this
particular block has pc,m the rcmu-z-
Nous Of curb dealers i'll flowers and
rottcd plants. The bright red, white
and yellow OF Christmas flowers
against 4 BACKGROUND of forest green
buried the block in mass Of color
around winch lowered all day a swarm
: OF buycrS-likc so many bees
One Of the factors that contribute TO
the h-preSsurc shopping that has
been the rule all this week is that
all of the large stores are closed in the
evening". Formerly. the shops kept
orcn house until 10 o'clock at night
during the week before Christmas The
uIcompromis NIX stand of the State De
partmcnt OF Labor against the working
OF :;ir:s more than ten hoUrs a day
even during the holiday rush, has opcr-
atcd to close most Of the larger stores
10y $50 o'clock
Behind closed doors. the male en-
ployees of lhc stores worked until late
III TIL" might to restore to Il Semblancc
ca order the havoc that had been
wrought; during the day by hungry
shoppers The only places open We're
the Icwelry, stationery and speciality
shops and few Of the clothing stores
FESTIVE; AIR rRErEDES
YEARS GREATEST HOLIDAY
To-day the city will take on the
FESTIVE air that prcccdcS the ycnrs
greatest holiday. There will he tho
usual undiEniticd scramble to Law in
SlttS with which To discharge oblica-
ti"ns ti.at develop III unexpected uuar-
ttrS. The friend wEG had been entire
FORGOTTEN III making up the lists
comes across with something expensive
ana StralShiway there is cmbarrass
: mem ana hasty trip 20 the stores
downtown. where the tall buildings
re from narrow streets. the denjz.ns
"i the Offices will descend in n body
upon convenient candy and mems wear
depots. where they will buy things FOR
IN" hoES who watch said Offices r,.r
III" girls who preside at the switch
boards. for the typists secretaries
no,arles. for the ,ypists. s.crctar;es
nerS. who have shared their labors
during the year.
me CHRISTMAS spirit has been abroad
Tor many days now. In different unar-
terS 1t has manifested itself in different
ways. The elevator boys have become
more ohliGinr. Thcy even ston ut the
right floors The Christmas spirit has
meant renaissance Of politcness all
along the line Little Miss Richmond
has abjurcd the movies AMI taken IA
helping around the house. Kid brother
mas sproutcd wings. For the season
Of giving is imminent and according
!" orthodox doctrine only the good will
be rewarded.
roLITENESS HAS COME
INTO FASHION AGAIN
In insurance offices and banks il is
the same. The blonde typist has been
( coming TO work five minutes ahead OF
schedule for many days. and hc.
tranScribing has been nearly perfect
ptiicc managers have many DAYS ago
discovered unsounded depths Of wit in
he .if.S :