Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-12-22
THE CHRISTMAS RUSH
Spirit of. Holiday is Manifested on
All Sides

-Four more days and the oppor-
tunity for Christmas shopping will
be gone. Despite the shop-early cam
paign the numbers of shoppers in the
stores is at the point Of crush. What
would it have been without the null
titudes of purchases made in the
weeks that have passed? In conse-
uuence, as much work as are the
faithful and devoted isalespeople of
the city's stores, they: not taxed
to the point of frayed nerves that
would have been their experience had
the shop-early campaign not have
been conducted so successfully. AS a
result the stores and stocks of Christ
mas goods that have exchanged
hands is not less than phenomenal.
Santa Claus has been aided and
abetted by the shoppers of the city
and he should have golden smiles
upon his face as he makes his way
from house to house over the roof
tops and descends the chimneys with
his loaded packs. The Christmas rush
has been the rush of the aids and
adjuncts Of the great gift giver. And
as the salesladies and men have
wrapped up the parcels, Santa has
been present to wreathe them with
his smiles of goodwill and of cheer
So that when the Christmas gifts are
dispensed and are opened they will
be found to contain very much more
than that which represents the cost
price. They will be found to contain
the quintessence of good will, the
spirit Of JOY and rejoicing and the
firm and fast friendship that gives
value to many gifts.
From highly decorative Christmas
cards that breathe the choicest sea-
sonal greetings that the poets and the
trainers of prose sentiments have
been able to devise, to the most ulti-
tartan of articles the purchases have
ranged. And into the act of purchasing
has gone the sentiment of love and
the spirit of good will Many gifts
will be made in money, but this will
be turned into articles 1f value. After
Christmas buying for a few weeks
will really present .art of the
Christmas purchasing.
During the last days of the Christ
mas shopping season the stores will
be even more brilliant than hereto
fore. The very last of the stocks, mar
velously augmented from time to
time, will be placed upon sale There
are hundreds Of eager unseen faces
about the toy counters and the coun;
ters where the. articles of clothing
are disposed of. They are the faces
of the children of the .uncared for
those to whom. Christmas will. mean
little unless the mericful esprit of
Santa Claus shall enter into the
hearts ;of the ::better-provided shops
pers and lead them to.incldae in their.
sift-making some litNe:frisndless ones
to whom their gifts will be real
blessing. !:
The remaining days will find 4purz
thases made for those who have been
put off for the last moment because
feeers had been sent out to ascertain
what would be acceptable to the 5per,!
sons, for the spirit of gift giving is to-
have the gift as. pleasing and !as hse..
full as the recipient may desire. The
stores are very. hospitable. None need
be over looked, And today is the time:
to go over the shopping list and to;
see that the names are checked off
of all those who have been provided
for and the names added of all.
those. who had been forgotten. The
season is a gracious one and the.
opportunities of the season. are de-
lightful, provided that gift making is
not for the purpose of reciprocity or
for the intrinsic value of the articles
bestowed
Let everyone take. time by the fore
lock and shop today and finish up
the gift-buying before the sure lag
CARDS of the buying hosts enter upon
/roat;,,od' on pnna Gval :