The sun., 1916-12-10
Christmas Shoppers Expected
TO Spend $500, 900, 600
for Gifts.
RECORD HOLIDAY SEASON
Flush Times in New York
Make Liberal Spenders
Of Citizens.

ufe experiencing the greatest Shri5tma'
business rush that veteran merchant
. recall. Flush times are pouring int
the caravanseries Of the retail trade
tremendous volume OF cash. II 1,
scarcely necessary for statesmen and
saleswomen to employ the usual artince'
TO interest customers. They merel,
stand and take the money that II thrust
upon them. 1t Is a record season fol
shopping.
A reporter for The Sun who visited
many Of the thirty-ffve large department
stores yesterday found practically thu
same reply wherever he put the ques'
ton: 'How does the volume Of Christ
mas business this year compare with the
trade Of former years7" Everywhere the
answer a 1T Is at least IS per cent
greater. making a record season for the
shops"
Some of the general characteristics Of
Che 1916 Christmas rush. as noted by
department store managers. are the dis
position Of the public to spend literally
even extravasantly, without finical re-
gard for the increased cost Of neces'
saries or luxuries: the eaeerness Of
women. particularly. to leave theiI
Inoiity III tHc VII ElhAu oNShuc SAop
where only the most expensive articles
are dealt in the quite casual manner
with which men are buying the costlics'
Of presents at prices that would have
Haunted them some years q or even
last year, and the tremendous demand
for the better kind Of children's toys.
No Time for Details.
1--WE can recall Christmas seasons when
Business was good. but when even liberal
buyers did their shopping with a sort OF
Scotch carefulness.' said the manage Of
one OF the six or seven biggest depart
mcnt stores in Manhattan yesterday.
"But this year II strikes US that people
have So much money to spend that they
are simply not bothering their heads
about the nne points OF buying. about
travelling from this shop to that to see
n they can't save q few cents or q few
dollars on this or that desired article.
Merely show them something they have
IN mind and they grab II. There 10 no
other word for It. We dom need to try
20 sell things. All We do Is to q X the
money that flows in"
From this manager and others Of SIM
llar position II was learned hat the
women OF New York seem to be spending
~ least 80 per cent. more this Christmas
than in former holiday seasons. Shops
that make a speciality OF supplying
s'made 10 order articles note that the
women are buying more Of this kin Of
commodity than ever before. Where
standard stock goods formerly contented
them. or more accurately speaking were
more within their means. only specially
made things, individually designed. are
now acceptable. More costly articles Of
jewelry. OF wearing apparel. including
the most expensive furs. are being sold
Shis season than ever before.
Big buyers %Increase
"If the names OF customers that are
spending anywhere from 81 200 to IS. 900
merely for Christmas presents could De
made public the list would be ~astonisr-
ing said the manager of a Fifth avenue
department. store. Il would say roughly
that we hav twice as many customers
OF this class as We had last year. There
% also a tremendous Increase In tho
number OF moderate spenders. We fnI.
We think. that the character and volume
OF the shopping pretty accurately repre-.
sent the present war prosperity. Some
of us wonder what will happen when the
war ends and the great demand abroad
for American products ceases and pu--
chasing power here IL reduced. How
ever, we give thanks for the spending
craze that is now with US"
a pleasant side Of the accelerated
business has to do with tho children.
Undoubtedly the Riddles OF New York
are going to have the finest Christmas IN
many years. A visit to any one OF the
marvellous toy rooms OF the larger de-
partment stores--vast rooms where
every dream OF childhood has been mad.
$3.50 sL.e