Omaha daily bee., 1920-12-15
Spirit
in Christmas
Shopping Noted
Old Rush Of Former Years Is
Lacking-Buying Is More
Consistent and With an
Eye to Practicability.

With only nine days remaining
in which to do Christmas shopping,
the grand rush is on in full force
TO complete all the required pur-
chasing yet, according to down
town merchants, It isn't the surging
crowds Of former years, rushing pell
nell through their stores, unde-
cided as TO what they want to buy,
but an orderly, well-behaved crowd
of customers with 4 definite plan as
to what they want, which results
in quick sales and efficient service.
The spirit of Christmas seemed
20 visit Omaha Monday with the
light snowfall, which lasted the
greatcr part Of the day. The streets
downtown were crowded and the
stores were doing a brisk business
with Christmas. shoppers. While The
snow was welcome. it made walk
Gng unpleasant because of the wet
sidewalks, but the weather didn't
interfere with business.
Buying In Earnest.
Omaha has entered into the spirit
oe Christmas buying in earnest"
Karl N. Lewis Of the Brandeis
stores said. "Oar Christmas rush
started some time ago and last Sat-
friday was one Of the best days,
relative to the volume OF business
done. we have had for some time.
Monday our stores were comfort
ably filled with customers who were
doing nothing but Christmas shop
ping. I know the business done this
season will compare favorably with
that of last year. / do not look Tor
any mad rush in the last few days
before Christmas. l'ni sure Christ
mas shopping--will have been done
in time avoid any rush"
Shopping Is Consistent.
Thomas Flynn, secretary OF Hay
den Brothers, can see nothing but
all optimistic future and he bases his
predictions on the present Christmas
shopping.
"Our business has been steady
each day. he SAID. There have
been no mad rushes, yet the buying
has been consistent. / note one
thing which places this Christmas
buying ahead of that Of last year;
People are buying more pratical and
substantial things. This tone pre-
walls in all departments. Most gifts
this year will be useful. ! cant say
as much foresight was used in Christ
mas buying last year. People, es,,
pecially the farmers, had plenty OF
money and they spent it just as they
wished, regardless of cost and practi-
cability of gifts. r..
Il look for good business alter
the HOLIDAYS. There are calamity
howlers who can see nothing Oh.
clouds in the future, but see much
brighter outlook"
T. P. Redmond, superintendent
az the Burgess-Nash stores. IS sat
isficd with the trend OF Christmas
shoppers. while we expected a
good brisk. Christmas trade, ne
said "busifress has over-reached any
expectations we had. We hadn't m
tended to open our new basement
until after the holidays, but the
Christmas shopping began SO early
and with such a rush we saw more
room was necessary to accommo-
cate the trade and the new base
ment with its Christmas merchan-
disc, was opened.
No Rush Expected.
Buyers are spending the; then
money in businesslike way busi'
ness has been good in al! depart.
,nents and | expect it to continue
until the last day"
Big downtown merchants wer.
rot the only men who haa n'c1
things to say about the success o.
Christmas shopping this year. ne
smaller merchants are getting theii
share of the Christmas trade ano
business with them "is good, they
say, o.c+ /.
,ast-moment rush. They say tn
consistent advertising and warning'
TO customers to do their christ
mas shopping early" have brough
@be;r reward