Evening star., 1931-12-20
CHRISTMAS SALES
PASS 1880 MARKS
Practical Buying Leads Re.
tail Business Here-VoI-
ume Reaches Record.

Christmas gift buying in volume of
merchandise thus far this year has
surpassed considerably that OF 1890,
according to leading Washington mer-
chants
Despite the depression, the coming
OF Santa Claus on his annual visit has
revived purchasing to the extent that
retailers are taxed far and above their
peak of last year to meet the current
demand.
A rush to the retail stores during the
past week-a rush that was antici-
pated since Winters late arrival re-
tarded sales in November and early this
month-haS bolstered the volume of
Christmas purchases to point much
higher than any reached in the same
period last year, a canvass of leading
stores revealed
More for Less Money.
The big advantage in all this pur-
chasing, however, has rested with the
buyers. Actually measured in dollars
and cents, the volume of business for
the stores averages around the same
as the Christmas season last year. pos
sibly trifle less. But prices are az
an average Of 80 per cent lower on
al types Of merchandise than at
Christmas time in 1880. and the result
has been the purchase of more gifts
for less money.
The trend toward practicability in
gifts, one which merchants early in the
season prepared themselves to meet. is
persisting even more than in previous
years. Bread boards carving knives
and other useful things have taken
precedence over more luxurious pres
ents they find.
One merchant reports that four
times during the past week the volume
of daily deliveries has exceeded the
highest record made during the Christ
mas shopping season of 1880. Extra
employment is greater during the cur
rent month than it was last year, and
even with this additional help the
retailers have been taxed to the utmost
to meet the demand.
Gift Wrapping Increases.
An unusual amount of gift wrapping
has been requested by purchasers this
year, merchants find. This service, in
augurated by the stores few years ago.
has continued to grow in popularity
and merchants are put to tremendous
expense, they say, to take care of the
many requests of this kind. AS an ex-
ample, one merchant explained that
purchaser bought half dozen hand
kerchiefs and asked that each be wrap
ped separately as gift packages.
With only four more Christmas shop
ping days left, retail stores are now
preparing for their peak days" The
Monday before Christmas always is the
busiest day of the Christmas season,
merchants say.
Looking beyond Christmas and into
tie New Year, retailers are inclined
to be optimistic. There is belief
In some quarters that the spending
spirit that Christmas has brought may
have psychological effect on people
who have had tendency to stow away
their money. A continuation Of the
kind OF business retailers now are do
ing. Is just the sort of thing, merchants
feel, that will bring an end to the
so-called depression.
The future of economic conditions,
business leaders maintain, depends
largely on the turnover in the retail
stores. If the shelves are cleared
stocks must be replenished, manufac-
turers must produce, and production
will give employment And so the
shoppers dollar goes all the way down
the line to contribute it's bit to solving
the greatest problem of the day-un-
employment.