Evening star., 1932-11-13
MERCHANTS URGE
EARLY YULE BUYING
Prepare for Christmas, to Be
Celebrated Six Weeks
From Today.

With Christmas due exactly six weeks
from today, Washington merchants are
turning their attention to the annual
Yuletide shopping season. In doing SO.
they place added stress on the slogan,
Shop Early, Mail Early"
Unless the eleventh-hour rush Of
Christmas buying is alleviated this
year, retailers explain tnEt a greater
than customary burden will be placed
upon the post offices and merchants
alike. because of the fact that Christ
mas falls on Sunday.
Edward D. Shaw, secretary OF the
Merchants and Manufacturers Asso-
ciation, pointed out that Saturday Is
normally busy day in the stores, and
it also is a short working day In the
post office. Therefore, unless shop
ping and mailing is done early. delivery
Of Christmas gifts may go over until
Tuesday. December 81, Monday being
q legal holiday, he said.
Prepare Yule Lane.
With the approach Of the Christmas
season. business men of uptown Wash
inston, under leadership Of the Column
! bia Heights Business Mems Association,
are preparing for the annual Christ
mas lane on an elaborate scale. Unoer
plans made known yesterday by Am
brose r. Swan. president OF the group,
the lane will extend from Harvard street
northward on Fourteenth street 10
Monroe street. and will be officially
lighted November %.
The program of the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association to stimulate
interest in the early Christmas shopping
movement will get under way NoVem-
Der 25 and will be carried out through
various channels. The campaign Will De
advertised in store windows, on printed
matter and bill heads, in street cars
and busses, on post office and express
company trucks and through the medl-
UNI Of radio and the press.
Christmas savings checks will be
mailed out around December l and To-
cal banks are being asked to cooperate
by inclosing a circular advocating early
shopping. The checks this year amount
to more than $8.500,000, the greatest
figure since the clubs were established.
eight years ago Membership in the
Christmas savings organizations this
year is in excess Of 100000.
5000 Letters Sent Out.
Postmaster william M. Mooney, who
has given his hearty approval to the
early shopping and mailing movement,
is sending 5000 letters to District school
teachers to be read to 10000 children,
carrying the message Of early shopping.
All recipients of mail in the District
will receive notifications Of deadline
mailing dates and cards bearing SINH
lar information will be placed In the
stores.
The merchants group is seeking per-
mission from the District Commission
ers to have colored lights in the down
town business section during the Christ
mas period. The city heads already
have given approval to the Columbia
Heights business mems lighting pro-
gram in connection with their Christ
mas lane For the past two years the
association has been awarded the silver
cup Of the Electric League Of Washing
ton for its lane.
The business men will conduct q
Santa Claus parade December from
Florida avenue to Varnum street on
Fourteenth. with reindeer drawing Kris
| Kringle's sleigh, and clowns and mum
mers offering added attractions. Frank
j. Sobotka is chairman Of the parade.
Barnum A. Levitan has been named
general chairman of the Columbia
Heights Business Mems Associations s
Christmas Lane Committee, assisted by
Ambrose r. Swan, Mr. Sobotka, Louis
, r. Gottlieb and Herman Leder.