Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1935-12-18


The quen's visits to stores and
Palace are piled high with multi
shaped and brightly wrapped boxes.
The number of gifts purchased
by Her Majesty this year were
greater than in several years, al
though she was as inSistent as ever
on getting her moneys worth. She
is such an expert shopper that
King George and other members
of the Royal Family leave the bulk
of it to her
King Remains In Palace
The King is reluctant to venture
out during the raw winter days
and never accompanies the Queen
on her shopping expeditions.
Buying Christmas gifts for hun
dreds of persons--relativeS royalty
of other lands, friends, servants
and her ladies-in-waiting - is a
highly organized procedure with
Britain'S queen.
In former times, even to that OF
Queen Alexandra, it was not con-
sidered befitting for a queen to
visit London's shopping emporiums
The stores always were command
ed to send assortments of goods
to the palace and royal residences
where they would be displayed i'll a
special room.
But Queen Mary, schooled in
thrift from childhood and constant
ly keeping tab on expenditures OF
the royal household, realized that
such command" exhibitions were
likely to induce extravaganza.
Merchants never sent their bar
gains to the palace.
Her proficiency in selecting good
merchandise and making sure that
she doesn't pay too much for it often
embarrasses clerks. But, for all
that, she is a welcome customer, be-
cause she knows exactly what she
wants. ~
Gifts Exceed Thousand
The list of persons, all listed in
orderly manner, for whom the Queen
purchased Christmas gifts this year
ran into four figures. In many in
stances the gifts fell into a stand
ard category-handbags, boxes of
toys, markers which the Queen
purchased at a British Industries
fair, sweets or handkerchiefS.
In large numbers than ever be-
fore, the gifts from the House of
Windsor this year were purchased
from ex-service mems sales, needle
work guilds and charity bazaars.
Many of the royal family's friends
will receive mantelpiece clock on
Christmas day. The queen purchas-
ed a large number of these, suitable
for bedroom or study.
The queen. although she is an
expert at selecting toys and sweets
for the youngsters, ordinarily insists
that the Christmas gifts be prac-
tical ones. Her grandchildren will
receive, among other things, nit
tens and sweaters which she knitted.
The Queen finds no difficulty in
selecting gifts for her grand
daughters, the Princess Elizabeth
and Margaret Rose, and the dolls
they will find in their stockings
Christmas morning from grand
mother will undoubtedly be "iust
what 1 wanted"
Children Trust Her
Like all grandmothers the Queen
has the condolences of her grand
children along about Christmas
time.
In addition to the dolls the King
and Queen have instructed Father
Christmas-as Santa Claus is known
in England-to put a book of travel
stories in his pack for Princess Eliza
beth and a tricycle. for. Princess
Margaret Rose. The King also ord
cred a riding whip for Princess
Elizabeth, a beginning equestrian.
The royal Christmas gifts des-
tined for the most distant parts of
the British Empire were on their
way as early as mid-October. FIRE.
quently the gifts are included in an
official dispatch bag, bearing the
royal coat of arms, and marked for
delivery on definite date.
Every gift from the royal family
is accompanied by a card bearing
the royal monogram and frequent
ly the Queen will write a few lines
OF greeting, signing herself simply
Mary"