HERALD AND NEWS, Klamath Falls, Ore.
Sundav. Dpp. 13. 1959
PAGE 11A
J
Christmas Is For Adults; The Kiddies Are Too Smart
NEW YORK (NEAI-It is the
consensus of those who know
child psychologists, toy buyers,
ganta costu.ners and Santas them
selvesthat Christmas today is (or
the grown-ups. The kiddies are too
smart.
Point one. they say. is that It's
moot question whether daddy
comes into the toy department to
buy something for the youngsters,
or because he loves to see and
toy with the toys himself.
The fact of the matter is, says
Bill McOuffy, the toy buyer for
Gimbels in New York, during the
four-week buying spree before
Christmas, some 30.000 parents a
day traipse through the depart
ment (including papa who is sup
posed to be working!, looking, fin
gering or all-out playing at the
counters. Only 5,000 of them ac
tually buy anything.
The kiddies, of course, come in
on Saturdays, but by then the folks
are worn out and already armed
with an idea of what they (the
old folks) want to play with on
Christmas morning.
And to whom are their toy cata
logues sent, McDuffy further lays
on. To whom, rnrtrcd, but adults.
And who will dispute the Christ
mas morning fact that it is dear
Old dad on his hands and knees
playing with the new electric train
he bought, while Junior plays with
the crate in which it came?
In point of further fact, a noted
child-parent counseling team says,
it'; natural for Junior to prefer
playing with the toy crates than
the toys.
The team Willard and Margue
rite Bcecher, authors of "Parents
on the Run" say that to children
nowadays, Christmas means onlyi
more and mgner-pricea presents
than they receive during the rest
of the year.
The original meaning and spirit
of Christmas is fast fading to the
younger folk, the Beachers main
tain, along with the old family
"togetherness and the original do-
it-yourself Christmas."
Mrs. Beecher recalls as will
other sympathetic grown-ups
that as a girl the Yule season
was a high point of the year. The
entire family had a hand in the
preparations. They all went out
to chop down the tree. Tbcy all
decorated it, they all helped whip
the house, into shape, and the fes
tive spirit prevailed.
Now, the Beechers say, Christ
mas is no treat for the kids, just
a chore. The parties are welcomed
as are the special Christmas TV
programs and dates to the holi
day dances, but as for fooling
around with "that Santa bit, that's
for the kids" (meaning parents).
And the parents love it. Even
with the morning after's mess,
and the bills, they stop at no'h
ing to recapture the Yuletide spir
itand their youth.
The further proof Is the esti
mated 14 billion dollars the adults
will spend from the beginning of
December on. That figure was ar
rived at by subtracting Novem
ber's estimated retail figure from
December's; the only means any
body has of really figuring out the
vast expenditure made by adult
Americans at Christmas.
Of course, stores are moving
up the buying season to middle
August and sometimes even July.
Decorations are brought out after
Labor Day. Christmas cards have
always enjoyed buy-it-cheaper-now
summer sales.
An association of retail mer
chants says that as far as the
stores are concerned, "the Christ
mas season really starts on De
cember 26." And a brief thumb
through on the classified book in
your city gives any number of
available costumers whose whole
business is concerned with renting
or selling Santa Claus costumes
at any time of the year.
Further support for the Christ-
mas-is-for-the-folks theory comes
from Santa himself at least the
chief Santa of a major New York
department store. (He's really only
a helper. Dad.)
The ropes around his throne.
Santa says, are there to keep the
parents back, not , the kids. And
for every child on his knee, there
are three adults in line.
"The poor children just don't
have a chance," Santa says. "The
parents that bring him to me are
the real kids; just a little bigger."
West Foresters
Name New Aides
SPOKANE (AP) - Hugh J.
Hodgins, Vancouver, B.C., was
elected president of the Western
Forestry and Conservation Assn.
Friday.
An official of Crown Zellerbach
Canada Ltd., he succeeds Arthur
M. Roberts, McCall, Idaho.
Delegates attending the closing
session of the association golden
anniversary conference chose
George S. Long Jr., Weyerhaeuser
Co., Taeoma, as secretary.
Space Agency
Drops Project
WASHINGTON .VPI) . - The
Federal Space Agency today
scrapped its Vega rocket in order
to make powerful boosters avail
able for pushing other projects
perhaps including a now at
tempt to launch a moon satellite.
In discarding the Vega, the Na
tional Aeronautics and Space Ad
ministration will be able to divert
six Atlas intercontinental ballistic
missile boosters to other pro
grams. These programs include devel
opment of the Centaur and Atlas-1
Agena rockets.
It was speculated that perhaps
one of the six Atlas engines would
be used in a new moon shot.
In cancelling its Vega contra"
with the Convair Division of Gen
eral Dynamics and the General
Electric Co., NASA will lose about
17 million dollars.
The total cost of the Vega proj
ect would have been 65 million
dollars.
1 Chas. J. Cizek I SHOP CURRIN'S
TAILOR For Outstanding Gifts
Suits & Slacki Made to Order
CURRIN'S DRUGS
Perfect Fit Guaranteed In The Village Court
j 119 SOUTH 7th 840 Main
Sale
n
risttnas
GIFTS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST.. AND THE SAYINGS WILL ASTOUND YOU
WOOL SLIPPER SOX
Warm wool with leather soles, glamorous
trims. S-M-L.
Men's . . . Women's . . . Children's
The Ideal
Christmas
Gifts
REG. 99c
2.97
Reg.
3.98
Striped cotton chenille en.
Kfmhle. 21x26" contour,
I!x30" nd 24" round
ruirs, lid cover. Choice of
6 smart colors,
"VANGUARD" Automatic
ELECTRIC BLANKET
Full Size Dual Control.
Choice of Colors.
Reg. 21.99
HURRY FOR THESE
SV SV II
S rl S i rC
97
Jrniour's Stor Slob 1
J BACON PSg
1 SP
Lean and Meaty, Good In
Soups, Stew or Braized
Beef Short Ribs
Rump Roast
A King's
Treat
in
5ft
Giant
Size,
While
It
Lasts
WOW!
White King
SOAP
Qc
(
WOW!
Py-o-My Dutch Apple
Cake Mix
Reg.
41c ea.
3:1
Instant Coffee
Facial Tissues
Chili Con Carne
Graham Crackers
GIRLS'
DRESSES
Pretty little styles
in a large selection
of colors. Pretty her
up for the Holidays.
Sires 4 to 14
REG. $2.95
$123
Butter-Soft MOCCASIN
Girls' 11 to 3 -Women's 4 to 10 1
;! Kraft Assorted ',',' Sunshine
' J6IH6S : Marshmallows j
I; While They Last ; j; 12-oz. Bag
1 1 ' 10-oz. Jars j. j
Instant J
Chiffon i
400'i "fli R I
Cost E 0 $1
15 '2-oz. ftk R I
Sunshine MUlC
2-lb. Box J J
! Low Cost
' ; Old Fashioned
i i Peanut Butter j
'I 17-oz. Jar
39'
A favorite slipptr th moccasin-style that's
so comfortable, she'll barely feel it! So, at
tractive, too, with its cuddly bunny-fur cuff
and beaded Indtan-motif brightening the sim
ulated leather uppers. Wedge heel, suede
sole. Red, royal, white, light blue, pink.
Women's also in black or turquoise.
WHILE
THEY
LAST
Banana Squash
$1177 Oranaoc
Sweet,
Golden
New Crop
Navels
3i25'
BOYS'
FLANNEL
SHIRTS
88
Sport thirtt
in wonderful
imported
flannel; vari'
WEAREVER
4-PC SET
Fountain
.pen, a me
chanical pen
cil, ball-point
pen and a
flashlight.
88
"Anchorglass" 8-Piece
TUMBLER SET
Gift Boxed
These famous Anchorglass
Tumblers come in many beautiful
designs, silvers, golds, etc
REGULAR 2.27 .....
$1!88
U
"Miss Petite" Service for Two
Children's Tea Sets
Reg. 49c
37
COSTUME JEWELRY
Glamorous and glittering
with hand set stones. These
make wonderful gifts.
Necklace & Earrings Set
REG. $1.98 $ll 77
NOW ONLY... U
SURPRISE SPECIALS
7
' Gold Medal ! White Satin '
FLOUR SUGAR jj
QibS ji 1 0 ibs.
7 P
Specials For Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday
"Wagon Train'
GUN SET
2-Guns, double holsters
with belt.
$857
825 Main Phone TU 4-4774
OPEN EVERY NIGHT TILL 9:00 P.M.
RIGHT
TO LIMIT
RESERVED
Town & Country Shopping Center - 3800 So. 6th
5 lb.
i