CHRISTMAS SHOPPING CHALLENGE

I went Christmas shopping last week.  Believe it or not, we actually had some snow!  In fact, we had two short spells of near white-outs:  once when I was driving from store to store and mall to mall, once when I was driving the twelve miles between the shopping malls in DuBois and home.  Can you believe, the snow actually melted between the two white-outs!

Made me think of doing my Christmas shopping as a tween or young teen.  I walked in the snow the mile and a half to shop in downtown DuBois.  Not only was the white stuff coming down, but also  snow was laying on the ground and even piled up where the sidewalks had been shoveled. The town and the shop windows were all decorated so festively for the holidays.

Nope, there were no such things as malls at that time—at least in our area, and very few, if any, vacant stores.  The department-type shops and the five-and-dimes were on both sides of the street within four blocks of walking distance.
 
The Kroger market was on one corner if the block leading toward the center of town, with the Montgomery Ward next to it.  The Montgomery Ward was three-stories, if you counted the basement.  It smelled of the oiled sawdust they put on their wooden floors in the evening before sweeping them after all the customers were gone.  The display cases were mostly square table-like bins with stacks of clothing or household linens, such as sheets and towels, piled on them. 

On the second floor the furniture department and business offices resided.  That was where I went to get my free copy of the new booklet that had just come out, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  I had that booklet for years, and remember it was one of my favorites.  I wish I knew what happened to it.

I don’t remember too much of the basement area, because I didn’t go there any more than I had to.  But I think that is where the kitchen needs and the handyman tools were kept.  It is also where, in a little cubby at the bottom of the steps, Santa Clause was usually enthroned.

The next store was one of my favorites: Troutman’s Department Store.  There were two separate front doors to enter this store…one on the left side and one on the right side…and between them, next to the sidewalk, was a free-standing enclosed display case.  There were display cases to either side of the display island leading to the doors with a walkway and another large display case situated behind it between the doors.  Once you went through the doors, you were in a little entry area and had to go through a second set of doors to actually get inside the store.  The perfume and make-up area was stationed just inside the doors on the right hand side of the store.  It was heavenly just to stand in that little entry between the sets of doors—to be out of the cold and wind and just to smell that wonderful odor from the perfume counter!

Beers Music Store was next followed by one of our three movie theaters, and the Pershing Hotel ended the block.  JC Penney’s and Sears and Roebuck were among the stores on the other side of the street.  

The rest of the main stores were around the corner to the right and filled both sides of the street for the next three blocks.  By the time you were done shopping and carrying your packages, you were beginning to dread the idea of the walk back home.  Of course you could take the bus, but it cost a whole nickel!  It was easier just to walk.

I compared those days to how I did my Christmas gifting this year:  a little actual shopping in the malls, bought some things on the computer and had them shipped directly to the recipient, other items I actually handcrafted.  The away gifts are now all mailed, and I’m still waiting for the local gifts I ordered to be delivered.  Although I still have to do the wrapping, I’m marking “gifts” off my “to do” list. 

Guess it’s time to turn my thoughts towards Christmas baking.