Advent Calendar of Memories 2010 - December 19 - Christmas shopping

 How did your family handle Christmas Shopping? Did anyone finish early or did anyone start on Christmas Eve?

I do not recall anyone during my childhood/youth being last minute shoppers. My mother was a list maker and kept track of the gift giving as well as those gifts received in her notebooks . I am sure things were not left to the last minute as Christmas time was always a busy time in the grocery business. I still have the tiny notebooks. The earliest that I can find with the list of gifts written in shorthand was in 1955.

Gifts purchased have a check mark beside them. This is only page one of two for that year. Mom had gifts to purchase that had to be sent by mail so she would have to get those away early. She gave gifts to her siblings and her nieces and nephews. I can remember when there was enough mail around Christmas that we received two deliveries a day by Canada Post.
What did I get from mom and dad that year? -- Slippers, pyjamas, and telephone (toy of course)

One year, my dad took my sister and I Christmas shopping for new dresses. We were headed south for Christmas that year. My dress was a bright pink, with a dropped waist and it was sleeveless. I can't recall my sister's outfit. We went to B. Gorbet and Sons - women's clothing store and furrier. It has been closed for a number of years. [Information on this business and the founder] 

This year, I haven't done much in the way of shopping, but I still have a few more days to get it done. 
© 2010 Janet Iles