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Resampled001B6E3A The Christmas present prob- lem is always with us, and we find it difficult to suit the tastes of all our friends. Some people show a curious lack of tact in the selection of presents, and the re- sult is usually that such well- meaning persons only annoy their friends instead of pleasing them. The fussy but well-in- tioned aunt who had presented.~Qer schoolboy nephew with a gook of poems in place of what e expected, a wireless set, could not understand why the lad a- voided her all through the Christmas holidays;and the boy who sent a white rat to a maiden lady of 62 was equally astonished when the lady frowned upon him.'heOld and the New Ivay It is curious how people's ideas of what is a suitable Christmas present have changed during the last eighty years or so. Undoubt- edly presents are now more elnh.. orate and more costly than they were even thirty or forty years ago. "Something useful"-- and not too costly--was the slogan in Victorian times, but today "Something pretty" or some- thing novel and up-to-date is . what is demanded. In 1844 people were giving as Christmas pres-, ents "patent elastic cravats," six lbs. of tea which cost $5 and books on "How to Dance the Pol-, ka." Those days have gone for- ever, and so has that terrible mid-Victorian period when people gave, year after year, such things as ink-stands, work- boxes, writing cases, and, that'etenoir of most of us, the photographic album. In the fif- ties it seems to have been the fashion to give one's friends presents of hair oil, well got up in "elegant" bottles. How the Victorians loved that word "ele- gant." Unless a present was "elegant" or "genteel" it was not valued by the recipient. In these days nearly everyone has his or her hobby, and it is generally safe to present one' friends with something connect-~ ed with their hobby. In fact, wo. often cement a friendship, par- ticularly with youthful friends, if we can hit upon something in: connection with a hobby which the recipient has longed for for1'onths. Undoubtedly children too, now receive better presents than they did fifty years ago. A "race game" or a puzzle was thought ' nice present for a young friend as long ago as 1852, and in 1860 queer little steamboats, "four inches long," which were intend- Mr. and 51rs. Rowland Hast- ings, 25th and Marine, entertain- ed at dinner yesterday evening. The guests being Mr. and Mrs. IV. Mitchell (North Vancouver), Mr. and Mrs. John Lawson, Miss Blackstock, Misf& Robinson, Mrs. Cramond, Mrs. Edwards, and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hodgson. After dinner, a very pleasant evening was spent in dancing and amuse- ments. GRIGOR'S DRY GOODS TO MOVE TO NEIV STORE Grigory's Dry Goods Store will move at the end of this month to one of the netv stores in the Keith Block on Marine Drive, just one block west of the present store. In order to have as little stock as possible to move Mrs. Grigor announces special reduced prices on all the goods in stock. 'i- ed to be sailed in a tea tray, were highly though of. These little models cost 50 cents each. Now we give our young friends model aitplanes driven by compressed air which cost $40 and real steam locomotives costing from $ 15 to $ 100 or more. Today women give presents to each other with less formality than they did in Victorian times, and something artistic is fre- quently chosen. Victorian wom- en had fewer hobbies and took part in hardly any sports, an&i therefore it is not su&prising that the presents they gave to each other were often of a different kind to those selected by modern . ~ women. Ivhen sewing machines came up in the late fifties and early sixties they seem to have been highly esteemed as Christ- mas presents, The Christmas "Spirit." Perhaps it is safest in these &lays to give a man or a boy something connected with sports or his hobby, but in the forties, pipes were given freely, as they are now, and boxes of cigars were valued in IS46 as much as they are today. Cigarettes, however, were hardly smoked in Canada at all. Times have changed now, but the spirit of true friendship still exists--it is not the value of the . gift that counts with most people, but whether it is sent in the true Christmas spirit. December 16, 1927. I'OPULAR XMAS GIFTS 51R. AND 11IRS. HASTINGS OF DAYS GONE BY ENTERTALN THE IVEST VAN NEWS FRKK with every Cash Purchase of 50e a coupon for a ticket to the Hol- lyburn Theatre. Get these here when you buy Christmas gif&e, such as Bottled Perfumes, Cameras Face Powder Loose Powder Compacts Fancy Soap Boxed Chocolates Gift Wrappings, etc. Christmas Ginger Wine Bells, Streamera Flashlights and Batteries and all merchandise. WEST VAN PHARMACY Phone IVest 37. Night Calls -- Emergency only--West 321. 0 HEARN LIGHT a ~""-':96P5 xmas Cakes Puddings Mince Meat All Home- Made Try Our Shortbread Mrs. DRAPER 2335 MARINE DltlVE Neat nooevcovv Naia NOTE PNONEi West aaa IVHIMSICAL REVIEIV A half-hearted kick is worse than none. Throw your whole sole into it. Equip your Ford with one of the new cuckoo clocks. 1Vhen the car reaches a speed of twenty-five miles an hour the bird will come out an&i sing, "Nearer My God to Thee," and at forty miles an hour, "Lord I Am Coming Home." Only Child: "Daddy! Daddy, he kissed me! Fond Parent (appearing in robe nuit): IVell, what do you want me to do with him? O. C.: Make him do it again. Fruit Discourse Agi "Wasn't that a fine lecture by'rofessor Dlngleonlck on 'The Culture of Prunes?'" Wag Splendid'e uaa ao full of hla subject." If all the whites leave China she'l have nothing to get mad enough to unite upon. "But, papa, he says he cannot live without me." "Tell him to think up a new one; I told that to your mother."--Boston Transcript. LADIES HAIRCUTTING and SHINGLING, any Style HOLLYBURN BARBER SHOP E. MARSH, Prop. For Ivest Vancouver Properties see SAVORY DUVAL l429 Ne&(ne itive Phone West 540 Specializing in Ivest Vancouver Pearce's Drygoods 14th St. a filarine See Our Special Display of Xmas Handkerchiefs Novelties and Toys Open till 10 o'lock every night. I'hone )vest 144 h AReal Winter Gas Producedin N. Uan. by Vancouver Oil Co. Ltd., the only All-British Columbia OR concern Try it! Fill Your Tank 3 at One of these N. Shore Stations h NORTH VANCOUVER WEST VANCOUVER Foreman'3 Garage- E&L Black-- Esplanade East 55th Ave. fh Marine Drive Lonedale Motors-- West Vancouver Garage-15th anfi 1 onsdate North Shore Garage- Ambleoide First St., West SECOND NARROWS Reliable Service Station-- 'urrar&t Service Station--Third St. 5& Forbes Ave. Second Narrows Bridge No Increase in Price