Nylons were popular presents 60 years ago

On December 19, 1952, the Courier reported that Christmas shoppers in Leamington were looking for the best value for money. It said: “Last year the emphasis was on the half-guinea range of gifts. This year the average cost of a present has dropped to 5s or 7s 6d. High priced presents, apparently, are things of the past.

“Customers this year have become price conscious, surveying all the shops in the town, and every article on display before handing their money over the counter. Gone are the days of indiscriminate spending.

“Easily the most popular presents have been those with a useful value. Fancy goods this year are out. As one manager put it, presents have fallen into the ‘something to use, something to wear, something to eat’ category.

“Most popular gifts? For the ladies, perfumery and cosmetics, with nylons (where possible) still high on the list. Fancy linens have risen in popularity, but they must be the kind for everyday use, table cloths and tray cloths, for instance. Handkerchiefs and handbags are much in demand.

“Fathers, sons and boyfriends, it seems, will be receiving much the same as they did before - with ties, handkerchiefs and pipes the favourites. Fearing a revival, perhaps in this Elizabethan reign, of the beard, the women folk have bought large numbers of electric razors and shaving kits.

“Christmas cards - more especially those in boxes - have found a ready sale. It has been noticeable, however, that customers have been choosing those not highly taxed.

“Novelties this year have been few and far between. Two of which have attracted more eyes than usual have been hand puppets (proof positive of the power of TV as an advertising medium) and papier mache pots for plants.

“Small and medium sized birds will be served for Christmas lunch this year in preference to larger poultry. ‘In the past we could not get anything big enough,’ reflected one tradesman.

“Because they seem to be as popular as ever, there may be a shortage of medium sized turkeys. Imported birds - Swedish, French, Argentinian, are not of such good quality as in the past. And Australia, from where so many turkeys usually come, has exported very few this year.

“Of those bred in the British Isles, Irish turkeys are highly favoured as they are better fed and consequently softer. Prices range from 6s to 6s 6d per pound for English, and from 5s 6d to 6s for other varieties. Large cockerels, priced around the 5s mark, are scarce, while geese, equally scarce, are selling at 4s 6d to 5s a pound. The drop in the meat ration has not helped.”

Back in 1952 it was looking like a white Christmas. Local recordings showed that three inches of snow fell in the Leamington district that week.