The great man will arrive on the 3pm mail train, then proceed in his famous motor car to his destination where he will demonstrate his chimney-descending skills. All good children are promised a present.
While they are distracted, mother can choose from the Economic's vast array of gloves, reliable hosiery, coloured sunshades, collars, costume fronts, ribbons, handkerchiefs, summer costumes and aprons.
McGruer's have specials on Christmas ties and the DIC has men's and boys' clothing at holiday prices.
JWilliams & Co Jewellers are advertising "beautiful and artistic" items, while Dr Williams' (no relation to the jeweller) Pink Pills guarantee a cure for post-Christmas indigestion, headaches, nausea, vomiting, anaemia, influenza, eczema, rheumatism, sciatica, St Vitus' Dance, nervous disorders, paralysis and ladies' ailments. Three shillings a box, please.
Miss KC, a local lass, has just scored a useful Christmas bonus of one guinea, winning a national competition by poetically extolling the virtues of The Universal Cold Cure:
"Out hiking I caught a bad cold, Of that I am perfectly sure. I was soon put all right, I was cured in one night, By the great Universal Cold Cure."
(There is no record of Miss K.C. achieving further literary fame).
Rain fell on Christmas Eve, but did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of citizens who promenaded up and down the Avenue.
The City Band commenced carolling but had to abandon it - at 8pm according to the Herald, but not until 8 o'clock the next morning according to the Chronicle - due to bad weather.
However rain could not dampen the cheer at Jubilee Old Men's Home.
"The rain came down and the sky was grey, but the spirits of the old men who have their home at Upper Aramoho rose higher and higher until the hour of dinner arrived and then the excitement grew intense.
"The dinner gong was sounded and the vets walked and tottered into the hall. Those who were deaf were unable to hear the tables groaning under the weight of Christmas cheer, but the strain was soon lifted! After the meal they rested and prepared for high tea.
"If comfort adds to one's happiness, then the old men of Jubilee Home ought to be extremely happy." (Wanganui Chronicle; December 27).
Hospital patients were also well looked after.
"Were ill-health not the qualification for residence at Wanganui Hospital, one would almost be tempted to wish oneself an inmate of the institution at Christmas time.
"At that season the visitor finds it difficult to believe he is surrounded by suffering humanity, so bright and happy are the faces and so cheerful the general atmosphere. In fact, it may be safely said there were few happier Christmas parties than that at the hospital.
"There was practically a 'full ship', but fortunately there were few so seriously ill as to be debarred from participation. The wards were pictures. They were decorated artistically with flowers, palms, coloured paper and various devices and when the electric lights were switched on the effect was charming.
"Each ward had its own favourite colour and the tastefulness shown in its display says much for the artistic nature of the nurses who were the guiding spirits.
"Each nurse had a loyal kingdom, for her subjects (after critical examination of the other wards) were perfectly satisfied that theirs was the best of all."
After the traditional carol singing "an onslaught was made upon the eatables", then Father Christmas handed out gifts from the tree. "The appropriateness and inappropriateness of gifts caused much laughter and it is safe to predict that no small amount of bartering was done when the play was over."
At the Opera House a large audience was enthralled by the "exceedingly interesting" and "excruciatingly humorous" kinemato-graphic colour pictures shown by means of a Cooper's Opera-scope.
Merry Christmas everyone - from 1907.
■Murray Crawford is a Whanganui author with an interest in local history.
