(Look Back with Bob Enoch - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

Hurrah for Christmas

Mrs. Woernley has just received a fine lot of Candies, Fruits, Nuts, &c., especially for the Christmas Holidays. Cakes of all kinds will be kept on hand in extra quantities, and parties will be furnished at short notice. Something for both young and old, great and small, can be found at her Confectionary and Bakery, Public Square, Parkersburg.

Christmas is Coming!

ONE MORE WEEK, and Merry Christmas will be here – that joyous season when everybody wants to see everybody happy and contented. Determined to contribute my share towards the general happiness, I have on hand and will sell cheap, the choicest selection of Toys, Fruits, Candies, Fire-crackers, and other NOTIONS suitable for holiday presents, ever offered in this place. Ladies and others are invited to inspect this large stock. Call early – don’t wait to be crowded on Christmas day – but make purchases before hand, and before the assortment shall have been broken.

Thos. E. Saunders, Parkersburg

The Parkersburg Gazette/Courier,

Dec. 23, 1854

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Christmas Was Good

All our business men have done well during the holidays; they sold an immense quantity of goods. Last Saturday, probably the whole country was in, everyone buying liberally for the little ones. It could not fail that every merchant had a rich harvest; next day their faces bore a smiling, contented expression. Be it so all the time.

Christmas day this year was an exceedingly merry one; the streets though muddy, were all filled with happy people – some felt rather too much so. The saloon keepers took the hint, and to prevent any violation of the sacred day, closed in time their establishments. Notwithstanding that these avenues of high life were barricaded, some succeeded in climbing to the loftiest point of it; and they gave vent to their feelings in howling so ungodly, that it disturbed the most patient and enduring natures. We heard also of some fist exercise, of which, we are assured, the Recorder took the required notice. Is it for some people not possible to be merry in a decent, genteel way, or is it the nature of some to be rough? Verily our youth is in much need of schools and teachers, who can keep a strict discipline, and relieve the Recorder of giving lessons every day to such unpolished fellows.

The Parkersburg Daily Times,

Dec. 27, 1865

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CHRISTMAS

We notice that our people are getting ready for Christmas. The little folks are anxiously looking in the shop windows to see the pretty things, wondering how many of them they will get in their stockings. By reference to our advertising columns, they will see where to buy what they want.

Kris Kinkle

Next Monday is Christmas and all the little folks are anxiously wondering which of the pretty things that are exhibited in the different store windows Kris Kinkle will put in their stocking. They are, too, hoping that they will get some Christmas presents from their parents. To enable them to make the proper selections we’ll tell them where to go.

If you want fine Fancy Perfumery, Toilet Articles, Soap, Brushes, &c., go to Stephenson & Wade, C. M. Shrewsbury or J. N. Murdoch. They will supply you with all you want. Stephenson & Wade have a fine assortment of Fancy Boxes that cannot fail to suit their customers.

For Watches, Clocks, Jewelry, Silverware, &c., go to G. E. Smith, McConahy or John W. Mather on Market Street. They all have a fine supply.

Prager has a fine assortment of furs from which a person could select a fine Christmas gift.

For toys go to G. E. Smith on Court Street or C. M. McMillan on Market Street. They both have a large stock and are selling at the lowest prices.

Warder & Neal has a large lot of Fancy Candies and Toys that are worth looking at.

Thos. Hughes & Co. have just received a stock of Toys and Christmas goods that cannot fail to delight the young folks.

KEEP WARM!

The celebrated all-wool Johnson blankets can be bought at Broughton & Dils, Parkersburg, W.Va. These blankets are made from selected wool, and for warmth and durability cannot be surpassed. I. J. Johnson, Supt. of Factory.

The Gazette. As is customary, during the Christmas Holidays, there will be no Gazette next week. WE make no apology for the omission, as it always has been a time-honored custom.

The Parkersburg Gazette,

Dec. 21, 1871

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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.