If your holiday gift list includes folks who would appreciate receiving fancy cups and saucers, spittoons, and celery trays, you’ll want to check out the following gift-buying hints from Sewell Bros. & Montgomery of Skidmore, Missouri. This ad ran in the December 15, 1899 Skidmore Standard on page 1:
Ad reads, “Christmas shopping time is here and we have prepared our line to give it a royal welcome. The keynote of our holiday plans are that presents do not necessarily need be useless to be appreciated. The result appears here in an aggregation of new merchandise greater, more complete and responsive to the demands of taste and service than any former collection shown by us. Helpful hints for Christmas shoppers. Our line of china ware is full of pretty novelties. Early buyers will soon pick them up. Fancy cups and saucers, Smoking sets, Cake Plates, Cracker Jars, Sugar and Cream Sets, Spittoons, Pin and Match Boxes, Vases, Nut Dishes, Nappies, Salads, Mush and Milk Sets, After Dinner Coffees, Fruit Plates, Celery Trays, Toy Tea Sets, Rogers best Silver Knives, Forks and Spoons, Handkerchiefs, Muffs, Stand Covers, Etc. and Etc. Christmas Dress Goods. If you wish to make a present of a dress, skirt of waist pattern you will find ours a nice stock to select from, you’ll find most anything you may be looking for. See the line on the show case for 50 cents. You’ll find some unmatchable bargains. Mittens and Gloves make pretty and appropriate presents and we have some elegant things to select from . Ladies Fancy Knit from 25c to 60c. Fancy Silks for $1.00. Men’s Fancy Ties and Mufflers. We have just received our holiday line of Neckwear and it’s the showest, up-to-date line we have ever displayed. A big line of the new Oxford Mufflers which you will have to see to appreciate. Holiday Lamps. You’ll look a good while for a better or more sensible present than a pretty lamp. You’ll find it an easy task to make a selection from our stock. Come and see us; we will make your Christmas money go a long ways. Sewell Bros. & Montgomery.”