Dec 15, 2018 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)

From their earliest years, residents of Greenwood have spent the weeks leading up to Christmas with all the enthusiasm this holiday has inspired for countless years. At the turn of the century, mining camps and townsites throughout the Boundary were served by grocers and proprietors of mercantiles who provided all the trimmings needed for a happy Christmas.

In December 1897, the Boundary Creek Times reported that in Greenwood, "Several of the business houses and hotels have been tastily decorated for Christmas." In 1899, Mrs. E. Kerfoot, originally from Manchester, England, relocated to Greenwood from Vancouver. She opened a wonderful confectionary store on Greenwood Street, in a spot that had previously been inhabited by Mitchell, the tailor. Mrs. Kerfoot treated Greenwood to specialties like "real old maid" and English plum pudding, along with candies and confectionaries.

The following year, George Rendell was offering a range of 'luxury goods' as part of his Christmas trade at the Rendell Arcade, offering a fine line of delights for the ladies in town.

Not only was Greenwood served with an abundance of different gift items and specialty foods for the holiday season, they could take their pick from a surprising number of competitors in the marketplace.

Books, stationery, wallpaper, fancy goods and notions could be found in many stores. There were toys and treats for the children, and hand sleighs were popular under the tree. Smith & McRae's mercantile on Copper Street announced that among the holiday goods arriving on their shelves was a consignment of Japanese goods, including vases, fancy baskets and tea sets. These gift items arrived over 40 years before the members of our Japanese community did!

Local newspaper advertisements urged Greenwood shoppers to make haste with their holiday preparations! The Anaconda News implored, "Do your Christmas shopping now and avoid the rush." And while it may be a little hard to imagine a turn of the century Christmas shopping crush in Greenwood, one announcement warned:

"The three public Christmas trees in Greenwood and Anaconda, and the big affair at the Mother Lode, have about cleaned out Smith & McRae's toy department. However a few dolls and wooly dogs will be left for the private Christmas trees."

REFERENCES:

Boundary Creek Times: December 25, 1897
Greenwood Miner: December 08, 1899; December 22, 1900
Anaconda News: December 24, 1902; December 14, 1905