Christmas window display at H. & J. Court Ltd 1965

Christmas decorations used to go up all around towns and cities in December. Nowadays they are up alot earlier. This was a Christmas window at H & J Court Ltd in Hamilton’s Victoria Street in 1965. Probably opened at the beginning of December, it was a great deal of work for the display team for a month of exposure.

This is one of five windows which, for Christmas, all had to be done in the shortest time possible to all open at the same time. Stock all about the store was raided for display in the windows.

This window is strictly ladies’ stuff. Having said that, we can’t be sure about the Santa – he looks very much the worse for drink. There is a wee red sign in the foot of the window suggesting, ‘Choose her favourites for Xmas.’ All very well but what if her preference has changed? At the edge on the right is another informative sign – late nights – 17^th, 21^st and 24^th. Well, don’t put yourselves out – 17th and 24^th were Friday nights anyway. The 21^st was a Tuesday so would that have been extra pay? Santa is saying ‘Merry Christmas’ and we endorse that.

Contributed by Perry Rice, Whakaputu/Special Collections Librarian, Hamilton Central Library. If you have any information you would like to pass on or would like to buy an electronic copy of the photo, please e-mail heritage@hcc.govt.nz quoting: HCL_14581