Today, a trip to the mall can net you all sorts of Christmas gift possibilities. But gift giving for Coquitlam's pioneers took planning.
Most gifts would be handmade and took considerable time to create. Carved wooden toys, pillows, footstools and embroidered hankies might have had the family members working for months ahead of Christmas. Knitted scarves, hats, mitts and socks could not be made overnight and required hours of work.
Last-minute shopping was not a thing of the past.
Gift giving was typically very modest, reflecting the economic circumstances of the time, but options were available for those with means. If you were purchasing a gift, planning was essential. There was a store at the Fraser Mills site as early as 1908 as well as a post office. The store would supply essentials such as crockery and staples but the post office provided the real window to a world of creative gifting.
Mail order catalogues were a mainstay of pioneer procurement. They provided access to a selection of goods that were otherwise unavailable to many living in remote or rural communities. The first Eaton's catalogue was a 34-page booklet issued in 1884. As Eaton's grew, so did the catalogue. By 1896, Eaton's mail order department was sending out 135,000 parcels by post and almost 74,000 by express.
Simpson's also produced a catalogue; indeed, in 1906, it offered a special Christmas catalogue with a large selection of toys and dolls for children, clothing for all as well as a range of sundries and food items. Some of the toys that appeared in this catalogue are represented in our Mackin House Museum toy collection. The first catalogues were entirely text-based - no photos - and Simpson's was producing both French and English versions of its catalogue in 1910. As illustrations and pictures of increasing quality were soon included in catalogues, the text became less important. The French version was suspended and did not appear again until 1927.
Ordering took time, though. Business was conducted by post or freight delivery and it was imperative to submit the order well in advance of the gift giving date. Money was paid up-front and Simpson's was clear in its instructions to customers: Send extra money (even a few cents) to ensure delivery of the order. If the postage included was inadequate, the catalogue company would simply ship less of the order, which could prove to be disappointing. Larger orders were encouraged since this inevitably benefited the company by consolidating its packing obligations.
Browsing these catalogues is a fascinating study in history. One can trace the coming of many technological innovations through the pages of mail order catalogues. Electricity, modern indoor plumbing and many labour-saving devices such as the washing machine - mail order catalogues bear witness to all of these life-altering changes.
Library and Archives Canada has the full line-up and one can actually view the catalogues page by page at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca.
The final option for our pioneer gifters was to shop locally. New Westminster boasted a number of well-stocked stores. Establishments on Columbia and Front streets offered a range of hardware, confections and tin ware.
For the more frivolous and festive, there was The McQuarrie and Mitchell Hat Shop, which displayed fancy millinery in its window. There was also the Reid and McDonald Fashion Craft Shop.
Getting to these stores took time if you were coming from the Fraser Mills site or Maillardville. The interurban line to New Westminster was not completed until 1912, so before this, your best way to get to the shops was by buggy or sleigh. Failing this, a very long walk was always an option.
The next time you are out and about picking up those last-minute trinkets, take a moment to think about how far we have come. If you think we have come too far, take a trip back in time and visit Mackin House Museum. Inside our beautiful Edwardian house, it feels like 1909 and, even better, in December, it feels like the spirit of Christmas past.
Your History is a column in which, once a month, representatives of the Tri-Cities' three heritage groups writes about local history. Jill Cook is executive director of the Coquitlam Heritage Society.
