University of South Carolina Libraries
The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, December 23, 1965 SEC. C—PAGE 3 Modern Doll Must Boost Versatility The toymaker who comes up with something totally new may find himself with a real “bonan za” at Christmas time. He may also hit the holiday jackpot with some unique improvement in a long-time standard. The doll is a classical example. You don’t have to have the prettiest doll, nor the largest — just have one that can “do more” than any other on the market. For example, a doll just isn’t in the popularity race unless it can walk, cry, laugh, sing, drink, and talk, preferably in more lan guages than one. Smaller dolls must be the best-dressed, with countless ensembles for every thing from beach wear to formal attire, with an appropriate wig for every occasion. Mechanical ability is important. Some dolls do the twist. One speaks more than tw r o hundred words in seven different lan guages, by virtue of small phono graph discs inside Another has hair that can be washed, set, and combed in suitable style. A con trol mechanism permits hair length to be changed from short to medium to long. Three Kings Day Families living in New York’s Puerto Rican commun ities place the Christmas ob servance second to the observ ance of Three Kings Day, Jan uary 6. The all-day observance begins when children parade throughsJJifc streets, following the “kings**; each wearing gold- painted crowns. A parish-wide church service follows and at night the entire neighborhood gathers for a festival dinner, featuring a huge roast pig. Families arrive bearing pots of rice, beans, spaghetti and typical Puerto Rican dishes as their contribution to the fes tival. i 4 Louis Prang, of Boston, pub lished the first American Christ mas cards and is recognized as “the father of the American Christmas card.” Prang’s first cards sold for only a penny and were small by modern standards. Prang was a German refugee who had established a successful busi ness selling visiting cards, busi ness advertisements and an nouncements, both in Boston and in England. Prang commissioned work from American artists Elihu Vedder, Douglas Volk and J. Alden Weir. All have been for gotten, but each was a fine art ist. MERRY MUSIC .... Music is an important part of the Yuletide scene and the fun-filled player piano is playing a role in the increas ing popularity of live music in the home. Music roll manufacturers offer traditional songs, including “Silent Night”, “The First Noel”, and “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” C/P CORPORATION gj