Every Retoil Yord Con Be Holidoy Heqdquorters With These Best-Selling, Build-lt-Yourself ldeos

Christmos Pqste-on Potferns Help Offser Sales Slump Over Holidoys

Two six-foot "Christmas Cards" for the front lawn which bring personalized. Christmas greetings to the whole neighborhood are the newest Christmas patterns being offered to lumber dealers this year by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. The cards, like other DFPA paste-on patterns, are designed to help the dealer get his share of the Christmas trade.

DFPA has filled dealer orders for a half million paste-on holiday patterns over the past three years. Besides the new Christmas Cards, the familiar Santa Claus, Sleigh-Reindeer, and Nativity Scene patterns will also be offered again this year. All patterns are printed in four sunfast colors on sturdy paper and are ready to be glued to panels ol %" exterior fir plywood.

Unlike the Santa, Sleigh, Reindeer and Nativity Scene, which require some careful work with the sabre saw to cut out each individual figure, the new Christmas Cards can be displayed with a minimum of cutting. After the pattern is glued to a panel ol 3A' exterior-type fir plywood, the. customer needs only to trim off the excess plywood with a couple of straight cuts and set up the display. The leftover plywood can be used for a stand to support the "card."

To "personalize" the Christmas Cards, DFPA is providing a 104 character alphabet with each pattern so the family can spell out their name on the bottom of the card. Two versions of the Card are available. One. with vertical composition, shows a group of Christmas carolers with the message "Joyous Noel !" The other, which is horizontal, illustrates a series of Christmas tree ornaments and says "Season's Greetings." Both patterns are 48ux70".

Customer research has shown that the main selling point for Christmas patterns is the fact that no painting is required. After the pattern has been glued to the plywood and cut out (if necessary), a coat of plastic varnish can be applied and the figure is ready for display.

The Association is offering a merchandising kit to help dealers sell the patterns. It includes six advertising mats, and 500 each of two envelope stuffers or counter give-aways.

Pattern Drices for dealers are as follows : the Christmas Cards, Sania, Sleigh and Reindeer are 35c for each pattern or $3.00 per dozen; the complete lS-piece Nativity Scene is $1.00 per set, or $10.00 per dozen sets.

Dealers across the country have reported excellent re-