When you’re hot, you’re hot. And when you’re not, you’re not. That’s what the song says. The word is that many people are trying to stay hot.

So many orders have come in for supplementary space heaters burning wood or coal that Montgomery Ward order office in New Ulm has been told not to take anymore requests.

Sears is in a little better shape.

“I got two Franklin stoves last time I ordered,” said a spokesman. “But I don’t know if I’ll get any next time. Some space stoves are unavailable.”

Other merchants report that the energy crisis has influenced buying this holiday season.

“We have had calls for women’s long Johns,” said a spokesman at Herberger’s. “We put in an order but can’t get any because of the cotton shortage. Some other kinds of underwear made of cotton take a long time to get.”

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WATCHING the tube in a house with the thermostat on 68 sometimes is a little chilling. That’s without watching a Dracula movie, either. So people are going for sweaters.

“We’ve had the best run on sweaters in my 19 years in business here,” said Carl Wyczawski of Green Clothiers. “I talked to a salesman from the factory making sweaters in Neenah, Wis., and he said they had doubled their production this fall.

“Pendleton canceled two-thirds of our order for wool jackets. We had a customer who wanted 25 of those wool Viking blankets.”

All this, said Wyczawski, when the word at the buying shows was that this could be a down year for sweaters.

Jim Jensen at Leuthold-Jensen said they had a heavy run on “longies.”

“Sweaters are good, too,” he said. “Wool, knit shirts are good; in fact anything warm.”

Jensen threw in a little humor.

“Part of the reason for the run on warm clothing,” he said he heard on the radio “was because people are confused by the fuel shortages. They are turning the thermostats down to 50 and going 68 miles an hour.”

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ROD DITTRICH of Pink’s said they are selling more warm sleepwear for ladies, especially items with feet sewed in.

“Children’s cardigans are going good because of the lower temperatures in schools,” he added.

With helps like warmer clothing and some space heating ala the Good Old Days (cartoon above) people are meeting the fuel crisis with good spirit, and great restraint in their complaints.

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LUKE’s story of the birth of Jesus got a modern twist Sunday last at the United Church of Christ. Charlotte Anderson had the pre-school group up front reciting the Christmas story.

She was trying to draw out some discussion and asked why Mary and Joseph went to the stable.

Five-year-old Melanie Hildebrandt had the answer:

“Because,” she said,”there wasn’t any room in the motel.”

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JOEL ALBRECHT has canceled his letter to Santa asking for a new derby hat for Christmas. He couldn’t wait. He bought one.

A bowler hat is Joel’s trademark. Pretty thin on the roof, he wears a bowler year around. This is his fourth one.

“It started about 7 or 8 years ago,” he said. “I was in Spelbrink’s to buy a hat and they had a large display of derby hats. Ron said it was going to be the new thing for toppers, so I bought one.

“Few others bought and I didn’t see any around, so I put mine away for a year, until my felt wore out. Then I put on the bowler. I got so much comment, I kept wearing it.”

First three bowlers were stolen; the last one when Joel was on a bowling trip to Mankato. For several weeks he went without. Then Tuesday he showed up in a bowler, cost $24.

“They know when I’m coming he said, even a long way away.”

New Ulm Daily Journal, Dec. 9, 1973