"Only XX more shopping days until Christmas" (Gordon Selfridge? 1899?)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

H. Gordon Selfridge coined the "shopping days until Christmas" while  working
for Marhsqall Field & Co. in Chicago. Robert Hendrickson says  so.
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Why doesn't the Chicago Tribune back this up?
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What does Fred Shapiro have?
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(GOOGLE NEWS)
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_Clerk's advice for Black Friday: Keep smiling_
(http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051126/NEWS/511260317/1070/NEWS02)
Asbury Park Press, NJ -  <NOBR>Nov  2
... season.". Which brings us to  the other famous phrase coined by the
erstwhile H. Gordon  Selfridge: Just 29 shopping days until Christmas.
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_http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/17/messages/428.html_
(http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/17/messages/428.html)
SHOPPING DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS - American retailer H. Gordon Selfridge
(1856-1947) coined this expression - " __ shopping days until Christmas" while
working for Marshall Field & Co. in Chicago. Later he coined the slogan "the
customer is always right" when he opened Selfridge's in London. From the
"Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File,  New
York, 1997).
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_Display  Ad 70 -- No Title_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=347155652&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1134707
889&clientId=65882)
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current  File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Dec 19, 1900. p.
II5 (1 page) :
There are only, counting today, five more shopping days till  Christmas.
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_Display  Ad 34 -- No Title_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=258940032&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1134707
792&clientId=65882)
The Washington Post  (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Dec 23, 1900. p. 18 (1
page) :
Only one more shopping day until Christmas.
(...)
GALT & BRO.
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     _The Daily Northwestern_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=Pf2/SIh9fJOKID/6NLMW2lD+3LL8CMn6EZQyFZQCOyaWbz3Q9XqUKA==)  _Monday, December
11,  1899_ (http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=)  _Oshkosh,_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search="shopping+days+till+Christm
as"+AND+cityid:21696+AND+stateid:103+AND+range:1753-1901)   _Wisconsin_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search="shopping+days+till+Christmas"+A
ND+stateid:103+AND+range:1753-1901)   ...and satin all  75c But a Dozen
SHOPPING DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS  the greatest holiday..
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     _The Mansfield News_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=WSgtrs8BeYeKID/6NLMW2s/8XkPSWjse6f1zh2a/+7LKP8ZE3bvS0UIF+CsZYmrz)  _Tuesday,
December 12,  1899_ (http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=)
_Mansfield,_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search="shopping+days+till+Christmas"+AND+cityid:17490+AND+stateid:73+AND+range:1753-1901)   _Ohio_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search="shopping+days+till+Christmas"+
AND+stateid:73+AND+range:1753-1901)   ...HOLIDAY  SUGGESTIONS. Only 12
SHOPPING DAYS TILL  CHRISTMAS. Everything..