New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-25
FRENCH LAVISH in
GIFTS TO SOLDIERS
Greatest Self-Denial Prac-
tised to Cheer Men in
the Trenches.
TOYS FOR CHILDREN
OF ALSACELORRAlNE
Rack Of Infantry Fire viii BE
Chicken Dinner and CHAM
payne to Go with 1t.

nj, Dee. Christmas at the
-. viii be as cheerful and comioTt-
w, the love and self-denlal OF well
az ~ every family IN France can make
The spirit Of those at home rs nov
u - ,resents 10 one another, but TO
g and give all 20 the son, father or
tsL...tcr serving with the flag.
u. family in France probably
y. M' H. meagrely tonight and to-
WI because of the packages o.
MOI no. 0,roolien things and boxes OF deli
so.; - which have gone 70 the kinsmeen
.L. front. Then there are neld
B, wrist watches, sleeping bags
an amazing variety Of campal gH
anu ou..or;orces. The military admins
Con-, bas been most cOnsiderate IN
ua.'ts5;c, +ransport, so that all thls
YiV..b numerous vans loaded with holl-
I l.O'..'s.cteces we're among the long sup
oG. trains back of the army. -,
MANY a lone soldier without I .s!I,.s
t.s received various packages OF thihgS
oot wear. smoke or drink from So SO
..o.ies and from the government; ne
Si;,;strv Of War, among other thlhgs'
- serdinc q bottle Of champagne l0 3I
-, forr soldiers at the front. All
.so Mum uuddngs i'm the shops o.
M. have been taken by the French
.;i;,srv 20 send 10 the British soldiers
Belgian Children Overfed.
n. Ps'r;an refugees. especially the
.Aid-en. are being so overied thar 'ne
.ormit,ees in charge OF them nave
,o..noned by agreement various am
- and entertainments, so as 10 eA-
- +ber, over the next ten days.
King Albert of Belgium has sent n
b,T of twenty-five cigars 10 each or the
p.ig;on soldiers. All the hospitals
- arranged concerts. recltatlons and
....reonticon shows for convalesclng
s.il;ers The American Ambulance Is
.i~;-b+ with holly and mistletoe. Nine:
po;,cere wife Of the President OF
rra,ce. has sent 5000 packages OF toys
I'D and clothing TO 5000 Alsace-Lorr-
80 children who live in the terri
,@riss reconouered by France.
Tba French government is delivering
.,sst Quantities of packages from Ger
- to prisoners Of war. For the
-. ,c.. mart they are useful things Ike
Markets. underwear and woollen SOCKS
similar deliveries. IL Is understooH'
,riil he made by the German authorl-
ties 10 French prisoners.
While the men ctually i'm the
,rencbes will have TO MAINTAIN the
ssme strained alertuess that they op-
seTve every dav. and while there doubt
less will be fierce fighting at certain
noin-s on the front, yet from l,oOO 10
5O00 wards back Of the infantry nrlng
line arrangements have been made Tor
plentv OF iollity, which viii lnclude q
tbieken dinner and champagne TO drink
with IT, I
New Years Day is a greater holiday
in France than is Christmas, ana u
the military situation permits IT. Ten
eral JoFrc. the French commander IN
chief will give orders that the soldiers
serving In the trenches tomorrow WI!
not have 10 be there on the first day OF
The new year.
Where the French and German
trenches are close together there may
be brief unofficial truces by common
agreement for short periods OF time.
These understandings have not been
unknown ON other days, and they may
be more FREQUENT on Christmas Day.
d is likely that a. midnight open ar
masses win be celebrated at many
places bac, Of the lines upon rough
sltars.
In Paris the gay midnight supper
PARTY will not be seen: instead, the
reople will be in church at midnight
mass The churches never before have
been so fun within the memory OF the
80 .f.f 700