Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-12-23

CHRISTMAS WITH KING ANO QUEEN
 OF G1'. BRITAIN

London, Dec 22--To all appear ances Londoners have permitted neither the war nor the rumors of peace to interfere with the customary elaborate preparations for the three l day Christmas holiday dalebration. 1 All the banks and large establish ments in the city will close their doors from Saturday night until l Wednesday. Only the smallest of the retail establishments will be open for | business Tuesday, which will be Boxing Day, second onir to Christmas itself as a day for popular. festivities. i Christmas shopping mas shown lit tie decrease from former years. All /, week the streets of the West End anl tfe East End alike have been crowded with holiday buyers. The only diff
 ference noted by the business firms is that the shoppers are more in clined to buy useful presents than the ordinary run of Christmas gifts Eng fish made goods have a virtual mo- ropoly of the dounters, although here and there are to be found some new lines imported from the United States and from Japan. The only SCdIGlCN IS 70 pc lOuEu III AHIlStllt3 trees. wEich usually are imported
 from Germany and Scandinavia.
 Owing to the press ot official busi- ness the new cabinet ministers and
 other heads of the government are likely to spend their holidays in town, or if they do go to the country it will : be for only the briefest period. The
 lae[1 of the usual excursion facilities
 is also expected to keen the masses at home over the holidays.
 The royal family which has been
 ip almost constant residence at Buck ingham palace since the beginning cf
 the war. will go to Sandringham to escape the worries of the conflict
 during the Yuletide Christmas is the
 one day Of the year on which his majesty can escape from the cere monial and cares of his high position
 and lapse into the role of Enelish
 gentleman, entertaining his guests in his own home. without the formality
 of court life and the Gaily round of his kingly duties.
 The days that herald Christmas
 morning have been crowded. The harassing delights of choosing hun :. dreds of presents. all specially select GU lO give plGdSuI6 lI 'HSI lGCtplcH'S S d ranging from royal relatives 0
 grooms and cottagers: the distribut- :, ing of hundreds of gifcs from joints
 of beef and coal, to toys and comforts, to the tenants on his various estates
 are over, and he is at last free for .- one day to rest and enjoy himself as
 he pleases in the privacy of his family i. circle and the company of few ln- innate friends.
 I The Queen herself superintends the
 decorations with holly and mistletoe malmaisons and chrySanthemums, ot
 the churdh and hall of Sandrinsham 7 and everywhere there is tx atmos~
 phere of Cristmas rejoicing.
 On Cristmas morning the first
 event of the day in the royal house
 hold is, of course. the examination O r. the presents-handsom somely bound vo!
 umes, jewelry art pottery, art needle
 work. woodcarving, silk dresses, ant so on through the seductive array } spread out on tables for inspection. 0| Breakfast is followed by church c the king and his gentlemen visitor: q |Iwalking. the queen and princesse! q and ladies either accompanying then X on foot or, if the weather is unsuit ] XIHere their majesties join reverentl! X in the simple service with their fam; X lv. their guests and household fey \ villagers and some of the childre, Y from the neighboring schools. Tn Y only formality observed is that tn Yl dongregation arises on the entranc . and departure of the royal party. 0 Midday is usually passed by tn c king and his guests in a ramble o q motor ride a visit to the kennels an \ stables, or a game n the bowlin X alley or on the tennis court.
 X After tea comes the crown of tn day for the young people-the diS
 play of the great Christmas tree j . the ballroom. At quarter to min ,,, their maiesties and guests file in orc 0 cession into the magnificent dinina \ saloon and take their seats at a mum N Der of small oval tables for th E crowning feast Of the day, served b footmen in all the glory of scarle
 and gold and white satin brooches.
 The dinner. with its flow of wi
 it's merrv conversation and 1auohte' u ended the feasters adjourn to spen the evening in a round of pleasure This may include, a dance. theatr
 cal entertainment, or a concert, an it never ends without few old fashioned games--a same Of blin
 mans buff is hv no me(,s unknow \ in which their majesties forget fC
 a while the splendors and burden (
 their crowns, and for a few deligh'
 ful hours are dNildren again, with a
 a child's zest for frolic.