The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-10-10
XMAS PACKAGES
FOR SOLDIERS
OVERSEAS
They May Receive but One
Box, Limited to Twenty
Pounds
RED CROSS WILL
PROVIDE BOXES
What to Put i'm the Packages
and How to Pack
! Them

Regulations governing the ship
ment of Christmas parcels to army
men in service overseas by relatives
in this country have just been COM
pleted, following a series of confer
ences between officials of the war de-
partment, the post-office department
and the American Red Cross. Under
the plan worked out every American
soldier in foreign land will be per-
mitted to receive one package con-
tanning Christmas gifts from the
United States.
The navy department has a separ-
ate arrangement to enable men in
that branch Of the service on duty
abroad to obtain holiday boxes from
loved ones at home.
Relatives and friends who are
planning to make Christmas for the
soldiers in the war zones as merry as
conditions will permit, should bear in
mind that each soldier is entitled to
but one of these packages. The war
department will not accept more
expected that approximately 100000
of these packages will be sent abroad
and the amount of shipping space
provided for their transportation will
not permit of any deviation from the
Gone -parcel-a-man rule"
The men themselves will decide
who is to send these parcels. They
are now receiving Christmas parcel
labels, with instructions to mail these
labels to the person in this country
from whom they wish to receive the
holiday box. To avoid any chance of
duplication, each soldier gets but one
of these labels. Packages that do not
bear these labels will not be accepted.
In the event of this label being lost
it cannot be replaced. No Christmas
parcels will be accepted for shipment
after November 20. The cardboard
boxes, OF cartons, to be provided for
these parcels are 34x9 inches in size.
When packed, wrapped, and ready
for mailing these boxes must not
weigh more than three pounds.
The American Red Cross has
agreed to provide these cardboard
boxes and to supervise their distribu-
ton to relatives of the soldiers who
present the proper Christmas parce
label credential The distribution Of
the cartons will be made by Rec
Cross branches throughout the coun-
try 1t will be incumbent upon the
person receiving one, of these boxes
to return it when filled, but unwrap
ped, to the collection point deslg
mated by the Red Cross. Here it vii
be inspected by Red Cross inspector:
authorized to exclude and article
barred by the postal authorities, at
ter which the box will be shipped. Il
short, the Red Cross is responsible
for the distribution, receipt at desig
mated points, the inspection anC
mailing of the boxes.
The following is an outline of tn
procedure to be followed by person
planning to send one of these parcel
abroad.
On receiving one of these Christ
mas parcel labels it should be pre-
sented at the nearest chapter
branch, or auxiliary headquarters o
the Red Cross, where the holder Wi
receive a carton. These labels al
not expected to reach this countr
before November /, but by that tim
each Red Cross branch will have it
allotment of boxes based on tn
number of soldiers in service ovel
seas from that community.
Do not put anything in the pacl
age which will not keep fresh unit
Christmas.
Pack dried fruits and other foo
products in small tin or woode
boxes.
Give preference to hard candy. owe
chocolates, unless the latter are IL
closed in heavy wrappers. Soft CHI
colates are easily crushed and ma
spoil the other contents.
Do not put articles packed in gla
in the package.
Gifts should be wrapped in KHAKI
colored handkerchiefs, 27 inch
square.
When the package has been pack'
it should be taken, unwrapped al
unsealed, together with the label al
sufficient stamps, to the nearest &C
lection center designated by the RI
Cross. After the package has pass'
the inspection of the Red Cross re
resentatives, as to contents al
weight, and been wrapped in sto
paper, the Christmas label bearil
the address of the man for whom
is intended, is placed on it. The pc
son sending the package, in t
presence of the Red Cross workC
is required to affix stamps suficie
to carry it to Hoboken, N. J. T
postal charges are to be at the ia
of fourth-class or parcel post 20
rate. A label certifying that the
spection has been completed by t