The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-12-23
CHRISTMAS DINNER
COSTS LESS THIS
YEAR THAN LAST
Many Food Articles. Are
Cheaper Than a
Year Ago

Good folks. let's all stand and sing
the long metered doxoiogy before
partakinR OF this Christmas feast.
Food has actually come down in
price in Albuqueruue. The Harvard
research statitlcians n de-
cline OF 22 per cent throughout tho
United States in the past year and
the canny housewife consulting her
accounts has detected n local de-
crease that reaches almost that much
in cost OF the Christmas dinner.
1t viii be u cash and carry
Christmas dinner this year. That
helps some in lowering prices and
the habit Is becoming general. Even
the arrogant automobile owner will
burn five cents worth OF gas to pat
ronize a store that sells crackers one
cent less n box. And they will find
the mnSings OF the whole menu from
soup TO nuts g%ratifyinRly cheaper
than at this time last year.
Turkeys Are Cheaper.
Turkeys to begin with are two bits
less u pound. That counts up, es-
peciRlly II all OF tho relatives have
come to pick n zone with the home
folks. The big dinner birds are
priced at % cents n pound, the Same
as they were ut THANKSGIVING time,
but bcforO Christmas last year they
were bringing 40 cents IA pound.
White potatoes are exactly half tho
price of last year. Time was whcna
they cost aroun five dollars a hum
dred pounds. Today they are two and
n quarter. Sweet potatoes have not
changed in price from last year.
Fresh vegetables. however, are scarce
and consequently high. A short crop
over h country d%eprives this dis
trict of the usual Christmas assort-
mont OF green peas and beans. brus-
sells sprouts .artichokes, and even
strawberries which wero not at all
unusual Tor = Christmas delicacy.
~Cranberries Scarce.
or the "%fixings" celery and lettuce.
members OF tho fresh vegetable class.
ure tho same in price. Many "a roast
turkey will have to be served with
out It's familiar accompaniment Of
cranberry sauce. Cranberrics Ere
practically Out Of the market this
They are hard TO get ana double in
price over last year. whereas they
were formerly we quarts for "a quar-
ter the same money buys only one
quart.
Raisins too, are almost prohibltivc,
and for II reason Just then suggested.
The raisiu crop has been all bought
up for homo brew purposes. thereby
raising the price of minremeat, plum
pudding and ,ther desserts made of
the fruit. The price OF raisins has
doubled since last Christmas, now
costing 80 cents for "a 10 cent box.
Nuts have taken "a big drop, how
ever, both walnuts and mixed varie-
ties
Popcorn Is cheaper by three pounds
instead Of W for n quarter. Candy,
the cheaper kind sold In bulk FOR
Christmas, is also lower. Oranges,
the Christmas fruit, are one-half the
price OF last year. Holly and mistlc-
toe for holiday decorations are scarce
this yeaT, as are Christmas trees.
Staples Are Cheaper.
As to the staples. there is also a
noticeable drop in food costs. Bacon
has dropped from so to AS cents n
pound and ham from so to 80 cents.
Butter is 20 cents cheaper a pound.
Egg3 are high, but are lower than
at this time last ear. The cash and
carry price Is now 80 cents a dozen
compared TO a dollar last Christmas.
Lard IL just half the price II was
last year. Flour has not dropped
much locally, chiefly because IL did
not tuke the raise here as in other
localities. Sugar Is back at 10 cents
a pound, two cents lower than last
year.
A steady decline in retail prices to
correspond with the wholesale
quotations is being made by prac-
tically all tho grocers In the city.
They are selling at replacement val
ues although II means u temporary
loss on tho articles purchased by
them when tho prices were high.
Keen rivalry between neighborlng
stores for trade Is also tending to
lower tho prices rapidly.