The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-01-05
ENGLISH CHRISTMAS
IS MOST JOYFUL
FOR five YEARS
BY MARY sHENkE.

This year in England VIC are going to
have five Christmas celebrations
rolled into one. Not since 1914 have
there been such enthusiastic prepare
tons for the holiday season. In spite
of high prices and unemployment peo-
pie are spending lavishly.
The shops have beautiful displays
and they are thronged with buyers.
Everybody is bent on having n good
time this Christmas for it is the first
one since the war started that the
boys and girls, who served in the
forces in Franco, have been able to
spend at home. a.
Since early in December cooks and
housewives have. been busy with
Christmas buildings. No English fam
lily would think of celebrating Christ
mas without the proper pudding. 1t
costs something to mako the Christ
mas pudding too, this year, for 1t de-
mands an assortment Of fruit and nuts.
all Of which cost just about four times
as much rs they did before the war.
But this is ono occasion when ex'
pense is not considered. Tho fam
lily may be severely rationed after the
holidays are over, but it will not stint
itself in the Christmas necessities.
ilCiO az thC oCd oAoAC thO AoeOio
and lodging houses have been booked
up full for the holidays. Many Eng
lish people like to spend Christmas at
the sea side resorts where there is
always promise of crowds and amuse-
ment,
A few years ago these places were
in the path of the German air raiders
and few of them escaped some depre-
dation, but this year the war and it's
attendant terrors will be forgotten, on
Christmas day. at least.
Everybody Will Dance
Dancing is one OF the big features
of the holiday program, everywhere.
There is no abatement in the dancing
craze in England, as the advertise.
ments for Christmas balls show. The
big London hotels are preparing to
cater to the taste OF their patrons in
this respect, and have arranged e.
Elaborate dinner dances. for Christmas
Eve. One famous hotel is charging
$40 plate for that night. .~-'S~.
The English Christmas dinner Is a
test to the most capable. stomach
There is usually some kind of poultry
and n roast joint and a great variety
of vegetables, and of course 1.-The
Christmas pudding and few other
kinds, and then the wonderful assert
ment of tarts and pastry. destined tc
fill any vacancies left otter the ;mea
has been disposed of. - > -
Until this year it was impossible
10 get thefats needed for pastries
and the English family is going to re
vel in all these delicacies it was de
prived of during the war. Except fol
the sugar and butter shortages, there
will be no food shortage and meat es
pecially will be plentiful and cheaper
with the food control removed.
Many dads" are home for Christ
mas for the first time since the wal
started, and they are seeing to it tina
nothing is neglected to make the kids
happy. A family Of youngsters witt
confiding faith in Santa Claus, i:
an expensive luxury, for toys are alb
normally high in price. z.
The doll without remarkable quail
ties costs $25 and mechanical toys ar,
almost beyond reach. Sweets ant
fruits are expensive, too, and so ar
y Christmas trees. But they are bein,
sold in large quantities, just the same
1t is British Christmas, in NOR
than one. All the toys and most of TIN
first time, of British workmanship
Wounded soldiers made many OF them
especially the wooden toys, whicl
were sold at benefit .bazaars. ..> ".
German toys have been excluded
and British toys are even invading
German territory, a condition not pos
sible before the war. The made-ir
England label has been conspicuous Il
ill the shops and English labor ha
been very we'll patronized.
Take A Week OF.
Holiday celebration in England
not limited to one day. 1t starts o.
Monday and lasts all week. Boxin
day, the day which follows Christina:
and on which all the postmen, dus
men and great army Of other worl
men and public employees go about fo
Christmas boxes, is just as importan
Most of the shops and offices are t
close from Thursday until the follow
.ng Monday and the leading Londo
newspapers suspend publication o
Christmas and Boxing day.
Popular sentiment is to make thl
the first real after-war Christmas-a
old-fashioned English Christmas
the kind Dickens loved. 1t is hotel