The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-20
Ships Have
Big Task at
Christmas
Holiday at Sea Means That
Preparations Must Be
on HUGE Scale.

VII IIuYc OCdI6s
NEW YORK, Dec. 2O.-The ships
purser, victim Of the Christmas
season. is brushing up his Santa
Claus manners and mending his red
coat, with the holidays less than
week away. Cruise ships leaving
New YORK during the last few days
scheduled to be at sea on Christmas
DAY, brought to the pursers the
realization that their annual test
was about to recur, as hundreds of
visitors poured gifts into their
hands with strict orders that they
we're to be left at certain tables and
stateroom doors next Sunday morn
ing.
The big liners. which will arrive
overseas prior to the holiday, are
carrying thousands of sacks of all
kinds of mail, including Christmas
cards and packages addressed to
practically all of the countries of
Europe.
Garry YuIe Sweets
These ships probably will be at
their piers at Cherbourg, Havre,
Southampton, or some other port on
the holiday, thus relieving the pur-
ser Of one Of his most difficult tasks
playing the part of Santa.
Even these ships, however, are
carrying extra stores Of candies and
cakes suitable to the season, so that
their passengers, away from the rest
of the world for awhile, will realize
that the world ashore is about to
have its holiday.
With the cruise ships, carrying
thousands Of persons in the holiday
spirit, the problem is most severe,
for there the staff must cater to
merrymakers who desire an eX-
tended Christmas celebration.
Most travellers time their trips on
the Atlantic to be at home on
Christmas, but some will fail, and
on ships of all sizes and types the
holiday will be observed, Santa
Claus will appear from somewhere
to keep his tryst with wondering
youth and there will be presents for
all.
Person Plays Santa
The fact that Santa Claus. some
how, bears a marked resemblance
TO the purser will be brushed away
when the youngsters find that he
has actually brought something in
teresting.
The Roosevelt International Mer-
camille Marine Company, which rep
resentS as owners or agents the
largest passenger fleet in the world,
will have fourteen ships at sea on
Christmas day and has issued orders
that the day shall be properly OBJ
served.
An official of the company COM
pared its Christmas problems with
those of the ubiquitous Mrs Jones, |
who will be 80 glad" when her
shopping is finished.
What would Mrs. Jones say" he |
said, IF her family was suddenly |
increased to 1000 and she had to
provide Christmas fare a week in
advance without the convenience of
being able to send out to the deli |
catessen around the corner if she
forgets anything?
Huge Food Supply Needed
This is the position in which
chief stewards of liners find them
selves if their ships are to be at !
sea on Christmas day.
Mrs. Jones, if she were to start |
stocking the Majestic, the worlds
largest ship, for her sailing from
Southampton and Cherbourg next
Wednesday, would find that one of
the problems is a whole baron of
beef, weighing about $50 pounds.
and also few pounds of other
fresh meats-a mere $4,000.
Actually there is very lIDUlo
change in the amount of variety of
comestibles ordered for a Christmas
voyage, but additional supplies Of
such special holiday items as dried
fruits for buildings and pies, crys-
talized fruits, assorted nuts, and so
forth are placed on board.
Great Stock of Puoltry
"OJner lUeulS WHICH muSC De SUOreQ
in the liners refrigeratorS are 10000
pounds of chicken, duckling and tur-
key; 10000 oysters and $4,000 new
laid eggs, a weeks work for any
1000 hard working chicken.
Mrs. Jones also would have to
give some thought to the erection
and trimming of the Christmas
trees in various parts of the ship
and the decoration of the public
rooms with a huge supply of holly
wreaths. mistletoe and cut flowers.
The distribution of gifts from the
Christmas trees is undertaken, of
course, by Santa Claus himself, who
seems, miraculously, to have time
to visit every ship on every sea, via
her smokestack,
He generally is fine Santa, in
deed, with flowing beard and be-
spelled with snow suSpiciously like
that already present on the Christ
mas trees
"All this causes tremendous ex-
EmnuwuusnuHzzE.z.1..
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