Evening star., 1936-12-20
''COod WiU'' to Characterize
Yule Celebration of Capital
Special Euents Planned by Religious,
Civic and Welfare Groups-President
and Mrs. Roosevelt to Participate.

Will TO Men" will characterize the
National Capital observance Of Christ
mas this year, with thousands joining
In special public events planned by
religious, civic and welfare groups.
Plans announced by many Of these
organizations call for services rich in
sacred music and many sections of
the District will be frightened by
Christmas tree events and visited by
groups singing carols.
President Roosevelt, Just returned
from peace mission to South Amer
lea. will celebrate the day at the White
House with his family, but both he
and Mrs. Roosevelt will participate in
public events.
The President and members Of his
family will attend services of an in
terdenominational character Christ
mas morning at the Church OF the
Covenant, In which 20 denominations
will Join. representing 14o Protestant
churches. The religious observance OF
Yuletide will be marked by special
carol services in practically every
Protestant and Catholic church in the
city. with midnight masses on Christ
mas eve at the latter.
With large family party on her
hands. Mrs. Roosevelt will take time
out, however, to visit Christmas OBJ
seryances held In the city for the
benefit Of thousands of underpriv-
ileged children.
To Attend Children's Party.
At 9 am. Christmas eve she will at
tend q children's party OF the Central
Union Mission in the Capitol Theater,
assisting Mrs John 8. Bennett in dis
tributing the first of 1,700 party
Christmas bags to needy children of
the city. At pm. the same day she
will take part in the Salvation Army
Christmas party to be held at the
temple, sos Z street. at which $50
Christmas baskets will be given away.
Aside from the community celebra-
ton in Lafayette Park on Christmas
eve. there will be observances In q
number Of the smaller parks and play
ground areas for the enjoyment of
thousands.
The Michigan Park Citizens Asso-
ciation will light its tree at the same
hour at Michigan avenue, Twelfth and
Shepherd streets northeast Some Of
the smaller celebrations will start dur
ing the early part Of the week. Tues
day at Z pm. the Conduit Road Cit
izens' Association will light its tree at
the Palisades Playground, Sherrier and
Edmunds places. Wednesday at 7:30
pm. the Pleasant Plains Citizens As
sociation and the Monroe School Par
ent-Teacher Association will light q
tree at the Banneker Recreation Gen.
ter, Ninth and Euclid streets.
With all Government departments
and agencies closing down Thursday
until the Monday after Christmas,
there will be a general exodus from
Washington by auto, train and plane
over the week end. Yet that exodus
will hardly make q dent in plans for
the annual observance in the National
Capital Hotels, night clubs and res
taurants are reporting that reserva-
tions for Christmas Eve are breaking
all records, but they will be negligible
in number compared with the rush for
New Year eve tables.
To Sing for President.
Christmas will be heralded Wednes-
day at the White House when so
Washington Girl Scout carolers sing
for the President and Mrs. Roosevelt
and guests ut 7:30 pm. The singers
will be dressed in old English min
strel capes and hoods and will carry
lanterns.
The Christmas tree in the National
Girl Scouts Little House on New York
avenue has<been trimmed by the girls
from Mrs Carson M. Borror,s troop
and Is now ready to extend cheer to
many visitors during the holiday sea
son. Various troops have been en-
gagged In Christmas activities and toy
making. Many have already held
their little parties and others are
planning participation in carol festi-
vals during the week.
The Washington Federation Of
Churches viii hold candlelight
service as usual. at which stockings
viii be given to needy children at
$50 O'Clock Christmas morning at
the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church. The stockings are to be filled
tomorrow from s O'Clock on at the
church and will total 5000. A thousand
stockings will be distributed at
O'Clock Christmas morning to patients
at Gallinger Hospital by group of
100 federation workers. These little
patients will be unable to take part
In the candlelight service at the
church. Immediately following the
service stockings win be distributed
- 20 other hospitals and institutions. |
Christmas eve carol singing by the
National Capitol Choir, under the di-