Evening star., 1937-12-21
Buying Presents for Strangers Yule Job
Of Those Who Go to Cet-Acquainted Party
problems confronting the
average Christmas shopper are
as naught compared with
thnsa foced hv tnr,nnro ~, rori

those faced by temporary resi-
dents Of Washington who propose to
attend the annual strangers Christ
mas party, now an established feature
of the Yule celebration here. They
must buy 25-cent gifts for people they
never have seen before.
This years party for the strangers
will be combined breakfast and
luncheon, to be held Christmas morn
ing at the Shoreham Hotel. DR..
Grace A. Thompson, sponsor Of the
affair, has announced that the climax
is to be an exchange of gifts not to
exceed rs cents in value
Those planning to attend, there
fore, already are scratching their
heads in an effort to think of some
sufficiently neuter present which will
please a man or woman of any age.
Blanket Invitation Issued.
DR.. Thompson has extended a
blanket invitation to all "who live
alone but don't like it" at Christ
mas. Nearly SO visitors showed up at
similar Thanksgiving Dutch treat
party she arranged at the Shoreham
last month, and she expects an even
larger number Saturday morning.
After ALL" she explained, Christ
mas is even more of a family fete
than Thanksgiving, and it stands to
reason that there will be more lonely
people in Washington craving COM
pany that day"
The gifts are to be distributed after
the breakfast, although DR.. Thomp-
son neglected to mention whether
there will be a lonely Santa Claus
among the guests. Christmas carols
will be sung before the party breaks
up.
Reservations for the party may be
made by calling Robert, the Shore
hams maitre dhotel AS at the
Thanksgiving party. guests will pay
their own way"
DR.. Thompson and her co-sponsor,
Miss Earlene White, president of the
National Federation of Business and
Professional Women's Club, will greet
the stranger guests in the Garbo room
of the hotel at 1890 am Breakfast
will be served in the blue room at
IL o'clock
The White House began to take on
the appearance of Christmas today
when several spruce trees were placed
about the front portico and decorated
with innumerable colored electric
bulbs.
Two of the trees were placed on
either side Of the front doorway. Sew
eral smaller ones were placed to the
sides. Over the doorway, wreath
3 feet in diameter was hung. 1t is
made of mountain laurel and pine
cones and will be Illuminated with
colored electric bulbs.
There will be other Yuletide deco
rations inside the White House and
executive Offices. but this work will
not be started before Thursday.
The Roosevelt family Christmas
tree will be set up in the living room
on the second floor of the White
House. There will be the customary
tree in the East Room to be viewed
during the season by the White House
visitors.
Legion Party Tonight.
The annual Christmas party of the
Department of the District of Co.
lumbia, American Legion, and its
auxiliary will be held at 7:30 o'clock
this evening In the Roosevelt High
School Building. Several hundred
children will be guests of the Legion
and will receive toys and filled stock
ings. while baskets of food will be
distributed among the parents. Ar
rangements for the affair are under
direction of Harry Bell and Mrs. Mil
dred Bell. working through the Office
of department welfare and relief of
the local Legion, of which Miss Anne
Pryde is director
The annual Christmas party of
Sergt. Jasper Post of the Legion and
its auxiliary was held last night at
the Thomson School with 80 chill
dren between the ages of and IL
years and 80 larger children as guests.
The youngsters received toys, fruit,
nuts and candies and the larger chill
rem gift boxes containing scarfs, hand
kerchiefs and hosiery. Thursday eve
ming the parents of these children
will receive Christmas baskets con-
tanning turkeys, canned vegetables,
coffee, flour, sugar, fruits, cranberry
sauce, celery, milk, cereals and but
ter. Douglas Reed will be in charge
of this distribution.
The Christmas program of the
Washington Federation of Churches
will open today, when the young peo-
pies groups will trim Christmas trees
placed in Gallinger Hospital by the
federation. Filling Of Christmas
stockings will begin at S pm. tomor-
row, and the federation is issuing a
call for volunteers to assist in this
work. The federation is seeking to
bring Christmas cheer to sick in the
city's hospitals and other public in
stitutions and expects to distribute
more than 5000 Christmas stockings
alone.
Program at Library.
The annual Christmas carol pro-
gram of the Children's Chorus spon-
sored by the Council Of Social Agen-
cies will be given in the main ex-
hibit hall of the Library of Congress
at AIS pm. tomorrow. The chorus,
under direction of Miss Mary M.
Burnett, will be composed of more
than $50 voices and will be accom-
panied by members of the Marine
Band. The public Is invited, and
the program will be broadcast over
the Columbia network.
Children of diplomats representing
Is foreign countries in the United
States will send Christmas greetings
by radio to the youth Of their native
lands as part of the fifth annual
international children's program to
be broadcast over the blue network
Of the National Broadcasting Co. from
to 4:30 pm. tomorrow.
The program is sponsored by the
Greater National Capital Committee
Of the Washington Board of Trade.
The messages Of the young speakers