The Wilmington morning star., 1945-12-20

G ala Holiday
Events Set In
Nation 'sCapital
By Julia McNinch Slear

For that season to be merry II
is here again. And this Christ
= mas, after a lapse of several som
S Der years has sewed glittering Sc
gums, golden bells, tinsel anc
ermine snow on our lives for the
last few days. Small doorway
trees, like sparkling gems, add
festive glow to the inviting holly
wreathed, candle-lighted windows
that spread their CHEEKY friendly
glow all over town. Gay voices
mingle with familiar Christmas
music and the seasons joybells II
happy medley through the crisp
frosty air, as the Christmas Jol'
LITIGATION wakes. Something the
special magic of the Yuletide cheer
with it's impending promises no
doubt, has made usually restrained
Washington get down off its social
ladder climbing a degree or two
and do metaphorically, just what
the jolly little old elf (and mil
lion or more human hearts, did
this year, cast everything to the
wind, to get down to the business
and fun Of creating Christmas for
others-for the service men and
women, in particular, who will be
unable to experience real home
Christmas.
When you think Of hospitalized
Veterans, your thoughts automa-
tically turn to the Legion Auxiliary,
If you have ever been member
and know something of the ex-
cellent service they render. And
it was this group OF energetic wom-
en- in the Capital who made it
possible for the servicemen and
women of World War I and World
War II to join in the merry Yule-
tide pastime of selecting, wrap
ping and mailing gifts to relatives.
The festive gift shop held the
most tempting array of gifts, all
assembled and contributed by the
District of Columbia units. Some
of the gifts were uniquely individ-
ual and many were handmade,
giving that highly personalized
touch 10 necessary in "a Christmas
gift for a loved one. There were
gay wrappjngs of all kinds, bright
colored ribbons, seals and gift
cards, with each veteran encour.
aged to use his or her own partic-
ular taste in the color and type
Of wrapping. Nor were those not
well enough to shop at the gift
shop forgotten. Gifts were taken
to them after they had given
orders for just the right gift
for the dear ones. The strangest
thing about the "shop' was the abb
sence of jingling money. For the
gifts selected by the service peo-
pie, were in turn gifts to them
from Auxiliary members. Need
less to say number Of North
Carolina women are substantially
behind the activity and were on
hand. When we stopped in at dusk,
charming and kindly Mrs. Hazel
B. Morrison was moving about
greeting the veterans and helping
them with gift suggestions with
such happy smile on her face!
Also dispatching her duties with
efficiency and smiling good nature
was Miss Helen Grantham Miller,
who was off later to have dinner
with Mr.. and Mrs. John H. Will
liams who were entertaining in
honor of their guests, the Misses
Resale and Dot Williams, up for
a furry of Christmas shopping.
Memories of servicemen and
women will bark back to childhood
days as they investigate the sur
prises tucked away so neatly in
their stockings Christmas morning.
Saturday night, before a leaping
fire on the very hospitable hearth
of the Gary Goodman's the Read
ers' club composed of N. c. wom-
en-, laid aside their books and
packed with real discriminating
skill hundred or more socks"
cram-full of the loveliest gifts,
nuts, candies and fruits. Also, busy
as bees were the "Joycrafters," a
small group of younger set Tar
Heels, who met with LISA Hunter
to complete terrariums and cactus
dish gardens for the bedside Ia
bles of non-ambulatory service
men. In the group were the Misses
Mary Agnes Willis, Joan Hart,
Dee" Andrews, Selma Cox. Mary
MacNeill, Sudie Hoffman and Har-
riet Gore Fenton.
Sequins glittered on the smart
frocks of the guests gathered for
luncheon in the large apartment
of Mrs. Mary Colvin Murphy in
Skyline Towers-a delightful place
with its exquisite old furniture and
magnificent vlstas-and silver
bells hung with crimson ribbons,
holly and mistletoe accented the
Christmas decorations that, framed
the party-setting. An imported
embroidery and lace cloth spread
the table which was decorated with
poinsettas in white vases and white
candlesticks and about which place
cards marked places for Mrs. F.
r. Keefer, wife of General Keefer;
Mrs. Augustine w. Kelley, wife of
Representative Kelley; Mrs. Frank
Hassel, Mrs. Gary Hughes, Mrs.
May Thompson Evans, Mrs. Selma
Carson Moore, Mrs. John K. Slear,
Miss Margaret Wilmington and
the beautiful well-known concert
and National Broadcasting, artist,
Estelle Lorenne, who will give
her annual concert in Town Hall,
New York, in January. Highlight-
ing the luncheon were the Christ