Evening star., 1954-12-19
Christmas Festivities
Nearly 100 Organizations Are Providing Holiday Cheer
For Patients in Three C. Health Department HOSPITALS

S - - S~
Patients of the three hospitals
operated by the District Health
Department viii be instilled with
the Christmas spirit throughout
the week with parties, gift dis
tributions and entertainment
provided by nearly 100 organi-
cations.
District General, biggest Of the
city-run hospitals, will have the
most extensive program. Yule
parties at Glenn Dale Hospital
actually began several days ago.
The celebration at Upshur Street
Hospital will be smallest of the
three institutions. since most Of
its patients are able to go home
for the holidays.
With 70 Christmas trees dec
Grated in the wards, halls and
auditorium, the seasonal stage
Is already set at District General.
Mrs. Daniel Williams Is direct
ing the program arranged by
the Volunteer Welfare Services
Of the hospital.
Carols Every Day.
At different hours each day,
choral groups will sing carols
over the public address system.
Parties for child patients are
scheduled for mornings and ear
ly evenings. Adult parties are
slated for later in the day.
Local stores, civic groups.
churches, clubs, Boy and Girl
Scouts as we'll as individuals
have donated gifts Of toys, cloth
ing, candy, fruits and cash to
the celebration cause.
In addition. the Variety Club
donated 500 toward renting
movie films. The Lutheran Inner
Mission and the Chevy Chase
Presbyterian Church have pro-
vided television sets.
Dances and entertainment
have been planned for the med
1cal staff, too, and a staff Christ
mas dinner has been arranged
for Tuesday.
Religious services will be con-
Quoted on Christmas Day by
Protestant and Catholic clergy
men. The Catholic chaplain of
the hospital will conduct mid
night Christmas mass.
At Glenn Dale. the Franciscan
Brothers from Catholic Univer-
sity will sing carols today and
give a party for the children
Thursday.
Christmas Play Listed.
The child patients will put on
their own Christmas play tomor-
row, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Calvary Baptist Church will send
out an emissary to provide en-
tertainment. including movies,
and the Laurel Baptist Church
will distribute fruit baskets
Thursday and Friday.
Children able to travel will be
given Christmas Day off to visit
their homes in special buses from
Glenn Dale.
Some of the gifts and trees
received at District General are
to be distributed at the Upshur
Street Hospital.
Santa Claus parties for small
children have been arranged by
the District Recreation Depart
ment for its playground system
throughout the city.
Christmas songfests and tree
decorating activities, in addition,
will be features of the program
for older children, and dances
set up for teenagers during the
holidays.
During the week following
Christmas Day holiday sports
and crafts will be emphasized.
Biggest event of that week will
be the annual Junior Cagers
Basketball Tournament for boys
and girls in various sections Of
the city.
Complete details on all the
departmental activities for the
holidays may be obtained from
recreation headquarters.
4 X X X
The District chapter of the
American Red Cross plans
Christmas celebrations for thou
sands of military personnel in
area military camps and hos
pitfalls as well as patients in
local civilian hospitals and in
stitutions during the holidays.
About $4,000 gifts--including
. piano-are earmarked for dis
tribution among the 18 mill
tary hospitals in the Washing
ton area. Among the gifts are
1000 Christmas stockings filled
BY Junior Red Cross members
IN area schools.
Christmas parties have been
arranged for service personnel
at hospitalS. and New Years