Evening star., 1960-12-25
Holiday Offers
Brief Respite
From Freeze
Temperature Dip
Expected Here
Again Tomorrow

TSSu aVSs'SsSW
Washington area residents
will have to be content with q
'tattle-tale gray Christmas.
The snow flurries that had
been expected to put a fresh
white topping on the dirty snow
left over from last weeks storm
failed to show up.
Instead, Christmas Day here
was expected to be relatively
balmy compared to such days
as Friday, the coldest of the
year in Washington. A high
of near 40 degrees is expected
today and there will be a mix
ture Of cloudineSs and sunshine.
Despite a slight warming |
trend, the Weather Bureau in
dicated that all those new |
coats, sweaters, scarves and |
gloves given as Christmas gifts |
will come in handy this week. |
More cold air from Canada is
heading our way, and tempera-
lures are expected to drop again !
tomorrow.
City Is Calm
A gentle calm settled over
the city last night after a
frantic week of preparation
for the major Christian holi-
day Of the year.
After record days Thursday |
and Friday, Christmas travel
slowed down considerably yes
terday, although major air.
lines, trains and bus lines re-
ported Christmas Eve travel
heavier than usual.
However, shoppers delayed
by the snowStorm last week
were busy right up to the store
closing deadline last night.
, Store owners reported ''un-
usually large crowds for q
Christmas Eve" at both down.
town stores and suburban
shopping centers.
Ludwig Antmann, vice presi-
dent Of Woodward & Lothrop,
said the weather last week was
ideal for u.s." He added that.
when there was a threat Of
more snow on Tuesday.
shoppers thronged to the store.
And he indicated that last
weeks total would more than
make up for business lost to
the snowstorm.
II believe we are going to
have an increase for December
over last year." he said.
Crowds Pick Up
A spokesman for the Hecht |
Co. said the crowds last week |
were much better" than the |
week before.
IT don't feel we will COM
pletely recover from the busi-
ness lost during the snow
storm" he added. ut appears
that we'll be a fraction behind
last year."
Merrill Harrison, superin-
tendent of Kann'S, said his firm |
did very well this week."
1--WE probably will come very
close to last year, despite the
snow storm because we are
getting the benefit Of two
extra shopping days before
Christmas this year."
Among the thousands who
stayed here for the holiday are
President and Mrs. Eisenhower.
The Eisenhowers are SPEND
ing their last Christmas in the
White House today with their
son and daughter-in-law, 1t.
Col. and Mrs. John Eisenhower.
and the four Eisenhower
grandchildren.
The family celebration will
be around a Christmas tree on
the second floor of the White
House. Its bright lights may
be seen through a window.
Before settling down with
his family for the holiday, the
President urged use Of caution
and courtesy on the streets
and highways during the
three-day Christmas week end
to reduce traffic deaths.
"Thoughtfulness, patience
and respect for traffic laws will
60 a long way toward saving
lives and preventing accidents
throughout our land this sea-
son of Christmas rejoicing"
Mr.. Eisenhower said.
Hundreds of Washington
area churches held services
last night and slated special
Christmas services today. And
in Arlington Cemetery there
was to be a quiet ceremony
witnessed by only a handful
of soldiers this morning. A
hand-picked guard unit Of the
Sd Infantry Regiment was to
place a wreath on the Tomb Of
the Unknown Soldier.