enjoyed, although many people believe Christmas can be celebrated only in conditions sug-festive of the Arctic which forces humanity to seek the comfort of roaring fireplaces. War-ime conditions cast their shadow over local celebrations and the festival of the birth of the Prince of Peace was observed with much less ostentation and needless lavishness than before, although there was no surrender of the essei tial personal details and characteristics traditionally associated with Christmas. There was a restrained sense of entertainment revealed at most functions whether private or public, and an appreciation that excessive expenditure is almost criminal in these times. The reduction in the number of Christmas cards despatched must have been great and the funds of many charitable associations benefitted accordingly. The Christmas card habit is a pleasant habit, for it reveals the intimacy and friendliness of human relations at a period of the year when cordiality is inspired by the historic nature of the festival, but it is only right that it should be restricted, considering the money involved can be put to better uses. As far as England is concerned, no such motives inspired the absence of cards. The censors simply stopped chem all on grounds of public: safety.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.