Yesterday may have been just an-Auer day in the office for most of Shanghai, but for the Russian comtunity in both the Settlement and he French Concession it was a day of rejoicing and feasting, for according to the Russian calendar it was Christmas Day. Parties, church services, Christmas trees and all the usual decorations constituted the festivities connected with the day, even though, from the religious point of view, Christmas takes a second place to Easter in the Russian church. E Al Russian schools were, of course, closed for the holiday, while pupils attending other foreign schools were given special leave of absence so that they, too, could enjoy the celebrations, ist mas trees represented the climax of the decorations at all Russian schools and in many of the homes of Russian residents.
Special church services were held in most of the Russian churches yesterday evening, including mass and the traditional Christmas music.
To-day, a spe children's party will be given by the Russian Ex-Officers! Club, while to-morrow more parties will be given by the Russian schools for their pupils and friends,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.