Anna Neagle s Old-Fashioned Christmas

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 303, 23 December 1939, Page 4 (Supplement)

Anna Neagle s Old-Fashioned Christmas

By —

T SPENT last Christmas Eve with 1 3000 happy school children—-it was one of the most remarkable days of my life, and one which, to me, typifies the spirit of Christmas. It all happened at the Palladium Theatre, where I was playing "Peter Pan." As in previous years, these school children, drawn ~ from all over London and mapy of them in the poorest circumstances, came along as guests of the Lord Mayor of London. How they cheered him when he arrived in hi* magnificent robes of office! To them he must have seemed Dick Whittington come to life again. As for myself, I had an indescribable feeling which carried me back to my own childhood, when I saw those eager faces beyond the footlights. I have never had such an experience with an audience—an audience breathlessly silent during the moments of suspense, full of amazement and laughter when we began flying. And jumping up and down excitedly during the fight with the pirates. But the most thrilling moment when 3000 boys and girls shrieked out Yee! when I, as Peter, appealed to them to save poor Tinkerbell's life by saying they believed in fairies. During the quieter moments of the play there was the rustling of sweet-bags anil smell of oranges wafted over to the stage, to complete a perfect picture of children enjoying themselves. I con Id not help thinking of the time when I had been taken, as a small girl, to see "Peter Pan" for the first time. Mv father was the captain of a ship, just ns the pirate chief was, and I recalled the feeling of terror I experienced at seeing tlie unfortunate Captain Hook pursued to his doom by the crocodile.

That afternoon last year persuaded we nil over again that Christmas is essentially a time for children, and that the business of the grown-ups is to help create for them the fairy-tale illusion which they alone can really live intensely. Apart from the feeling that grown-ups should enjoy the spirit of Christmas, through the eyes of children, there is that graiid friendly atmosphere about Christmastide which is expressed in the sending of good wishes and gifts to old friends whom one probably has not seen for years, but who come to mind at this time when there is an opportunity of showing them they are not forgotten. This view was brought home to me more clearly while working on my two films about Queen Victoria, "Victoria the Great" and "Sixty Glorious Years." I discovered, to my delight, that our present way of 'celebrating Christmas largely dates from the time the young Victoria married Prince Albert, for it was Prince Albert who brought over the idea ofthe Christmas tree from Germany. The lovely family tradition of Victoria and Albert gradually established popularity of the Christmas £ree throughout the country, until it was a feature in everr home, rich or poor. " It was the genuine spirit of Christmas In Windsor Castle or Buckingham Palace, as it is now in the humblest homes. Some people may call this view of Christmas old-fashioned, but I cannot believe, personally, that these customs will ev»r date so long as we are able to renew our youth, through the happiness of children, and play our p*rt in the friendliness which, to me, is the essence of the spirit of Christmas.