CHRISTMAS EVE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18265, 26 December 1924, Page 13

CHRISTMAS EVE.

CROWDS OF SHOPPERS. Shopmen, or, rather, the employees in tho various retail establishments throughout the city, must experience a good deal of satisfaction when contemplating tho fact that Christmas comes but onoo a year and with it the attendant Christmas Eve. With them in such contemplation must bo added tho tramway men, Post and Telegraph officers, and a host of others whoso chief object in lifo is service to the general public. On Christmas Eve in Christchureh tho populace were divided into two sec-tions-—those who were not on duty and those who were. The first named section appeared to be easilv in the majority, judging from the groat crowds which thronged tho streets of the city, and their less fortunate confreres • had indeed a busy time of it ministering to the wxmts of their fellow-citizens. Practically* from 5 p.m. onwards the Christmas rush was in full swing, with its attendant noises such as the combustion of Chineso fireworks with appsr-. ently orchestral accompaniment of weird jazz instruments, etc. .Everyone appeared to be shopping, from the head or the family who wished to secure just a few little odds T-nd ends which had been forgotten in the previous Christmas order, to the youngster with his 'halfcrown to spend*on "sweets." Retailers' as a whole seemed of the opinion that the festive season was returning with the vigour of pre-war davs, a.nd everyone appeared "to bo thoroughly happy.

SMALLER CROWDS IN SYDNEY.

(bt cable—rasss association—corTEica'r) (austeauan and n.z. cable association.) (Received December 2-sth, 0.5 p.m.)

SYDNEY, December 20. The crowds wliich visited the city and suburbs on Christmas Evo, showed u marked reduction compared with previous years. This'is'to some extent accounted for by the cold southerly wind.

Enquiries among retailers showed that tho volurno of business in most respects has been up to the average of previous years, but tho Christmas shopping period commenced much earlier than usual owing to the protracted nature of tho cricket Test match.