CHRISTMAS PARTIES

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28754, 27 November 1958, Page 9

CHRISTMAS PARTIES

Busy Time For Businessmen

s Many Christchurch businessmen and members of city organisations [will have to glance at their diaries before accepting any after-oflice-I hours’ engagements in the next few weeks, for the round of Christmas cocktail parties has almost begun. With higher taxation, money may not be so plentiful this year as last, but there appears to be no decline in the popularity of Christmas parties.

The Minister of Customs, through his import restrictions, has ensured that there Will not be the same wide range of liquor available for parties this year: and the same Minister’s increased i revenue in duty on what liquor !is available makes it a lot costlier i But supplies are procurable. ! Five o'clock Christmas parties i have increased tremendously in number in recent years, so much so that several secretaries of organisations have had a private arrangement of dates to avoid a clash.

Partly through that, and partly because some organisations like the Chamber of Commerce, Manufacturers’ Association and Employers’ Association have several members common to. each, the desk diaries of many men will have few blanks in the 5 to 6.30 p.m. lines from next week.

Invitations to some of the parties are already in the mail, and it seems that the ‘‘round’’ will begin with December 1, and it will be Christmas Eve. usually left free for office and shop parties, before it ends. Even with the ‘‘grapevine’’ working to avoid a clash of too many parties, invitations will be too many for some. One man last year managed to get to three

parties within an hour and a half, having a polite drink and a sandwich or savoury at each and leaving unobtrusively. Generally, the Christmas parties are not a means of attracting new business, but a way of retaining goodwill and an opportunity for businesses and organisations to express their thanks to associates and colleagues for help during the year. One big group of businessmen has found that its guest list this year has grown so long that the party would be uncomfortable in the spacious board room if the evening was warm, so a marquee has been hired for the occasion.