Kiwi Opens the Mail

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 80, 28 December 1929, Page 24

Kiwi Opens the Mail

Dear Scribes, —The chief postman could almost have tied the mail to a Christmas balloon this week: it was so light and airy. That is because so many good things are just beginning and I don’t expect many letters when there is surf bathing, camping and tramping to be done. But remember them all for our holiday page, won’t you?—KIWI.

LETTERS FROM LEAGUE MEMBERS

“We are going to the beach this Christmas, Kiwi,” writes "Brownie.” I have not been to the beach for so many years that I can hardly remember what it is like. First of all, we shall have to ride through all kinds of country in a bus, then in the train, and we shan’t be at the beach till it is quite dark. .We do hope it is moonlight, so that we can see the sands and .all the bay. We have two little tents that roll up. They are very bright with coloured stripes. We are not going to live in them, but they will be shady on the beach, and we shall be able to use them when we bathe, instead of going all the way back to the cottage. Mother gave us a parasol each, and my baby sister has such a big hat that she looks like a mushroom. You can’t see her face at all I”

noon he got out of his hutch, but luckily we found him later. [We shall be pleased to have little “Tom-Tit-Tot” among us. “Woodstock” will be a splendid souvenir of schooldays. Best wishes for the New Year, “Jocelyn.”]

BRIEF REPLIES

“Billie.”—l thought the envelope was too fat for just a letter. It looked as though it had had somebody else's share of Christmas pudding. Thank you for your little present, “Billie.” it is sweet. Happy days for Papaitonga 1

“Chatterbox.”—You are not in danger of forgetting, are you, “Chatterbox”? The card is such a pretty one. Are you improving at tennis and swimming? Best wishes to this faithful one.

[Aren’t you very excited? I know what jolly days you are going to have —no shoes and socks—except when the sands are burning hot —swims and sunshine. You will be a real Brownie when the time comes to return to those fields of yours.]

“Heart of Gold.”—Another card! Doesn’t the land in the picture look hot and parched? I’m glad our Christmas is not there. Congratulations, “Heart of Gold.” You will be able to enjoy the holidays in peace now that you know the dreaded results.

“Hlnemoa” tells us how the old English Christmas was spent. “A few days before Christmas,” she writes, “a great Yule log was brought in. This was lit on Christmas morning by a piece of last year’s log.' Everyone went to church in the morning, and after that played games in the snow. At dinnertime they had a fat turkey and a great plum pudding, decorated with holly. The house, too, was gay with holly and mistletoe, under which lovers thought it great luck to kiss. In the evening they sat around the Yule log and listened to stories of ghosts, witches, giants, and goblins.” [Would you have changed your Christmas Day for one like that? It sounds very jolly though, especially the snow games and the ghost stories.]

“Rose Morn.”—Thank you for your little message of goodwill, maid with the pretty name. I hope you will have time to tell me all about your holidays. I am going to turn into a mermaid these holidays. I suppose I am the first Kiwi to be really fond of the water.

“Mayflower.”—Joy and happiness to you, too. Everyone in the city , seems to have caught the Christmas spirit. The streets are thronged with smiling 'folk, and they still smile, even when you tread on their toes in the crowd. Other days black frowns would be your lot.

Kobin Goodfellow sends a merry note. "Last Sunday we went to Titahi Bay, and while we were bathing a great number of red crabs ran about the sand and tried to nip our toes; they caused us much excitement. . . . I am still feeding the birds, and yesterday one of them ate too many crumbs and we thought that the cat, Glen, would catch it before it recovered enough to fly away, but luckily he did not. . . . Many mysteriouslooking parcels have been brought into our house lately, and my brother and I have been forbidden to go to the linen cupboard, so we are dying for Christmas morning to come ”

“Columbine.” —I shall look forward to the letters. All our members will have something interesting to send for the holiday page, I hope. I suppose the ponies like to cool their warm little bodies in the river just as much as you. They must be very warm sometimes although they are all wearing summer coats.

Allan McLean.—How quickly you are scrambling through the standards, Allan. It is better to go up one step at a time than to try to miss one and fall on your nose, don’t you think? But if you can miss one without falling on your nose, we’ll all be glad. What a number of jolly parties you have had. Best wishes for the New Year.

[You will know what was in the mysterious parcels by now “Kobin Goodfellow.” I’m sure there was never a linen cupboard with such a lure!]

"Jocelyn” says that the mail columu Is the one which she enjoys most. She writes: “It is interesting to hear what other League members are doing in different parts of the country. . . . My baby sister is just seven and _ a half months old now. She has six teeth and chews at everything that she can get. . Iler little hands and legs are never still for a moment. She is such a good wee thing. . . I have left school now. I am going to stay at home and help Mother. I love housework. This year I came second in our class and I received a beautiful copy of ‘Woodstock.’ by Sir Walter Scott, bound in blue leather. My little brother has a baby rabbit: such a dear little cuddly thing. Yesterday after-

"Joanne.”—So he brought you the dolls’ tea-set after all! Now there will be no danger of breaking mother’s best saucers, will there? The dolls will be delighted to eat their breakfasts from little blue plates. Will you take it to the beach with you? .Seawater and sand makes lovely coffee, and there will be plenty of “rock” cakes! “Peter Piper."—No, I don’t think Santa Claus could have brought nn aeroplane. Not a real one. You see, he comes in one himself these days. A toy motor launch is much better, I think. You’ll be able to sail It on pools nnd puddles, and baths and beaches. Happy holidays, “Peter Piper.”