BRIGHTER CHRISTMAS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 152, 26 December 1945, Page 6

BRIGHTER CHRISTMAS

BUT NOT SO FINE

WELLINGTON SPENDS FREELY

Christmas, 1945—the first peacetime Christmas for six years—will probably be remembered not so much for that as for its extraordinary weather. For days ahead, there were all the signs of a fine spell, working up through a hot weekend to the almost exceptional warmth and brilliant sunshine of Monday. But yesterday broke dull and cold, and was, for those with outdoor inclinations, most disappointing. It was, after all, a day for hot meals, plum pudding, and a good fire. And today has been no better, beginning with far too much rain for a holiday and not nearly enough temperature.

The streets were crowded on Christmas Eve, particularly in the morning and afternoon; but early in the evening there was a definite slackening in tram traffic, and the numbers carried at night was less than on an average Friday night. Spending was liberal, and there was a far better variety of goods on display than for some years. All shops reported excellent sales, some even better than the Christmas of 1944, which was generally regarded as a record. Money appeared as plentiful as ever, and some lines were completely sold out. There were more pyjamas and shirts for sale than previously. Generally, the shop windows were full of attractive displays. All shops were exceedingly busy in the morning, and buying continued steadily until the late afternoon. There was, however, little to suggest a lastminute rush. The majority of housewives had planned ahead, accumulated what stores they could, and had distributed their purchases over the preceding week. There was, of course, heavy pressure on the provision shops. In some homes pork, for the first time for several years, made its appearance on the dinner table. There was a shortage of nuts, and what were available'were soon disposed of. Fruit, however, was fairly plentiful, and there were few homes that did not have at least a few oranges and bananas. The demand for Christmas cakes was exceptionally heavy, and was partly attributable to the limited quantities of. the ingredients obtainable under the rationing system. There was the usual exodus of holi-day-makers from *the city. In addition, there was considerable demand for accommodation in and around Wellington. The heaviest railway traffic was on Friday; all expresses were filled to capacity that day. On Christmas Eve it was light, and the prospects for today were considered to be "only fair." A number of tardy travellers who arrived at the railway station this morning intending to depart on the "Field's" Express at 8.30 found an alarmingly long queue, and. consequently were disappointed. It was expected, however, that they would have no difficulty in being accommodated on later trains. A feature of the railway traffic this Christmastide has been the punctual arrival of trains.