TOPSY-TURVY!

Evening Star, Issue 25672, 21 December 1945, Page 4

TOPSY-TURVY!

SHOPPING AT CHRISTMAS SCARCITIES AND CONFUSING HOURS City housewives were abroad at an early hour this morning joining in those shopping queues which appear to have become more usual since the war ended than at any previous stage. The harassed women could bo seen making despairing efforts to obtain some of those desired commodities which would help to make the first peace-time Christmas for six years a particularly festive season, but the fates were against them. Shopping hours for certain essential commodities —notably the hot joint for Christmas Day—;are the most awkward that could possibly be devised, while other goods are either hopelessly scarce or so dear that they are prohibitive for the average family home. For these reasons, Christmas, 1945, is likely to he remembered for its difficulties rather than its good cheer. Even the weather has conspired against the season. After a week of broken, stormy, and cold weather, the air became calmer to-day, but heavy clouds threatened to deluge the shoppers as they rushed from place to place in search of elusive goods. The official longest day appeared to differ little from the shortest except that there was so much more of it. Certainly, there was no summer warmth in the air. Shoppers were necessarily encumbered with warm clothing and coats which were extra burdens at a time when delivery services are still almost unknown.

To-day was the butchers’ big- day! The housewives who joined the crowds in the shops waiting to be served could not feel that this section of the trading community had added to the gaiety of the season. Still, they bought to the limit of coupon capacity, and the trade was apparently acceptable. At best, the main item on the Christmas dinner menu will be a reheated joint which had previously to be partly cooked in order to make it eatable at all. At worst, families may pick over the cold remains of the joint cooked several days before. The meat (if any) will be accompanied by vegetables which most householders will have had to buy at high expense because the unfavourable season has retarded their own gardens. Peas and potatoes show every sign of exceeding the prices ruling at this season last- year., when new records were set.

So much for that course. It may be followed by a Christmas pudding, but it will probably not be accompanied by a sauce laced with spirits, and certainly not with cream unless contact has been made with the black market. Strawberries would bo a welcome feature on the menu, but here again prices are likely to prove the deciding factor for the majority of householders. However, there are bright features. There will be plenty of bread, baked b.y the considerate bakers on Sunday night two days (or is it three?) after the butchers started their holiday. But as the Bible reminds us man does not live by bread alone, and there is nothing particularly festive in gnawing at a crisp piece of raised pan or starch reduced. Perhaps the abundance of bread will set the seal on the austerity Christmas. The children will have the'ir celebrations and deficiencies in meals may not be noticed so long as the Christmas stockings are well filled. To do that, parents will again have to dig deeply into their pockets, because toys and gift goods have followed the prevailing fashion and acquired enhanced values along with edible items. Father may sit down after the meal with a cigar, but he will probably have to husband his tobacco resources throughout the holidays when normally lie would take advantage of the respite from work and indugle just a little more than usual in the weed. If his supplies'are adequate, they will he the result of long periods spent in queues and in wheedling reluctant shop assistants.