CHRISTMAS IN LONDON.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 90, 15 March 1941, Page 9

CHRISTMAS IN LONDON.

A New Zealand girl, nursing at the Charing Cross Hospital, London, has sent an interesting account of Christmas celebrations to a local resident. Christmas Day was known as "Patients' Day" and Boxing Day as "Nurses' Day" in the hospital. The ward to which the New Zealander was attached was appropriately decorated. At one end of the ward was a .small illuminated Christmas tree and at the other a larger one, given by the matron, and hung with small gifts for all the patients. The New Zealander brought her wireless" set from Hampstead by bus and installed it in the ward for Christmas and Boxing Day. The patients' dinner began with a glass of wine or beer, followed by turkey, potatoes and brussels sprouts. The Christmas pudding was set alight and carried through the ward, and mince pies followed. All diets were abandoned for the day, but strangely there were no ill effects. In the afternoon tea, cakes and. sandwiches were provided for the patients and their visitors, and the New Zealand nurse played the piano for a sing-song and dance. The patients' day ended with a supper of wine, cakes and jelly and many of them said they had not enjoyed Christmas so much for a long time. On Boxing Day the nurses were allowed to have visitors and to conduct them over the 'hospital, threequarters of which had been closed as the result of bombing. Sixty nurses I sat down to dinner and were waited I oh by the sisters. The New Zealander ' i remarks in her letter that the noise! | was terrific and the matron, who made] ' a little speech, said she had been in the hospital for 29 vears, starting as a probationer, and had never heard so much, noise. However, no one seem- ' ed to object and the nurses enjoyed themselves thoroughly. The picturesque , custom of carol singing through' the j hospital was observed, the nurses. going in procession from the top floor, I carrying lanterns. ■