CHRISTMAS EVE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20610, 26 December 1936, Page 8

CHRISTMAS EVE

ABSENCE OF CHILDREN The outstanding feature of Christmas Eve in Timaru this year was the marked absence of children, due to the piecautions being taken to prevent an outbreak of infantile paralysis. Christmas is essentially a time for the children, and while they were not present in the town in such numbers as usually make shopping on Christmas Eve an extremely difficult task, they were not deprived of the good things which Father Christmas had to distribute. In some respects the absence of the children was welcomed, because it enabled people to conduct their shopping expeditiously, and also ensured better service.

On Thursday night the town was fairly well crowded, and the business transacted was such as to make the Christmas period one of the most successful shopkeepers have experienced for many years. Actually Christmas buying commenced earlier this year than has been the case for some time, and as Christm: - Eve approached, the work of the shop assistants increased considera-ly. Some lines of business are reported to have set record figures, while in a majority of cases the turnover for the period was considerably in excess of recent years. Fortunately the weather throughout Thursday was fine, and although light rain fell in the evening, it was r.ot sufficient to keep people out of the shopping area. Christmas Day dawned anything but promising, the town being enveloped in heavy fog. This lifted about 3 o’clock, however, and the day then remainder beautifully fine and warm. The Salvation Army and Timaru Nunicipal Bands paraded in various parts of the town yesterday mornir.j, playing carols. The only sporting fixture in the town was the annual bowling tournament, which was got we’J under Way.