CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 699, 27 December 1909, Page 3

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES.

at ihe'Hospiial. , ; ! V ' .■ ■ The,staff at .Wellington Hospital have, a settled method for'/ their which, lire. carried' out .with iregnlarity.'year: !ift«r .v«ar. On Christ-,-ma's Eve 'the nurses form-.a choir and ■risit'the different wards'-singing carols. On Christinas. l)ay all the nurses are- on i.duty, except.those whohave just come off night duty, aud the day begins at an exceptionally, early: hoar, so- that the patients maybe fed arid comfortably-set-tied, and the wards': decorated before ten o clock, when , visitors are admitted. The decorations-.are- simple, but :.this year they .were exceedingly pretty, and each ward had its colour scheme, one being done, with .sweet, peas in varying shades of ; mauve, and: with maidenhair I arid lycopodhim,: another with pale pink sweat peas and roses; and.so with others. :-l he Christmas dinner is something to bo 'thankful for, and those "patients'w.ho are not on strict, diot: have, a good time. In , tho evening there was a .grand Christmas J tree, ; set as usual in : the children's ward, which was crowded: with moro or , ; less, convalescent patients' from all the. other:wards, : as well as, from tho Victoria Home.' The children's cots were ranged close: alpn» 'the side of the-'ward, and .chairs' and forms:'brought, in..for. the other -patients.:' Some of' the' children ' wero able to be' dressed, and. others were propped. up in bed, =so that they might have- a good,:view of/the beautiful tree covered with: brigitly coloured toys and ornaments, whicu stood at .ono end-of. the room. 'Miv'C.' M. 'Luke, . who was present with his'.wife; opened the evening's, festivities,', and .before, the guests dispersed an hour and a-half later, he again addressed them, saying that th« Hospital Trustees hoped the next Christinas would-see a'nev; and much larger children's, ward. ' The. present one "was .altogether insufficient, and'.it was.hoped the public would realise this, v and respond to ai appeal for funds.' " ; - V ■J' Miss Payne, the' matron, assisted : by several -.nurses, : distributed ; the . gifts, which were' all numbered' to correspond with' numbered;' tickets. Everyone;i n the room held a ticket, and half the' of tho evening came from the in ongruity of-the gifts, which-werp bestowed. There .'Were - dolls and trumpets and. 1 i Noah's Arks, for, the little children', and: as all i,were ssrved 1 alike,: men and ' women ceiVed .'exactly , similar ■ gifts, ■; .and... one .would see a:grey-headed man' valiantly flowing the. tin,, trumpet he had been called up\to, the. tree to receive, or a sunburnt : sailor' ;■ boy.'gracefully welcominglithe 'gift :of a tiny., doll in. a blue frock..:' i Whateyer'they,;;received pleased' and amused them, andno conclude the festivities suppfcr'.was served to such as remained' in -the_ . ward after, the. tree .had yielded "all its treasures.' .

The Home of Compassion. ■";■■'.., What proved- to be a, source of .great enjoyment to the;children at theHonie of Compassion, Island, Bay, was the Christmas .tree; prepared ■' for. them by ■a: committee consisting "o£ ■ Misses: Eileen- Ward; E. M'Elligot, M. ■■•M'Doaald, and Messrs. C. ■ A: M'Bonald, :8.-; L;; Ward, and -"A;-; Amodeo.;..'Each child.'.received.froni.the tree "gifts of toys and sweets and articles'of clothing," and there was one , , tree whichlooked especially ..inviting' .and fairly groaned under its. .burden of-good things, for.-the'-little ones. During'the afternoon the committee .'dispensed. afternoon tea to the visitors, land , ■. a musical program me ■w.as: contributed by ; the 'following ladies and gentlemen-.—Misses Eileen'Ward,. R. Beadchamp; ■ Jones, -A'. ■ Segrief; U. St. Glair, Mrs. O'Meara, and Messrs. St. Clair," iLynchj'and C. M'Donald.':. ■■■■'■',

Presbyterian,. Or^ih'Sri^'Jat; Br;o6kiyri. : ' /It'was a.most,up-to-date-Father. Ch'rist"mas, .who, with bytprian Children's Orphanage. at Brooklyn on Christmris'-Eve. ;He. had previously : 'made liis appeara,nc.e,.at..thep^conomic, , '. and .was due.'■;there,;; again vfpr- the evening, but in between',whiles,,he.raced up. -to Brooklyn in, a / motor-car,.,, and ,there he found-;a- tfny .Christmas-tree growing i in the children's' ploy-room, and loaded with.gifts' for. the little:oneSv which he was only too pleased -to '.distribute. .The children themselves round ..the tree,. , : and 'sang . some"Christmas hymns to .their new ,friends, with Mr."Hannay, the. secretary : :cf "tho orphanage, and his wife.v Mrs. .Kbrslby,:.and "Mr.- 'J. G. W. Aitken.; .The Christmas, tree".was. the gift, from 'Councillor,. Frost, ; and several other, residents ;of - Br6oklyn,\who take a great interest , : the.orphanage.. :.On Uhristnias Day', the children had; a 'delicious Christmas dinner, which was provided by the-.members of.- St'.' Andrew's .Young Women's Bible Class, and a 'tea provided by the St. John's: No.' 2! .Bible Class. '■ Many- other friends kindly remembered the Home, and. sent gifts in cash or in kind.-.. •.,,"■ .■:'■■:. V

;At ■■■;;^V : ' t: [, : -: :\- : ■} -_ As,,'may ■ well.: bo'; imagined, thb 'annual Christmas' festivities:at the Ohiro Homo are subjects for long anticipation. There is'tho special .'.Christmas dinner, a repast fit'for a.bi/ihop; ;thero aro the special Christmas gifts for , old , people—pipes, tobacco,: pocket-handkerchiefs, ■ hats, sunbonnets,., and ( sb on;. and 'there, is the Christinas' Concert .in the evening. '- This yeai-,;)the Vold/people ■ have.' 'thoroughly: enjoyed; their. Christmas. At dinner, during •selections, from ,a gift. 'graphophone.;. enlivened.- the ■ proceedings;' votes .of thanks"'.?were, accorded to -Sirs. S.vA. llhodes and Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, M.P'i!for;,.their. good wishes,, and to all generous:<.',onors...to,;.:the institution. A special..tribute ...of gratitude was tendered to the moraory bf the : late Mrs.'Williams, svho; bequeathed 1 to' ,the institution a ii ;.wherewith 1 .-to prbypUo for - Christmas fes.tivities.:.; Itf the '.'.evening an» impromptu concert wasrarranged by the master and' .'mabon (Mr i [;and,Mrs.'A.'.H. Truebridge), members oft,the staff,-and Borne of the inmates. '~..■ ; .■•i..'.^.;'...; '.'<.■■'■.„■;,.. ' ■■• :'.:.■.■'..;, ■At St; Joseph's Orphanage. ! ; '■■,'■.■ :; .. On iChristnias .niorning the seventy ■Oγ , oighty: children '■ at■ '. St. ; . Joseph's Orphan.-' :age.: were delighted' with'• a 'large .Christ- ! mas tree, whi<ih yielded up:for them:its fruit, of toys ..and bonbons. •:■ The' Christ-, :mas.dinner, was.' exceptionally, fine, aud' ■the .pleasure o;f the ;day.',was increased bj , the 'visits, paid by. friends :and relatives, the' orphanage-:being open for. the'•'holiday. '•.- : ;.-V '- -\ ■' v ;' ■•■.•'': ':' '.'■ :■■■■■ ■?:

A Christniss >; '; : -: The large, lecture-room at:the..Y.M.C,A. :w.as the. scene :,bf a .very jolly party, on Christmas;- morning, ..when the _■ Ladies' Auxiliary. Committee' gave a - breakfast for : members; of ■ the T-.M.C.A.:. or their. ;frionds whoso'homes aro. not in ton. About, eighty guests wero 'present, •and they spent a very.'enjoyable time, long tables were set down the room and another long one; across, and these were gaily/decorated with flowers. A Christ-, mas carol was; sung -at the beginning after Which Mr. J. G. W. Aitkcn- gave -a very brief address of welcome. Towards 'tho end of.the mc«l little,;presents, amusing. rath.errthouv.cbstly, were distributed, to the .guests*, each of ..'whom /also .received a and: great fuu.was caused by the gifts' seleo!«d... Song's we're sung by ■ Mi , . .Goudie^. Miss: >Ste<jle, and ;Mr. .Baoon.'vthe last singing '_. with. two. voices,'and, later on"■"•.giving :a recitation': as an encore. -Each of. the-giiests. was asked' ; aftor\Hirds.'to 'ti=o -.and give ■ his name, and; tho name', of 'his home, a very. Interesting : little '.performance, since it. showed while a few had , their, homes' in New;Zealand,-most of them'came from tho .:four' quarters.;of■: tho; earth.' -The ladies in "charge, of.'the tables were:— Mrs. Eossette,:-Mrs.vM..A.' Williams,; Mrs. Kersley, Mrs. Ralph, and tho Misses Fos;settc:.-■■'■■ This.iivas,tie .first Christmas -brcakfast'igivon at. the .Y.11.C.A.'.,. ; and'it i.was:so' successfulfthat it is likely to be;coine an annual/fixture. '. .. ~.■ . :'■ Salvation Arniy.Homes.,'■.;;•■'•'■/■'.■■'! - .■'.< .;. The Salvation Army :homes , were not forgotten by-Santa Claus this.year, and tlie .genial'old in;i>erson, both :'a.t... thb- /■, Ecscue ; .Home, .where directly '■ nftor '.'■ breakfast he distributed little •,;Christmas'. '.giftsj.' imd , . at tho Children's Home, where, ho later on'made' ■his 'way;; and whero''-lio found'a":Christ■mas ;treo .waiting , for :his•■ ministrations. , .The';children : had a "real good time..