CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17279, 21 September 1916, Page 4

CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS.

GIFTS FOR SOLDIERS. With the approach of Christmas, mothers think more than ever of the lads at the front, and doubtless are making plans to forward them dainties and delicacies in keeping with the festive season. One of tho most popular items at Yuletide, if not the most popular, is the Christmas pudding, and this will be one of the first things thought of to send to tho lad in France. But the experience of the last two years has proved that lew labours of iove have had such disappointing results, for unless a Christmas pudding is made of the best quality ingredients and is carefully packed in a special tin, i.t will nob be eatable when it reaches the front. Even with those precautions. it must he remembered that tho puddi.ng has to go from one end of the world, to tho other and through the hot' tropics, and it is very few privatelydispatched puddings that have come through the ordeal safely. Such experienced gift-senders as the Lady Liverpool Fund ladies have decided not to risk forwarding puddings this Christmas to the boys in France, hut arc making special arrangements to have puddings sent in bulk from England to the Anzacs in the firing line. There are obvious advantages with this system —the cost of dispatch is much lower, and the puddings will be en route only for twm or three days, thus their condition will be much more satisfactory from tho eaters’ view-point. Of course, few soldiers will admit that any other Christmas pudding is “as good as mother makes it,” but under the circumstances “ mother’s pudding ” docs not get a fair deal, and a wise •woman might think it better to send her son some less perishable memento of the Christmas season.