A White Christmas
O Mrs. Beatrice Ashton’s Christmas in America-was accorded the unique distinction of being broadcast from 2YA on twe successive Monday mornings. And it was almost worthy of such,signal honour, though I speak with the disillusion of one who Broke an Important Engagement to listen to it, assuming it to be the second of a series. In keeping with the major aspect of its subject the talk was meaty and flavoursome, and Mrs. Ashton is the fortunate. possessor of a voice that matches the slight astringency of her prose style. But I must confess that I am,far from sharing Mrs. Ashton’s of the essential propriety of a white Christmas, and my dominant emotion at the conclusion of her talk was a_pharisaical thankfulness that we in New Zealand are not as other men are, that we are sensible enough to celebrate our Christmas in a climate where children can rouse their betters at dawn without acute discomfort to either, and where the housewife can escape the labour of preparing three large meals on Christmas Day by the simple expedient of taking a picnic lunch. Mrs. Ashton admittedly saw the ugly form of Big Business lurking behind each tinselled bough up to t
the very day itself, but the brave glow of the lighted tree before dawn on 'Christmas morning routed him completely. Since I have never seen a lighted Christmas tree before dawn on a Christmas morning I continued to see Big Business skulking among the branches, and the smell of roast turkey, instead of exorcising this unwelcome presence, seemed incense to do him honour, v7
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19480109.2.25.1
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 18, Issue 446, 9 January 1948, Page 12
Word count
Tapeke kupu
267A White Christmas New Zealand Listener, Volume 18, Issue 446, 9 January 1948, Page 12
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in