On This Day, 24 December 1918

Birmingham Daily Post 

Tuesday 24 December 1918

THE PEACE CHRISTMAS

PREPARATIONS IN BIRMINGHAM

After four Christmases under the shadow of, and with all the limitations of war—festivals which have been observed rather than celebrated—the forthcoming one is being looked forward to with extraordinary zest. This is most emphatically the case in Birmingham. With peace so near that it may be regarded as assured, the general disposition is to make the coming Christmas a season of unclouded enjoyment. That, of course, cannot be attained by all. There are hundreds, nay, thousands, of homes too closely affected by the ravages war for that. But for the inmates of others there seems a joyous time ahead, and their intention, clearly, is to make a valiant effort to recapture this year the true Christmas spirit.

Outward and visible signs of this intention are many and unmistakable. Money is plentiful in Birmingham. All except those who may be said to have been marking time on the salary sheet during the past four and a half years —and there are many such people—are still earning high wages, and seem determined to have a good time this week. For such people high prices are no deterrent. Shopping during the past fortnight has been distinctly heavy in the city, and reached what seemed, but probably was not, the high-water mark yesterday. Judging by the heavy strain upon tradesmen and their assistants, and the immense volume of goods of all sorts that are passed over the counter, there was no difficulty obtaining anything, with the important proviso that one was prepared to pay the price demanded. All the shopping centres were crowded from morning to night, and for everything from furs and jewellery down to toys, there was a demand such has not been experienced since the war broke out. Supplies of foodstuffs appeared to have been liberated on a more generous scale, and the display of turkeys and geese in the Market Hall seemed to be as large as prior to 1914. Given the requisite purchasing power— and that, as indicated, seems to be possessed by the majority citizens—there are enough foodstuffs about to ensure Christmas fare this year satisfying both gourmands and gourmets. The only lament appears to be that the fluid elements, without which Dickensian fervour cannot be realised, are being unnecessarily held up, and when dispensed are done so at rates which lay merchants and retailers, the latter particularly, open to charges of profiteering of the worst kind. The accumulated experience of the past four years, however, should have taught the average individual not only to say with regard to this deprivation, as Mr. Toots used to say of other things, “it’s of no consequence,” but to see in it a blessing in the form of apparent hardship.

Another aspect of the season was caught at the railway stations. Though theoretically at least travelling facilities remain as meagre and costly as before, the fact remains that in the last few days all the companies serving Birmingham have brought more people into the city, and carried more out than during last Christmastide. At least that was the impression one gathered from a visit to New Street or Snow Hill. The influx has probably been greater than the outflow. Leave has been granted to soldiers and sailors to an extent not permitted before, with the result that khaki and navy blue preponderate in the garb of those moving about the city. For these boys this home-coming should, and doubtless will, strike the true note of rejoicing and gratitude this Christmas—rejoicing that the horrible carnage of war has ceased, we hope for all time, and gratitude that they have been spared to rejoin the family circle.