Commercial Christmas

Good buying
EVERY year I find myself in something of a predicament on this occasion. It seems logical to open a column like this one with Christmas wishes on the occasion of a Christmas number. But how can one? To begin with, we, as Catholics, are in Advent, a purple penitential season during which we are expected to make ready to be worthy of celebrating the Feast of Our Lord's birth. But the commercial tempo of the modern world does not wait for the precise rhythm of the Christian liturgy. Nor is it altogether unreasonable, now that Christmas is a season of presentand card-giving, of celebrations, parties, feasts, that Christmas buying should begin early. And that means all the clamour of modern publicity. And this means special Christmas numbers in the Press so that goods may be advertised in time and readers put into the buying humour. "Good Buying" seems to be the right greeting for this issue of the paper—and 1 shall resist making the pun which suggests itself. Anyhow, we have done our best to entertain you, as well as to guide your thoughts along useful channels, temporal and spiritual. I should like to take this occasion of thanking all our celebrated contributors for co-operating with us in producing this special
Christmas cards—a criticism
' I HAVE just mentioned buying
Christmas cards. I regret to have to report that the samples which we have received at the office contain a smaller proportion this year of cards combining spiritual and artistic merit. I regret that the old Ashley Gallery cards have apparently been interred with that noble and courageous venture. I regret, too, that standards have, if anything, been lowered among the big Catholic commercial firms, though smaller enterprises are courageous enough to maintain or raise them. Religious houses, like Farnborough, and personal enterprises, like those of Westbrook, are setting a standard which should be affecting those who can well afford to help a little in raising Catholic taste in this field, as it has been raised in more important fields, like church architecture, furnishing, paintings and statuary. Without trying to be highbrow. I would say that some of the "sacred" stuff being sold can be, in terms of levels of taste and understanding current today, as harmful spiritually as the sentimental secular cards which have no reference to the meaning of Christmas at all. A demand for had stuff has. know, to be met; hut each year should see an increasing leavening with better material.
Recommended calendar
TN these circumstances, I am
I glad to say a word in recommendation of the "Our Lady's Calendar" produced by Fr. Bidone to help the work for Aged Men of the House of Our Lady of Fatima, 40 Christchurch Road, London, S.W.2. The calendar consists of eight sheets. tied by a blue ribbon, and on each page there is a fine photograph or photographs of statues and pictures of Our Lady associated with these islands. The cover beautifully presents the Warwick Street Shrine in London with its ex-votos. It is a tine, honest, artistic piece of work, however unpretentious. and at half a crown it is worth a good deal more than two or three vapid coloured cards.
International bond
TT'S a curious thing, but news 1 papers have a life of their own. A proprietor, an editor, members of the staff do not make the paper so much as nurse and feed it. They can, of course, kill it; but they cannot really alter its being and nature. I mention this because when we advertise and talk about the paper, it may sound like singing one's own praises. But it's really praising something detached from any individual person, something belonging to the readers as much as to those who serve it. And in this issue it may be suitable to say a word about reader-reactions. By this post I have had a letter froin Norway—from Finn Halversen. It says: "I don't know how many Norwegians subscribe. At any rate the paper is very often referred to in conversation between Norwegian Catholics—and always with the greatest respect. I should think it is the best known and highest estimated Catholic newspaper by Us." A little earlier I heard from a Canadian in London, Andre I.aframboise (the raspberry!), "May I say that I greatly enjoy the manner in which you present the news. I find that it 'sticks with me,' i.e., 1 remember what I read because you arc not over' crowded with details and irrelevancies." think it is pleasant at this time of the year to feel that the paper one reads forms a real international Catholic bond.
Pictures in series
ASPECIALLY attractive Christmas present this year —which I would recommend to the attention of Christmas card makers trying to raise art standards—is the Herder Art Series at 6s. 6c1. a volume. I have seen four of these, the "Life of Mary," particularly attractive this year, "Saint Francis," "Enchanting Trifles" and "Motherhood." But many more are on their way, including "Christmas" and "Childhood." Each volume contains about 25 reproductions. some in colour, and has quite a long introduction translated from the German by Ruth Bethell. They are slim, and without their gay jackets look a trifle expensive, but with them they make the expensive Christmas card for a special choice or two of dear friend or close relation.