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Plenty of old-fashioned British Christmas cards were posted, but World War II set many of the King's subjects to addressing cards which were chiefly or entirely about winning the war, with "Merry Christmas" omitted altogether. Typical was a card on which a beefy British bulldog bestrides the Union Jack with the greeting: "Strong and yet kind, whilst children near him play, but foes who touch the flag will rue the day!"
Saint Nicholas & Black Peter. Slow in some respects, the Dutch had outspeeded other Europeans in the matter of Santa Claus last week, as they do every year. To strict Calvinistic subjects of devout Queen Wilhelmina it would smack of blasphemy to observe Dec. 25 otherwise than with solemn thanks in church for the birth of their Savior. They figure, however, that Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas, the patron saint of Generosity, was born on Dec. 6, do their giving then. Dutchmen conceive the Saint as a bishop whose ecclesiastic dignity is above lugging presents around in a sack. This is done by his far from humble minion, Black Peter, a capering minstrel in braided doublet, van Dyck ruff and Renaissance plumed hat.
Many Dutch villages have their St. Nicholases and Black Peters, generally two popular local characters who know all the children. By prearrangement with parents, they leave toys for good children or threaten to leave a birch switch for bad as they go from house to house. Especially naughty moppets are supposed to be terrified into good behavior when grimacing Black Peter threatens: "Unless you mend your ways, I'll carry you off in my bag to Spain!" According to one legend, Blackamoor Peter came from one of the ancient lands of the Moors.
This year Netherlands troops guarding the frontier with Germany were visited on St. Nicholas Day by the mitered Saint, bearing aloft his bishop's crook and preceded by capering Peter, who brought sugar cakes for the soldiers. Dutch cameramen snapped St. Nicholas peering through field glasses at cruising bombers outlined against the sky. Amid jollification, Saint and minion tasted the troops' pea soup, which gulping Peter pronounced "prachtig" ("swell").