Lamb for Christmas was a pricey proposition in 1924. Photo / Janna Dixon
Kem Ormond takes a look at the world of farming back in the day. In this week’s Pastures Past, she’s found newspaper articles on the price of Christmas dinner from 1923, 1924, and 1947.
According to the Stratford Evening Post in 1924, spring lamb on the Christmas table was a true luxury.
The article went on to say that “The Price of Eats” was also bumped up for mutton and beef.
As a result, poultry promised to be cheaper than lamb, and “no doubt there will be an increased demand for poultry for Christmas”.
Meanwhile, in 1947, the Hawke’s Bay Herald Tribune reported on a relaxation of butter and meat rationing for Christmas.
Fast forward to today, and while we’re spoiled for choice, the soaring price of lamb might just send us back to chicken… and maybe even stuffing without butter!
Times change, but the spirit of making do and making it special lives on
Below is a selection of historical stories on Christmas dinner from the Pahiatua Herald in 1923, the Stratford Evening Post in 1924 and the Hawke’s Bay Herald-Tribune in 1947.
Pahiatua Herald, December 3, 1923
Carcases for England
Electric Telegraph-Press Association
Wellington, Last Night.
New Zealand lamb will be on the table next Christmas Day in many homes in the Old Country, in response to the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board’s recent offer to forward single carcases of prime New Zealand lamb as Christmas presents to friends in Great Britain.
This has brought forth greater results than were anticipated, over 1000 carcases, most of them to be delivered during Christmas week, having been sent through the Board in this way.
It is estimated that between 6000 and 7000 people, probably for the first time, will be knowingly partaking of frozen lamb from New Zealand.
By an arrangement made by the Board, only the best quality lamb will be delivered, and a card will be attached to each carcase, stating, in large letters, that it is a sample of New Zealand lamb, and on the back of the card will appear printed directions as to the best method of treatment and cooking.
Great importance is attached by the Board to this form.
Stratford Evening Post, December 4, 1924
The Price of Eats.
Lamb promises to be very much of a luxury at Christmas time this year, and no doubt many households will have to go without their usual log of lamb for Christmas dinner.
Last week the price of New Zealand lamb was advanced by 1d a pound on the London market and now the freezing buyers are offering up to 12¾d a pound for lamb.
Therefore, unless something unforeseen happens, lamb will be very dear at Christmas time.
Even last year when lamb was cheaper than it is to-day, the price, at Christmas time was beyond the means of many people.
At the Addington yards on Wednesday (states the Christchurch Star) there was a record sale of fat lambs, butchers paying from 1s 2d to 1s 4d a pound.
These prices were, of course, exceptional and were brought about by the fact that the number of the fat lambs forward was a good deal below requirements.
However, it looks as if butchers will have to pay over 12d a pound for their supplies of lamb for the Christmas trade.
Poultry promises to be cheaper than lamb and no doubt there will be an increased demand for poultry for Christmas.
Mutton is also dear at present.
Last Wednesday at Addington butchers were paying on an average from 8½d to 9d a pound for wether mutton and about 7½d to 8d for ewe.
The freezing buyers are now offering up to 8d a pound for wether mutton and up to 6d for ewe.
Therefore, it does not look as if mutton is going to be cheap this season.
Beef promises to be the cheapest line, but in hot weather beef to many people is not a particularly attractive article of diet.
And even beef may not be very cheap, because this season export buyers are offering several shillings more a hundred pounds for beef than they did last season.
Hawke’s Bay Herald-Tribune, November 22, 1947
(Our Political Correspondent.)
Wellington, Nov. 22.
A relaxation of the butter and meat rationing to permit something additional in the way of Christmas fare was announced today by the Minister of Supply, Mr. Nordmeyer.
There will be an extra half-pound of butter for Christmas baking and modification in the coupon rating for the purchase of spring lamb.
“As was the case last year, this extra allowance of butter is to assist with her Christmas baking,” said Mr. Nordmeyer.
“Coupon No. 8 in the ration book will become valid for the purchase of 8ozs. of butter from December 1 to 24, and consumers are to purchase this butter from their registered retailers. Retailers are to claim the increased amount in respect of their registered customers in the usual way.
“So that consumers may be able to purchase spring lamb, the value of the coupons required to be surrendered to the butcher for supplies of spring lamb will be the same as the value of the coupons to be surrendered after January 1948, when the price order for lamb becomes effective.
“The price of spring lamb is uncontrolled at present,” said Mr. Nordmeyer, “and this means that the prices charged for spring lamb from now until the end of December will be greater than the value of coupons required to be surrendered.”
Mr. Nordmeyer advised that increases of 7d. in the general meat rations and 3d. in children’s rations would again be authorised during Christmas week, and that the dates on which all coupons became valid will be advanced as in former years.
- Source: Papers Past