Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Thursday 24 December 1874, page 6


CHRISTMAS EVE MARKET.

So early as 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon country carts began to take up positions against the kerbstone in Bourke street laden with Christmas fare. From this time supplies steadily arrived, until about 11 o'clock there was an unbroken line of carts from Russell-street to Spring street, the sites inside the market being reserved for occupants who had previously engaged them, and would arrive in the course of the night When the market is full there will probably be inside and outside, 1 200 or 1 500 carts full of Christmas provisions and other things appro private to the season Last night business had already commenced geese and turkeys ducks and chickens, were moving off fast, v, while fruit and vegetables were also in brisk demand One feature of the Melbourne Christmas Eve market is the abundance of flowers, cut and in pots, that are offered for sale, along with vast quantities of tree ferns, fern leaves, and branches of various kinds of green trees and shrubs which are eagerly bought up to be used for decorative purposes Last night a great many people were to be seen carrying home trophies of this kind The owners have taken. care to got the pick of the market. The fresh green branches in the carts, interspersed with strawberries and cherries, presented a pretty sight as seen by the gas lights of the streets. The owners of the carts that contained goods seemed to have the worst of it Except that they would probably tranced a good deal of profitable

business before all was done, there was nothing else to make the occasion agreeable to them Having left their homes, perhaps, early in the day, they had to camp out on the pavement for the night, and at a late hour families, were seen trying as best they could to make themselves comfortable under shawls and rugs, while the opera visitors were returning to their homes and the footpaths otherwise crowded The active

business of the Christmas Eve market will have commenced long before this paper is in the hands of its reader.