Detail of box lid

The Princess's gifts, and the Christmas card sent from the King and Queen to each man and woman serving in the forces added to an already enormous quantity of letters and parcels in the two weeks prior to Christmas and imposed a great strain on the Army administrative and postal services. There were some adverse comments on the difficulties posed by the gift's distribution but on the whole the boxes were very much appreciated by all recipients.

One indication of the special regard the box was held is evidenced by the fact that though plenty of tobacco and cigarettes were consumed, and the pipes smoked, a great many men carefully repacked their presents and sent them home to their wives and families.

After the delivery of the Class A gifts the Committee met on 15 January 1915 to decide on the best means of supplying and distributing the gifts for those in Classes B and C. The main problem lay in the sheer numbers of British and Imperial forces involved, the total being estimated at 1,803,147. Resolved to simplify procedures, in the light of experience, the Committee abandoned their commitment to tackling the dietary and religious differences of so large a number of individuals. They announced that the gift would now be given without reference to race or rank, and settled on the brass box, a New Year's card and a pencil.

At a meeting on 26 January Berkeley divulged the final figures for the distribution, which had taken place on Christmas Day. 355,716 gifts had gone to the British Expeditionary Force, 66,168 to the men at home either on furlough or sick leave, 4,600 to the French Mission to the BEF and 1,390 to members of the various army nursing services, making a grand total of 426,724 gifts. At this same meeting Princess Mary was presented with a special version of the gift box in silver gilt, the lid of which was inscribed with the names of the members of the Executive Committee.

With the administrative work of the Committee now over, since the distribution of the remaining gifts, had been devolved on the various service authorities, Rowland Berkeley remained as Honorary Secretary of the Fund until 1919, after which it was wound up. The sum remaining, after all the Fund's liabilities had been discharged, was eventually transferred to Queen Mary's Maternity Home, founded by the Queen for the benefit of the wives and infants of sailors, soldiers and airmen of the newly formed Royal Air Force.