The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-12-25 00:00:00

(cIINESTMA.S FESTIVITIES.

`Ulmnr.Christmai,holidays were this Ilear ushered kiln u sea-
tonahleperied of 'Sharp frost, theugh'brief, and,. notutithstand-
ingtheNting severity of the cold,a genersd feeling of :anticipated
pleasure has predominated in naost,:dreles. The mendors of
iiewallery.,lrinkets, and other such articles as are generally
adapte'd for Christmas souvenirs, ilave been all "wog" for
thelast few days, and their display-.of tempting wares hae,
dotibtless, made inroads on many a-wen-hoarded, purse. The
4nagaiint Ides *nodes, and other dears in
articles for ladies fair,
'Which make them beautiful otie.ave them neat,

have ',lent all ',their energies towards the acconiplieliment of
marvels in -lhe way of personal decoration, and their
several :repositories have been, per- Acme time .past, radiant
with apparel, in:which the richestlaney.has been:aided by a
gorgeousaess ,of -colour which mocked the rainbow's lustre.
Theltaste fornlegance has not been confined to those higher
Classes ,of .dealers-, in decorative arte.'•but it ,has spread in all
directions,:.and- seized on every elass,of shopkeepers. Book-
sellers woo the intellectual by a tempting show of traiscella-
neous literature;.bound and adornediinevery fascinating way.
The works- ,of celebrated authors.,laave ,become, even more
seductive s.from .the showy splendonrs in which; they were
arraye'd; AY,hilei through their aid, "many a holy teat " has
been -"etreared.arotuati" in circlesmhifilt, ini.leas,attractive
guises, the; probably, never would have,retched. Toydealers
have vied with each cether in presenting to the •' rising
generation" Auch,,Miofc indications —of • the past :Tear's
events as :are to hbe gleaned from ..cleverly-countructed
though ,apoepyphal. malls of SehastopOl and the, Crimea.
Hobbies of every kind,,mith the exception .cf thosepolitical,
are oferedbylhoseministers to youthful :pleasure ; auctsvith
the hobhies "trim-hnilt,wherries," and Kuching dollsavith

flaxen ringlets;; flragoons.and guardsmen„ pilots and sown,
trumpets and drogns,,andmall artillery, form a. medleyorgst-
traction difficult to. resist, ,aszd such as juvenile philosophow
can rarely vanquitaa, w,ho.,ape fortunate in the possession of a
vulnerable papa,; or Om, indulgent aunt or granamaina.
Amusementsof zost sorts; are abundantly promised, mod.
in no instance more attractively than at the theatres. The.
..Xlieatre Royal, the Park, Ad tW Adelphi Theatres, as usual,
hold out the aeductixe isdluenee of pantomime.. The Royal
Amphitheatre. displays • its great peculiar, in SR iwitrivalled
troupe of equestrians. Concerts,of all classes, from the: he-
-zvitching strains of Jenny Lind to the more stentorian efforts
,of vocalists less qualified :-though equally willing to delight
.patient and long-suffering public. Panoramas of the wan
Ara tales of travel of •vatiaus kinds mingle their attractions
.with the consideration of tome joys and fireside festivities..

liro aid in these latter, grocers and confectioners, and the
general run of provision dealers, have busied themselves witia
theinenstomary success in catering for the public enjoyment.
Theelte. f glory, however, in the furnishingiine, has, as usual,
devolved on the butchers and poultry dealers, and in both of
these kpartments much well-directed energy has been dis-
played. At. John's-market has .a usual formed the most
conspicuous field for the gastronomic show. There mountains
of beautiful beef, and hecatombs of wondrous sheep were
displayed = Friday and Saturday to the admiring gaze of
numerous apeetators. In this inviting flour Mr. Thmulinson was
as usual a distinguished competitor, having a Jargeassortment
of fine beef, mutton, and pork, together with the rarer del-
cacies of lamb and Teal of tempting aspeet; his stock, among
other rarities, embracing a beautifully-fed Brahmin ox, reared
and fed by himself OA his farm at Childwall. Mr. Lowthiau
also displayed a selection of beautiful stock, including two
fine west Highland bullocks, bred and fed at Galloway-house,
by the Earl of Galloway ; one splendid ox, bred and fed by the
Duke of Buccleuch, at Dalkeith-palace, near Edinburgh, and,
two very fine oxen bred and fed by George Stewart, Esq.,
Kirkcudbright. These five beasts have, we understand, been
purchased by Mr. Morrish, of the Merchants' Dining-rooms,
in Laneaster-buildings, Tithebarn-street, and a baron from
one of them will grace the table of hiS establishment some
day next week ; other barons being to follow in due succession
The general display of meat was great, and of rare excellence.
Poultry and game were more abundant than even the ordinary
requirements of Christmas have hitherto called forth ; and
fruits and vegetables were arranged in the most lavish, yet
tasteful, profusion. Each of the other markets presented a
scene of kindred beauty, and of similar abundance. The shops,
also, throughout the town, were filled with large stocks of
first-rate meat of all kinds, and no lack of the season's rich and
rare abundance seemed visible in any quarter.
Birkenhead, likewise, presented to the eye of the gourmand
a similar profusion of the good things considered indispensable
as Christmas fare ; and there, as in Liverpool, the various dis-
plays were tastefully decorated with flowers and evergreens,
and brilliantly illuminated by devices in gas, many of which
were exceedingly beautiful. _ _ _

Among the caterers for the Christmas festive season, we
must not omit to mention the various purveyors of cakes and
biscuits, many of whom have vast collections of choice biscuits
and fine cakes. Of these, the display by Mr. Hutchin, of the
St. George's-hall biscuit manufactory, in St. John's-lane, was.
and still continues at once varied and excellent.