The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-25
c HRS 7 M As DAY.

Preparations for the Celebration In the City.
To-day there will be general suspension of business
among citizens to celebrate the anniversary of the
birth Of the Messiah The law courts will all be closed
and judges, ures lawyers and clerks win rest awhile
from their labors The children in the public schools
are to have holiday so that they may enjoy them
selves without the fear Of hard lessons before their
eyes. The Custom House win be open only hour in
the day, as win be seen by the following
No1IcE.-Monday, 25th inst, being Chr stmas Day,
the Custom House will be open from from to 10 o'clock
a. M ''' H iEs J. REpFiEi.D Collector. '''
JOHN ROMEYN BRODHEAD, Naval Officer.
JOHN COCHRANE, Surveyor.
OF course the usual festivities will be INDUCED in.
The eating houses and restaurants down town will be
deserted as all who have homes to 60 to win share with
their families the inevitable roast turkey and plum pud
ding rendered sacred by sria custom Some win go
to church and others will attend theatres, aud all win
amuse themselves and be jolly the hard times win
permit
It is to be hoped that the poor will not be forgotten
and that those favored with this worlds goods viii be
able TO look back the 25th day Of December 1884,
day haowed them by deeds Of charity and kindness
to the suffering poor.
As usual our military friends will be out in full force
to-day. Among others the Rynders Grenaders will at
tract little attention Last year they asonished the
natives p but this year they expect to amaze both
natives and foreigners. They will parade under the
command Of Maj. George B. Hall and after passing
through the principal thoroughfarcs Of our city, they
viii pass in review at the Park before Gen. Ward B.
Burnett Of the New York Volunteers and finish the day
by grand Publication at Tammany Hail.
For weeks past the store windows along Broad
way given strong Of the approach Of the
jolly good natured Santa Claus Here. in this one is
collection of the rarest kinds Of toys set out in the most
attractive to catch the eyes Of all who have
any Juvenile friends to remember at this particular
time Horses Of every description for the boys, dolls Of
all sizes for the girls miniature houses with furniture
to match masks to suit every TASTE Jacks in boxes and
Jacks out of boxes snakes that wgge and twist every
way the most natural manner handsome CHINA sets
for small parties for babies that keep
awake and cry whenever they required with basin
and all the other requisites to wash the faces OF the
aforesaid babes Then there are any variety Of birds
beasts and fishes for such Juveniles as feel zool0gcay
inclined The future Cuviers and Buttons may find
among these enough to interest them for months
than elephants, fish whose scales are warranted
to fall of, dogs that bark on the
slightest proyocation houses that run on wheels and
gaop rockers lions and tigers with the most amiable
looking faces forgetting all animostes at
this particular season, and treating their enemies to
horn donkeys with ears out of all proportion; whales
that always spouting cats at their legitimate
patton Of catching MICE and hundreds of animals that
It would be impossible to name, SO different are they
from any classified by the naturalist, all herding
together in the most friendly manner, and throwing
rival happy families far in the shade For those
have taste for such things there stag hunts, in
which the stag never overtaken and the hounds
always kept at the distance regiments Of soldiers
on horseback and foot that are warranted always
stand fine and to fall before they fy and which
discharged till they are peasfull.
Passing from the toy shops, which are generally sur
rounded by eager crowd of youngsters next
to the markets. where the eye If not the stomach is
Toasted with profusion of all that ministers to the ap
petite Vast piles of poultry and
nfu mar n11nuQ md ~
tentious size dressed with red and white ribbons and
adorned with Christmas green's Not indeed, that all
the poultry to be nded for of them bore
every mark Of extreme old age, and had decidedly
venerable appearance but then they carefully kept
out OF sight or and adorned BY their
rivals Then there baskets Of apples and vegetables
of every known variety AL were busy-there might be
hard times in Wall street or In Broadway but the
ket on Saturday at least never looked SO busy and
thriving.
world. 1t is only within the last few years that much
notice has been taken Of it by people The Catholics
and Eplscopalians have always observed the day. but
of Christs BIRTH They denied that the Saviour was
born on the 25th day OF December as the nights
sside related in the second chapter Of St.
Luke This objection would hold good that the
weather is cold in Palestine it H. New York New
England But leaving this vexed question to musty old
commentators there is question but that Christmas
is great institution At least the little folks think So
and it is to be hoped they have not estimated its
value to them, this year, anyway.
It may be refreshing to readers to know that the
weather was not always as cold about Christmas times
1t has been this year. We informed that sixty
years ago. in Salem the ship Betsey 100
tons, was launched on Christmas day. with the ther-
mometer at so degrees, and that it warm that
the men and boys INDUCED in swimming, as in
Now, this might have been very agreeable and safe
e. sixty year; ago but we don't think
year, with the Thermometer at Its present average.
Religious bodies, with the exception Of the Catholics
and Episcopalans, will not have any services in their
In the Catholic church. however, Christmas is regard
ed as holiday Of strict obligation the members being
required to attend in the morning and refrain
from all kinds of work. High is said in all the
churches, and sermons appropriate to the day are
particularly to be in their donations to the
Orphan Asylums and other benevolent institutions un-
der the charge of the Sisters of Mercy and other re
gious orders.
The Episcopal church celebrates the day by additional
services according to the prescribed forms Of her ritual
and decorates her edces with evergreens. In Grace
church, in addition to the regular service the order of
music contains choice selection, win be BY the
following programme
ORDER OF THE MUSIC AT GRACE CHURCH, FOR CHRIST.
nAsDAY, 1854.
Venite exultemus Domino.
Gloria Patria, composed by Spohr.
Te Deum laudamus composed by Hughes.
Benedictus, arranged from G. NJ Won Weber, by King
Psalm xviii, v. l, II, 49, IA, composed by King
Thy mercies, Lord, shall be my song,
Ny fong on them shall ever dwell;
To ages yet unborn, my tongue
Thy never falling truth shall tell.
Thine arm is mighty, strong thy hand,
Yet, Lord, thou dost with justice reign:
Possessed Of absolute command,
Thou truth and mercy dost maintain.
Thy saints shall always be oerjoy'd,
Who on thy sacred name rely;
And in thy righteousness employ'd,
Above their foes be raised on high.
For in Thy strength they shall advance,
Whose conquests from thy favor spring:
The Lord Of Hosts is defence,
And lsrael's God, our Israeps King.
Christmas hymn, the XIV, composed for this day by
King.
After the sermon, sthe anthem (words selected
from the Psalms Of David,) will be sung by Mrs. Bod
STEM the music composed for her by sgnor G. N Tor
rente
SURPRISE FOR THE POOR IN WILLIAMSBURG.
yfoc hal 70