New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-25
THE FEAST or GIFTS.

II m@rry Christmas to you but that is old and
sAEeyed; ever body b ss teid the same to every
sdy Sc year after yea, generation after generation
Ftst shall 1t Re, then We have eagerly sought for
suehiog new 10 say about this Festivals ,me FRESH
aA rto undiscovered associations with which to hal
Nv lite venerable prtsen in our nidst-but all in
,sp Christm "a stories, Christmas carols, legends,
sBebJstions Gust Dms, your own experiences, reader
nd ycur leeful expectations, buetyed child, have
,tersted the once boustifol subject we despair and
subrn o. gracoosy as we may to the necessity of in
Eetlsg q tale hundred times told. But what mat
vi Christmas makes children Of US ALI 8 bright
reu holy wresthes even witoered hearts with cheer
thlss. als then with youthful thoughts and me no.
ts. 18th childlke faith in its Christian promise; men
,nd woueu will sccept our homey gresting without
tyiing about fssiidious phrases Adoisonian rhet
si, ana to the little nothing kindly is ye fla
ssls
christmas is come " ia shouted on the air by the
rpgirg voices Of chidIeD, and many t'emblI gray
srs even co 1ld not but each the sound and repeat
4. ,trerdsy night, on the holy Christmas eve Sit
Spg enc with bis friendly pipe by the fire, he must
prfo O. wsave visions from The curling, dreamy smoke,
md ire pale star Of his memory, rekindled by the
usaic sentence rose TO lead his uncertain thoughts
sIoy.y hut surely back TO the days when Christmas
Eue wss the neniest Of all the happy, careless year
IN lie plesssnt home where he was born, the cosy
A,mbsr q here be wss craoed. Once more he WAS a
ssry pated, laughicg urcbir, scarcely breecoed. 1t
hChligtns. eve, cold and bright and clear for weeks
leila. ar xiously looked forward to this day of al
WSsys 10 the Y aI"-aId bee it 70, close upon him.
No tfic'ous nursery maid knowing schoolfelov or
"stiCtiy PRACTICAL paent has yet over brown his re-
6gi ma Gsith in Santa Claus; tucked in his soft,
white bed almost troubled with the Happiness and ex
pee alton which fill his throbbing little heart, he lies
breaihhtsy wstcbog for IT, good SAINT VINO has
never YET passed by bis appealing stocking he plainly
,es q u ~ steioUs personege goirg from 1901 10 r1ot
and rapidly descending each tall chimney, while
The Gus elly. ehsIec chariot, laden with toys ana
6rayn by fairy hor es all covered with tiny bells WAITS
ou,jde Twenty times he is sure be heard me QUICK
fa oftl eli, silYeIe hoots on 10 On houss"P aau 'o
tnl ing # the u.csl bells as the efn team sake
them ia the clear crtDg air; but as oiten ITO uis
ADJ OIL ted and trying with al bis m'eht 10 Se'P HIS
heavy g, eids )en fslIs asleep. The morrow come''
and oil regret at rot having seen santa VI iu' ~ !on
il quickly swallowed up IN the dehght OF ne" Joys aau
curions snparplums and famous Christmas tree the
s,oo ., The dsv Al the dan at night are so geefu
40 wildly meny tb It at he recollection the old man
I.pgh. soud-tbe pipe drops from his feeble h6gers
and the etc. the lights, the music the gay gueS'' VOL
;sb as suddenly ss a chld's bubble
Ti,tre are some who refuse TO enter into the genia
festivities of Chri.tmss-G rsdgTnds and Boundeibys
M strictly dsciplinaIian schoo', who boast tost
s,,h Themselves nor their children have ever 'oed
In the ensnarpg Ieviies of the world nor ever POI
sessed toy; that from the cutting OF tner tee'u 70
fbe putting on of long gowns and dress coats every
NOV, nent had been by rule, every surrounding o'
str;t utility These too hateful, too unna'ura'
TO Us 20 be even discussed lei their oes ana tue
effects &C their "systems be painted oy mas'er
artis.s only-by Thsckersy or DICKENS. Iueu
unhhDpy victims, however, have eur ivelest syinpa-
As,. a xomsn who has never been the posseSSor u
n doll. tea4et or 8 baby house: a man VINO n'S
never owned tops and kites and seds-nor ever kno VI
aCilistmas-is deprived Of the dearest blessing oil
mature ase-the recollection Of careless, nsPpy
childhood. Sucb. indeed have had no calldhcou'
without the associations of playtbiogs and i'in'na
hons hold games and Christmas 'ys, what Is IL out
stsie of miserable incowpleteness and unquesnonng
subsection to an iron rule
We are too apt 10 think Of expensive toys anu
elaborate amusement. for children as things OF IN que u
improve neut demanded by the ephgotenm9o' auu
fnilh our progressive age, and brought 10
perfection by the cunning SIX II of our workmsu '1e
superiority Of our machinery; 1t 10 eAsly
bouev,r that by The sncients these were considered
mateTe sufficiently lnpoItaFb W VON"P' =, =.
Of the wisest philosophers and thst' so ia' as rue'
mecbsnism and curousness are concerned, our n'"'
one have 10 advantage over the Greek ana nom 81
bal5.s ulo .uned their dolls and danced ihAf pup
pet hun6,eds Of years ago -,
Dolls we're then, Io~, especial aVoi''eS "''u ~
;uye,i&s, made Of pasebosrd or ivory or precious
vood,-some,iues e1trsvsgsnly jeWeled-they were
offered as a most acceptable sacrifice to Venus oy
,oups Roman virgins, TO propitiste the goddess snu
Obtain tie desirable boon of happy marriage Inc
puppets. however, were the most wonderful 81 au'
ESQ lerectly wrought" says Aristotle, ma tuey
moved their beads and bands, their shoulders, ana
"eyep their eyes, and sometimes all their limos TO-
90 oetber; and that with delightful elegance aud mar
g NOV Of motion" These were made ofe0est OF
;vorv hut some even Of silver, with joints and ms
,h,, CIV 40 curious contrived that they performed
nav. cbarsdes dances and the like with the utmost
grace aud iie-ike ease.
Tbs wise. sefmortifying St. Jerome says Let
".hiIdrn be given all the most e1qu's''e sweets
"xbst Is most delicious to the TASTE HeS"ee' ~ ~
"s,, oo.t radiant in jewels, most charming q" '0's
..a - we're p.rents charged even in the DAYS wnel
ar .,ere Socrates or the divine Plato whipped a"
,,huosophic top about the classic stee's' Inc uu.S
,es. epioined upon the fruitful OF the N,ne'een'i
Trtury; and s tbi, n, when the rich wi' eSp'n'
thaus.nds on elegant ingenpities and even tne
a.. o,, "a r shIings from hard earned wages "r sa