The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-25
The HOLIDAY SEASON.
The Chris.Mes 0arEival- Decoration OF the
S1anehcs appearance Of the Mar
Rcts-The Poultry Traffic,

n VIII be no news 10 the ht,ie folks to tels them that
SnGay is Christmas. They have known that IL was
ernDg for weeks, and have taken good care tnai then
ek,crs have known also that the customary supply
S toys and presents appropriate 10 the would
~ forgotten Hundreds OF thousands OF happy homes
have been made uhant THU morning by the discovery OF
NV s,erons packages which somehow found their way
ins the stockings which had hang up the evening
previous By the Children the full belief that Santl
aus would forget them. Nor did nc; FOR tnc fancy
eooos and toy say that trade with them has never
hxn better than il has boen during the past week
Yesterday OF course, the stores were crowded with
sox.ois toammas and papas, hunting up appropriate
presents for tho le people aud yaniy endeasoTng 10
the toy dealers TO b. reasonable in Their prices
The latter however whose business does amount to
much during all the Of the year, make up for By
charging exoroi.an: prices for the poorest toys, when
they know their customers cannot help but buy.
The charming weather Of yesterday, which bright
and clear and Just cold enough make smart walk
enjoyable had eject Of filing The streets with tens Of
thousands Of present buying pedestrians Nearly every
person out bal some evidence about them OF the ap
preaching holiday one turkey, another hobbyhorse
Or cart third doll and through the entire cata
hsue uf Christmas comlts and holiday gif,s.
But tho children did not monopo2e III the presents
that were bongh, yesterday The jegelry did
aess Of last year, when the panic compelled peopIo
TWe1o their usual estmonials OF friendship and affection
The fancy goods business this has been fily
equal that Of prosperous years, acrcumsnce
vAkh shows that the general business Of tho country
uuss be good as first things in which people
mi.e when they have but little money in jus; such
kxuies.
Some idea OF the vast extent Of the traffic in holiday
presents and Christmas turkeys may be judged from the
fat that the American Express Company during the last
hve days have received and shipped from thor depot
hudson street nearly hfty loads Of presents. "a
supposed that through tho aeDcy OF this comay pre-
ssnss worth quarter Of million OF dollars ave been
aistrbuted around the country. The other express
pAnes have also done m business aud yeser
day wagons might BE- dashng every part OF
Tho city with packages containing presents Of every de-
scription.
Christmas in this city particularly observed by
adopted csizens whom il Is the great holiday &C the
year There are but few Irish families in this cly day,
however poor but will their roast for dinner
and reverence Christmas day AND s associations vi
good cheer and home comforts Is almost hereditary with
an Eng shman. The Germans, too, have the highest
regard the fes, and nj the lager bier shops the
Bowcry and throughout the city list night decorated
with Chi green's, and not icw Of them lnduged
the exuavaeancc Of Christmas tree, with It's coored
tgL,s and other faneiul embellishments.
Although the Purans discouniananced Christmas, their
descendants beginning appreciate its beautiful asso
cpons and sus gestons aud more every ycar Tho
Roman Catholics and EpscopGans have aiNayr raid due
hsuor to The anniversary of tho Nativity and The most
significant iapressyc OF their religious ecrvces
pcgSormcd on that day.
The custom Of decorating and adorplng the churches
vnh evcrgreens pictures and ilumraons on Christmas
syc xas duly observed in this city last night Trinity
ds~pr2tea with mos sxanStG TASTE. AcToas
- esncci rood scenc has erected which consists
q three painted Gothic atches surnountcd by huge
LATIN oros Tic column supporting the arches, well
sbc arches Themselves, heavily covered with ever
Greens oi white and red cedar, white pne iarch, hcn
lock spruco box laurel ivy and holly and other greens
e various hucs arttstcay combined TO completely
hide every Of the wood,n frame TIE scnGer vine
e the ivy hoAs gracefully from the column and arches
n servsls and the light rcd berries Of The holly hang
In bunohes among tho dark green leaves and form ost
charming en~,se. Ona panel above the arches arc The
vords-
Glory be 70 tod on high,
& And on earth peace and gvod Will toward men. /
,~.>. 80. .>-s
Bchspd the evereseens nxod number Of cladlos,
which nl the chanc,i with Gooi Of light, aud make
shc inscription slIrd bold relief The pillars of the
church arc also decorated with evergreen, aud the
corners of the nslcs oedArs and pines fastened,
which had a very neat eject
~ Paul chapel, Il. sephens church, =. Thomas, ~
John tbe Baptist the Church Og ,e Incarnation, and Ia
tar, al iho Episcopal churches or tn city and Brooklyn
we're moet eabofsiely decorated. Nor tho Roman
Catholic churches bchindhand Thcy also pro-
pcriy and lastcfuy decorated, ana were VISITED ~
crowds or rcvcrcntal w0rshppors during snc evening
Some a. The Unitarian and Methodist churches also
dccoralcd though 10 the th0O u tha
EpScopaian aaa Roman Catholic pcrsuasioas-
Many Of The Charitable societies will have ceichralions
to-day aud IS 10 be hoped that wealthy viii 80
so thar they abundanly supplied with ali that
ossary gladden. the hearts q the poor under tair
charge.
The courts have dourncd over to day. and but little
business viii DC transacted down during lhe after
noon.
The city markets yesterday presented mos, animated
appearance They were dcnscy throngcd ~ abe day
with heads cf fucs dong their marketing for Christ
nas OI course poultry, o some Kind other, the
great staple Of the day the poorest customers
passed by the aud ash stands without much ~
ssking tho prize oi The various tempting commodities q
that description which were everywhcre dipsyci0al
cry or game OF some kind every must have, and the
few parsons who bought joiri q Gnc nsh of
she market with guilty ar, & they ashamed e
themselves and did not wsh any c their lricns 70
them.
s, Notwithstanding the demand, there was plentiful
suIrly of fowl, and iaivcs, fcr Christmas tmcs,
s,nne reasonable.
nurlug tho week there enormous demand for
geese, mainly from Irish Iopclatou, who
have r~aohdu for thai description a food
on Christmas Day. Tho price on Wednesday hast WIS
as high fourteen cr pound for choice geese, aBd
inferior twelve pcr pound Tho supply for Tho hrt low
DAYS. however, has ben 80 great that yesterday pcc
fc considerably geese from light G twelve cents
pr pound, wah an ovcsto0kcd market and few buyers
Turkcys were selling for from twelve 20 con cents 20
pound and chickens for from 70 twelve cents. Poul
comrn that Chr stmas prices MT what uey
used to wass he secret &c which j., doubtless, that
isrcr exont Of country supplies Ncw York tan
th' case sofuo years since.
The demand eF game ua large; prairie hens acre
ceiling for SIC and 81 rer Far partrdgee Tor about the