The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-18
A MERRY CHRISTMAS.

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Preparations for the Coming Holidays Scenes
In the streets-Kichos and Rags Bent ON
Merriment.
usual symptoms OF human lveIness and business hustle
always preliminary to the happy holidays The signs Of
The times indeed unmIstakabe. Merry Christmas IL
coming heralded by Iegions OF anticpatoy pleasures
and wreathed in bright smiles. and merrier than
when appearing in the sunshne or peace which
happily brightens the land.
As usual the approach OF festive Is first 70 be
noted 10 the quckened flow Of the living torrents that
pour through the great atores the main thoroughfarcs
Of the metropolis.
Broadway alone ID Thermometer showing the humors
Of citizens and showing also conclusiveIy In the
flow Of its mercura currents the actuaing sentiments
Of our pcopc-whether Of Joy sorrow, hilarity or
despair Do poverty misery, national dangers or the
woes OF war prevail great thoroughfare puts on its
mourning robes and manfets tho OF the people
iss black and arprehonsive f-owny but when bappi
ness is,tle moving power Of the mass when. like now
the merry Christmas time looms up in rQbicund joty in
tho immediate fcturc then II ia that broadway bursts
out into Its broades grin, IL were and aaghS gaiy IN
bright banners aud gorgcousy decorated palaces,
u blood coxrses through It With all tho impet.osiiy
inspired by health and unacyed happiness.
to the festive season sere reaariabiencser
more extensively grand gmndly sxsensivs than At
present De,uons,raave New York is rapidly working
itself into inaeasilcauon usua, holiday hilarty;
and tho fever Of ;estisy TINT always begins about this
season and .cuminatcs N the happy new year time,
gives Of being greater than beeors. Prom
ses Of extrayaea peasures-opportunes for reOiong.
social gatherings and n,eDynaiings OF all degrees Of
mirth and every fOrm OF wild haity Of exraya
methods OF fashionable enjoyment
plentfuiiy offered in the coming Despite
the very signs Of the times and the predictions OF fnan
cialy shrowd Mr. Moneybags, funds seem PLENTIFUL and
the temptations TO spoad them freely more multifa
rious than ev The degree OF lestiviy that will prevail
during any winter may always and accurately DO
determined by carefully noting the signs Of pro
parahon for two or three weeks antecodent 10 the
holidays II these extensive and o disposition
be manifested TO enter heartily into the time hon.
ored celebrations Of tho happy period coming. thou
beyond oil! peradyenture The thus auspicous;y
begun Will DO proportonatey intense in It's festive
sions It's balls roats parties opera and theatre going
So, II this be tee unfeug criterion OF precedent
judgment may find Ia the signs OF the present great
hopes Of extremely festive fatnre Tor surely
were preparations made on more extensive and ex-
travsgsnt scale than Is shown In our city to-day.
HOLIDAY "REMINISCENCES
peculiar atmosphere seems to prevail about ,he
Christians time. Rolnnscences,or childhood ako sane.
tify aud cnsen III bright thoughts superstope pleas
sn;ly weird ianc;es offspring of the early crodnlity tnAt
g'oricd the happy fslocy Of Santa Claus and his gen
erous gifts cluster about and give 10 ii tho power or
awakening instructive joys that other period Of tho
year uroase Much Of It's fascination fes-
tiys tine, desptcd spos. AID hsrsy ny the 1sthnk
nx, Vho Wow Il In aae,her tban The strictly religious
ri tpss aeasf n-n.,y revert ~ our childhood. with
its holy ioys, Its sweelest Of pleasures, lis free
Lons ftoni cares that We have suce Assumed;
In burdens which, though they weigh Us &0Sh, We
must strGggse With ad bear becefortb. Tho memory
OF Santa Cans eis Ia ssiSty bes la every heart, ami
alone would gori!y and make escred the nppy oc.r
oil the festival IL Ia The whea ala nAax
heart lcst. leei themselves 0i.idfpn rho
sentiments are tAessGYa0e naturally a.d thus 10 Il tina.
I'VE breathe d!terSai atna0s,,sero AZ
Gcach The sacred holiday Thus " is that ha40 hangs
over ngs familiar ~ everyday iie tuat Tho csowd IN
fares grand, the gterng baxaar besutcOu
and the busy OF trasn gorgeous aggregation OF
memory and isaa ginaion around The Garsiulss
time
srRvEg rrcrv2as.
Our olty has already assumed tbs holiday ASPECT.
Already Keen atmosphere ssems 70 paraxo or the
mir, inspiring qualities of tho cominq holiday aud the
crowds Of men, ani children VINO struggle along
the streeus tuck weaving and inter weaving
through and 0rd forming webs and knots and snarls Of
Humanity conb Ming Ia ka!edoc0pic chaDges nangling
Ia chaos egnatey, and resolving INTO happy regularity
still lowing onward IA never failing beauty or ensea and
nirthfuinsss Of individuality, yve gsudy show or pfepa
their meet tempting wealth Of brghfscolors and rich
fabrics jcvory establishments glitter with tto,p
naioeies yfnes aud ratsurants present oDusa cheer
anticipating tho scaLon, garnshng their wipcows with
luscious fruits or hugo launches Of juicy meats and
nanktug their portals With esh lat bucks, Economically
suggestive OF the eyp.ots Of Hcnn hood and Doachlng
Frar rucl In merry greenwood savory odoss out
pour from the noisy hail where perpetual iessing Ia
gong OIL, and sine IN the nostr OF the passcrby and
Ind and
women who panso 90 gaze wisttaiy with tier hungry
eyes az tue unwonted scene, and tlen reluctantly
tear themselves away VIZ" sshs .of the ioys
the mixed tls0ng flows ON, ana here before
. dry goods palace therc hclis an sdniring crowd.
Here. where masses or maay husa eiiks folded
rolled srd tortured artistic give their sheeby
coors most advantageous dispay. High NY the
pf richness rolls hero and there BY ioaluy
masses or docaie lace OF marvellous texture ard such
harmonious disposition thai u seems the sceno ~
translucent sea changing IN IT, hes aud soothing
oanng rich crests VI Honitop ~ va.ohconnes II II
indeed sea, In whose beausaus depths the freghted
treasure shps VI mpSudent families have
siiil being ioundetet Paer ysmsss. feels the sreeD
shusr ~ the sghf, and he tcns on I" pcrdsr argue,
and finally invest beiorethe Christaas shall nave arrived
Bul the cnarelcoa hued sea has us constant adrIrsr
and withsn smiling mercEsny, sm Iking clerks aud
pollc nssrn radiant with happiness inspired By The
extent Of hcaay irae DO the agreeable 70 troops Of
fair but cruelty eyootng cuslomerA Herr t0e Asst
preparations Tor holiday parties tss masqaeradcs and
nal love conquests bciax made. Fpr two weeks this
Will uuS'HsSS kS1h ~ win W OtilcEoA w
tese gentle Amazonsn force and the rustic o. bank
noles and silks combined iI The spprcsch Of
unlsuriiy FESTIVE OCCASION 81 enicynenl
Further In cur waDderings We COME upon tue de,
ding gisre onfeTss and treasures unoid displayed
IN rr.lusioa Ok gcaan glitter Here among tho more
dpgst oisxegfA. pause la mute admiration, several
low brouc, s1nkea o. ed ev With crse cropped hair,
square Jaws aad Loosely constructed hgures Inry gaze
lntenti eagerly, grceiiy, vita thor deep eel CARING
eyes, tns ys4t wealth oatslsesd IN tempting display
bcfots ttogp but they hevo NO RES, and gsnc ng op
preheusvok over their shoulders, sink away IA tia
crowd ~ consider Their dert, Ike prudent ctacks
nea the prospects u eniveuing their Christmas sports
by hsudns the proceeds OF the plumber ~ be gained "
their plaus succeed Gay equipages cowinS Tor prece
dence and aristocratic G,ws0ss lifting ~ unusual
frequency, give noss OF large holiday trade In gfts
bong selected for fsuda relatives or lovers The
shoe always crowded A. this season aud the
Of business done BY esch one OF our diamond
yvslscos In advance OF The Christmas holiday, would
startie political economists and ovcrturn many OF their
favorite theorea The passion fordiamonds runs
the female bcsom Al this tune, and quick sales Of
precioas stones an6 large profits are the natural
consequence. Works Of arr TOO, ind mos ready and
liberal Purchasers 81 ths period, and many works Of
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