The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-22
CATALOGUE OF CRGSUS.
SANTA CLAUS OVERLADEN.

l
mcntS-A Talking Doll-Art An
tigUes and Novelties Games.
The holidays are blessing to the business COM
| munity, though they have generally been supposed
TO be the special herlooms OF the young Every one
who has o cont to give, cent 10 spend cent
to make Is happy when they approach. They are
the periodical era OF good feeling Of mutual gene.
rosity and genuine philanthropy. For eighteen hun
dred years . sanctifled custom, derived from the
purity OF the Saviour, has been regiously celebrated
throughout the Christian world-not IN rigorous self
denial in presy fasting IN dark cloisters but in
open and Doundess pleasures with tho cream Of
earth and oil It's seproducing joys; absi.
hence, no lonRfaced hypocrisy, no chilling ceremo
mails are associated with Its historical observance
because the event Is involved grandeur single in
the minds OF men, It'll well that this week should be
considered In the way 1t is for to thousands
81 their greatest relief the humblest and the
poorest can participate IN gifts and presents. DOmeS-
tic dncultles are healed, allenated friends are
brought together shattered households repaired
and union takes the place OF discord, harmony Of
chaos. 1t Is emphaucally the time for generosity.
People do not count the cost Pleasure Is the object
To reciprocate little courtesy, to remunerate o
small service, to prefer testimonials OF esteem,
respect arection to insinuate negotiations OF the
heart TO perfect those already begun, and to con-
clude capituation OF this gently yielding strong
hold. These are some OF the offices Of the Christmas
gift Charity, in its widest scope has for fun
play, and Christmas IN this city usually develops
benevolence IN It's general characteristics that has
equal in the other great cities OF the world. New
York may be esteemed favored place during Christ
mas week. There are fun, frolic amusements OF all
kinds mingled with an elegant plenty and the wares
OF four quarters OF the globe. There PROBABLY
less than 300 600 people on this island VINO In
form another commemorate the oldest OF Chris
tian anniversaries They OF all kinds, compilations
and ages OF the rich and the poor. Whether foreign
or native the system OF giving and receiving Is uni
versay practtsed and but one principle underes
the practice-that Of time and custom. 1t matters
not what ideas Of frugaity economy man may
have, he Is required to put his hand in his pocket
and tap his purse-very considerably-often, II he
have an lmplacable wife or irresistible children
Those in poverty are more inclined even than affiu
cnt people TO renew their pledges OF fidelity and
affection. But their presents rarely take the form
Of luxuries. They deal in the smpllcties and neces
stiles OF life, but their gifts are well chosen and long
remembered. The poor widow living in penury and
want among her chdren-what more admirable
than to see her providing them with comfortable
clothing with good food and instructive books So
is is throughout the humber walks, the Christmas
holidays are looked forward to with delight
their ushering in 10 preceded by volumes
OF glorious anticipation, their actual occur
renee IS surrounded with anxious DOUBTS and after
they are over everyb ody is satisfied that 1t Is more
blessed to give than to receive" During the pre-
sent the preparations for large outlay have
been unusually elaborate. All classes of society
have embarked such sums as they deem common
surate with taeir duties to their klth and kin.
In every quarter OF the city stores, shops and ex-
hibiton rooms have been FULL The factories making
knick-knacks toys, gewgaws, toilet articles and
| everything having special sale about this date,
have turned out enormous quantities Of stock, which
is offered IN the market. The excitement Incl
dent to buying ana selling holiday has there
fore, commenced Little children in frocks and pin
azores, with mfantile ambitions to buy something
for q grandmother, trying their minute voices
upon the highest notes OF the scale long drawn
out screeches about this and that, excitingly in
Guiring, How much is this, and this, and this ~
and SO on until everything in the store is
priced. Small boys, about the age when they think
| they know the most, but really know the least
| make vain endeavors to fathom the intricate
mechanism OF some rare toy, and the article breaks
in their hands and there lot OF hows some tall
curses over the counter ana ten dollar note drops
in the til Kindly grandfathers orphaned children
whose widowed mother the gentleman courts by
pampering to their tastes, have him for their COM
| pany, and he doles out his fasl-meting pile OF
stamps. Then there are thousands OF others
| thousands VINO wait twelve hours to expend twelve
| cents thousands who wait without purchasing
anything ana thousands to take home retail stock
| Tor the nursery, and thousands who 20 about in
search OF novelties they expect to get tor nothing
II the community. especially the juvenile portion,
are happy for few weeks, the clerk and 2alesmen
| are terribly bOred-terribly annoyed. But the law
| OF compensation does not permit prolonged Inc
No one has any idea OF the extent OF the holiday
| business. Those who have stores and do not sell
holiday gifts are as follows underasers excepted
100000.
The class who buy and who therefore, are as essen
ral TO business az those who SELL is combined TO no
| locality, nationality or persuasion, the Jews or
/ course excepted The way they generally start out
on their plgrimages IS to make an excursion down
Broadway, then up aud down the Bowery, along the
i avenues, through the cheap thoroughiares down
town and all over the island. Their search Is gener
ally satisfactory but long time is spent and then
the best things are not found and to make Christ
mas present one must Ge very particular 81 Won
| curry. II wonder what would please herS' In
| cases where the donor would not mind price SO
| much rs htness 1t can be said that man would
always prefer brown stone front, corner lot or
! good investment in dividend. paving stocks. The
ladies want diamonds. "Tney are generally so be-
coming, my dear, that they are just the thing Tor
| Lulu, They suit her complexion to charm.n OF
4 course the dutiful husband buys them How queer
| 1t ~ that diamonds always match the complexion
any complexion whatever. They might be found
terribly incongruous II not convertible into money.
But precious stones are not the only wares In de-
mand; there IL something to satisfy every taste and
NIL every want and even excite the admiration OF
those accustomed TO see mechanism In its most in
trlcate forms. Toys, games jcwelry, works OF art,
bronzes china ware, toilet articles, puzzles,
| antiques relics fashions, dresses, robes, furs,
flowers and all the tempting things displayed in the
| shop windows along Broadway, rs well the
elegant necessaries, have been produced in an UNI
usual degree OF beauty this season. For the norma-
on OF the readers OF the HERALD the splendid stocks
| OF holiday goods manufactured and imported by our
enterprislng merchants have been inspected, and
| they have Dcen found TO exceed In quality and
variety anything before offered In New York. The
gratifying fact appears that what Is purely Ameri-
can Is beginning To assume tho first value in the
market and the exploded notion that all 1ncr1es
| must originate IN Europe viii be demonstrated TO
| have little foundation 10 any one caring TO