The New York herald., 1870-12-11
THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
Christmas and New Years
@ Presents.
~~-,e~~~~e>e@<~~-~~~~~>~~~~~-
sTHESE ARE OUR JEWELS"
"A Rarnble in the Great Diamond
Houses.
THESE ARE OUR JEWELS"
Siatuary and BrOnzes, Clocks, Watches
a and Articles Of Virtu.
THE GREAT GIFT DAY.

net
without their holiday presents Whether they be |
costly or cheap-whether II IS tie purse OF the mil
nonnairc or the mall savings OF he artisan that
drawn upon for the purchase-these Christmas pre- |
sents are equally beautiful ana sacred. How many |
bright young eyes look up with beams OF intensified |
love into the fathers face on Christmas morning, |
when the little gift is presentcdl How many wife |
presses to her heart the smplesl token OF hus- |
bands love, or the jewel almcs5 above price No |
matter which, It IL equally valuable and endeared to
her, as the symbol Of an honest anection which |
has kept It's torch burning along the path |
that leads back for many year, which |
memory follows uow to the bridal ana the
honeymoon Aud is there not a most tender emo
ton stirred when the maiden accepts with blush
ing happiness the Christmas gift which perhaps ia
only the delicate prototype OF the greater GIFT throb
bingly hoped ior-the loving donor hlmself In this
case memory is not retrospect. Indeed, 1t is not
memory, but prophecy, that warns the maiden's
heart ana makes her beautiful eye glsten.
And thus, with rich and poor-the youthful and
the oid--n households where tawdry splendor
often mocks the genial soul Of hospitality, and IN
the humblest home where honest virtue sancuhes
the poor mans Gresloe. these Christmas gifts come
like the presence OF angels, bearing blessings on
their pinl0ns.
WHENCE COMES THIS CUSTOM
OF Christmas gilts2 IL IL doubtless the instructive
impulse which grew out Of the drst great Christmas
festival, when God gave to man the most precious
Of all gifts His only Son. to become the preacher OF
divine philosophy and the martyr OF an eternal
faith The first act OF man, In order to show his
devotion to that helpless infancy Of Divine humanity
nesting In the manger at Bethlehem, was to offer
gifts, rich gifts from the East pronered by the hands
Of kings. with tokens Of love and gratitude. These
offerings OF gold, frankincense and myrrh were the
first Christmas gifts. They were laid by men
at the feet OF the mysterious God, and SO
from that day to this. between man and man. these
tokens OF friendship and love annually pass on
every beautiful Christmas festival. Christmas day,
therefore, essent ally the day OF gifts The young
welcome it with childish giee and throbbng expec
taton; neither do the Old despise It, In age as in
youth the heart is open TO the most delicate touches
Ofancction.
As for the beautiful legend OF
SANTA CLAUS,
that has gone up 10 the top story OF the household
away up to the regions of the nursery. lovely
cOnceit it is for venders OF toys; witchlng deu.
siop oo for the young believers in the ancient fur
coated Dutchnlan-neophytes as they are In the
worlds mysteries--who hear IN their dreams the
tramp OF the REINDEER and the jingle OF the bells,
and the voice OF encouragement.
Now Dasheri Dancerl Prancer vixenl
On, Comet on, Cupid on, Dunder and Blixeni
But we fear that 'sYoung America is becoming
sceptca about this delicious myth and that many a
stocking is hung up on Christmas with sly
wink from each urchin who is beginning to detect
that it is the generous hands OF those who provide
all other domestic comforts and pleasures which fill
the stocking with all its glittering toys and not the
old spowaden traveller, with his tradtoDary beard,
hairy cap and well filed pouch, who comes down
the cnimn ey
However. santa Claus In the nursery Is the hero o.
the brightest chapter III tne life OF man. In the
dreary night OF mid winter, though the wind hows
without singing weird songs through the skeleton
trees, he comes In glow of sunshine u.lon the
sleep OF youthful innocencea Sunshine that leaves
thousand sweet remembrances behind, which ex.
pand far beyond limits OF the nursery, and per-
haps brighten the future years OF the man with the
recollection Of scenes and hours when to believe in
santa Claus was not so bad after all-when he may
come to think that it Was happier to be innocent and
credulous than to be stepped in the intrgues OF life
and to have become a practical unbellever In
everything In which The heart claims mastery over
the brain. Santa Claus and his associations, there
fore may last for another generation at least. BY
that time little ones, If we may Judge from the
present current OF progress be Ike fullarm et
Minervas, panoplied with knowledge and wisdom
at their very birth. And when that comes tt
pass farewell TO the reign of Santa CLAUS and all the
happy delslons belonging to the legend which
Cnarned our grandmothers and grandfaLhers il
their unsor nlstOCaEed Childhood.
with the intention of showing wnere the most beau-
tfui Christmas gifts can be had, as tar as taste and
fancy lead U.S. obedent 10 the DECK OF Beauty'i
fairy wand we seek
The fretted splendor of each nook and niche
where the exquisite 1ligree Of art In sparkling gems
wrought into elegant forms first invites u.s. 'I
short'-as MicaWbcr would say-Wc 60 to
TIFFANY'S,
the Alhambra OF Union square. Here ones eyes
are daZzed with the array OF jewels in every shape
that glitter in tie form OF rings, bracelets, neck
laces brooches, earrings, and the magnificent full
1nOads OF the finest llstre. Who can measure lht
cost, or who can describe the variety In these lont
counted by milllens; the variety can only be mea
sured by the infinite skill OF the designer and th'
artincer. The superb stock OF
first attracts the visitor They are around in every
form Of delicate workmanship, all executed too, as
indeed, are nearly all The articles IN the collection
by Tlfranys own workmen. The most gorgeous or
naments are the full diamond SETS one or which
containing necklace, earrings, brooch and bracelet
THlRrY-sEvEN THOUSAND DOLLARS
OF course there arc sets of much less price, run
ming as low as So 900 the variety OF brooches pins
rings, charms, earrings and other ornaments. im
parting TO the diamond case the dazzling Drilllanc.
CONSTELLATION OF SUNS.
More modest, though hardly less expensive are
There Is one magnificent set, consisting Of brooch
brilliants single srring Of pearls, the mos
perfect that Cey6n aiver br ought up from th
OcptlS OF the IuQl2n OCcal Is Valucu AT SlZ,uuo-s
costly ornament Tor some fair throat, but one tina
an empress might wear and feel proud. Most o
these pearl sets are meant for
BRIDkL ORNAMENTS,
but many Of them are got Hp for that specially
There only prerequisites to render the rares
OF these jewels ayaiabie--the money TO pay TO
them and the bride to wear them. No doubt some
purchaser Will come along one OF these days u
whom fortune has gwen both requisites
BEArUS vIR
Next to the diamonds and pearls in brilliancy i
the silverware Of which there is a gitterng stock
one dinner SET conspicuous above all, is remarka
bic for the beauty or It's design and the fine finish
the chasings. 1t stands supreme among all tn
other dinner and breakfast sets, and can be laid Oh
any gentlemans table fer the moderate sum 0
100000. Looking around this branch Of the estab
shmen we are disposed 10 think that there Is moth
Inc flner In the line or sllverware In the world a
regards Superior workmanship than that which sur