The New York herald., 1871-12-24
Scenes i'm the Stores and the
Spectacle Of the Streets.
Creature Comforts for Christmas
Conviviality.

Tonight the chimes OF the church bells WI u on ce
more make the keen winter air musical with their
clamorous warning Of the eve Of tho great festival
OF Cnrstend0m, and the four hundred mil.
hons OF tho children Of the Gross will Joy.
Ousy prepare for another celebration OF the birth Of
their Lord So widespread II the area Of its kindly
1nnuenoe that Christmas may, indeed. be regarded
"a the universal holiday Of the whole earth. Where
ever the name ana the faith Of Jesus have been
carried this DAY Of days WIN be gladly honored
with thanksgivings and rejoicing hymns and social
Sestivities And few, indeed are the lands however
savage and inhOspitable In which the story OF the
CrCss has not been told Christmas, therefore, IL
Infinitely more than mere nasional holiday; Il Is
NJ one universally accepted season OF gladness ana
toy-nos OF ono race or people, bus OF Ill who pro-
~ and call themselves Christana.
1he spirit which has always characterized tho
celebration OF rhis holy festival " emnensy worthy
- - noble and pure faith in whose calendar Of
holy days II 10 found. Other gelAgions have had
on high festivals but have beeA either orgies OF
luss and glurtony ana drunkenness, or the stin
DARKER savurnslla Of blood and esualty. But, by
aommoD e0nnone Ohytstm6 - bean nceopssd -
~ season Tor the reunion Of famllles the recon
ciliation OF OLD feuds and Qlarrels. and, last and
greasess II al, for tsnderly caring for the widow
and tho orphan, sne unfortunate, the criminal and
he miserable. Il is indeed, widely recognized
truth that NO man can worthily enjoy the glad in.
Ausnces Of the time unless he Ii at peace with all
his IellowA and has given some substantial
token OF hs lively sense OF that brother
hsod Of all men, which Jesus Cnriss made
ono of tho principal features Of His teachng while
On earth. How can we calmly osaesrsse tho coming
of Him who said, "The poor ye have always with
jour- whine we know that almost within earshot Of
our table the poor he Starving with cold and hun
gsrs But already ample preparations have been
a. Nw ~r >hn
% far - possible the lot Of The wretched the
unhappy. Many . dark and dismal tenement.
whose Inhabitants never visited with the faint
cot glimpses Of comfort except st these rare sea-
sons, when memories OF our dependence upon COM
mon Father have opened the hands Of the favorites
Of fortune VIII be noisy with mirth and radiant
with happiness. surely . festival which rains
down an influence such ~ this may justly be CON.
sidored fair proof OF the purity Of the faltn OF
which u u . part
1t u common truism that we have but too few
hOldayA and that our busy American life would be
nj the better for more frequent OF reaxa-
oon. And we have all, NO doubt as children. aud
perhaps even as adults wished either tacity or in
words, that Christmas would come twice instead Of
ence year. Perhaps here and there too, some
man with goomIly speculative turn Of mind has
followed out the consequences that would ensue II
Christmas were for Q few years altogether struck
out Of the list Of holidays. We need not however,
ssek for evidence Of the universal appreciation OF
Christmas BY remembering oommonpaces such as
these. Christmas celebrations are among the hap.
psest memories OF the majority OF all men, ana the
very name OF the day seems to I'LL the heart with
Giadness and enable ~ to look at the world
shrough kindly spectacles. Christmas family din.
ner-what Q wonderful carnival OF mad merrimens
= II though tinged. perhaps, now and then with q
few CLEANS OF tenderness, which add to It's charm
me reassembled home circle. the constant current
0f gayety that carries everything before 1t, the
s&Quips and oranks and wreathed smiles, tnat are
the assured witness OF guileless, happy hearts ana
clear oonsciences. ana now and again, from some
elder member Of the company. touching xluslon
to the Chrstmastides OF the past ana the kind
hearts that were then his boon companions bus
have now crossed tho dark river-tnese have been
0ften sung and written about and painted on the
magic canvas Of genius. The frequency with which
such subjects alluded to is an evidence Of the
hold which the festival has taken ON the affections
OF all Christian men.
We present below articles that give readable, and,
perhaps, also instructive, accounts Of the various
aspecu Of this browning holiday Of the year, and
We commend them to the careful attention OF our
readers.
SANTA CLAUS.
who was Santa Clausi We are all familiar, and
have been from our earliest childhood, with the
quaint figure with long beard and cheerful. ruddy
complexion, and twinkling eyes and snow-be-
spriAklsd hood and mantle. whose kind ofncos filled
our Christmas morning stocking or was. at any
rate. supposed to have been our beneactor, But is
santa Oausa historical parsonage or IL he as pure
myth - In our rpcr years we have learned to re-
Sard Was his agency In nlllng our pockets with
candies. and our hands with toys and trfnkets and
our hearts Win Christmas JOY ana gladness There
can oe no doubt that he H. though the story Of his
hioh by no means 80 clear and authentic as It might
b. Santa Claus is contraction OF st. Nicholas. and
81 Nicholas lived ana died In Asia Minor about the
fourth century after Christ. He was a very good
mani was made Bisnop Of Lydia; nearly suffered
martyrd0m In the great persecution of
Dioclelan, but escaped and survived TO be-