New-York tribune., 1876-12-16
IN RE ST NICHOLAS.

IN RE ST NICHOLAS.
The old Christmas saint. like other saints
and sinners, trims his sails to meet the
weather, and alters his jolly phiz to suit his
company. Here is THE TRIBUNE of to-day
and a yellow, faded sheet 12x12 dated Dec.
7, 1776, both of which contain an account OF
his doings. Christmas in New-YOrk hun
dred wears ago was but dreary business.
The American prisoners were starving in the
ioils: Whig wives, whose husbands were with
Washington's tattered army in the Jerseys
were in no humor for meTy-making; the
Tories made defiant, TancOr0us attempts at
eayety i'm the faces of their old friends and
neighbors, very much as the duelist swash-
bucklers of the day tossed off bumper
before the ground was stepped off. The
air was full of suspicion and jealous pas
sions. If there were any piOus, genial souls
who felt the influence of the gracious season
and wished to make holiday weather in their
homes there was literally no way to do 1t but
by heavier feeding than usual. There was
small chance for the purchase of gifts. The
few haberdasher shops-the Crossed Keys"
the "Bcl and Bugle,n &c.-found their supply
of paduasOys and programs scant at this sea-
son there was no trade with England or any
place else while of jewelry, pictures, music,
art of any sort, our grandmothers knew little
or nothing. OF the thousands of costly trities
which tempt the money now from wOman's
nurse at every turn, not one was known. New
York women, if of lavish tastes, sunk their
gold in chests of fine napery, in their great
bins, their hogsbeads of wine, beef, and Drawn.
Take the advertising columns of THE TRIB-
l. Al.
UNE of this morning as bill of fare to the
table which st. Nicholas sets for the matron
who proposes to make of Christmas feast for
her children and neighbors. If she means to
give them treat of wit, wisdom, or fun, here
are Music, the Drama, Literature in every
shade and quality (flling eight solid columns OF
advcrtisements), ranging from Shakespeare ana
Beethoven to circus-riders and the three-tailed
fish. If she has fancy to spend her money
in art, high or low, here are galleries for sale
such as the mother country did not own hun
dred years ago; fine engravings. mammoth col
lections of photographs and chrOmOs; here are
libraries mt auction, rare old editions which
Lamb would have carried home under his
coat. ashamed and triumphant, books which
are genuine mines of thought and books which
are heaps of unclean rubbish. If she wishes
the whole year, the good saint offers her
music, the Instruments all the implements OF
art, and its teachers. Or if she has prac-
teal turn of mind and a full pocket, what is
there which she cannot buy to warm the
bodies or delight the sense of her friends or
poor neigbbOrs? The Arctic regions rob their
seals and bears of their SKINS for her; the
cider duck sends the down from its breast to
keep her warm at night; from India and
japan come carpets more marvellous than Alad-
din's, shawls and china which are themselves les
sons in the highest art Paris sends dolls whose
dresses are worth poor mans income, and
all the world wines and meats for the Christmas
table. If her pocket is not so full, but her heart
Just as warm, old Saint Nick does not fail her.
He offers her through THE TRIBUNE wares to
make dozen homes bright and glad for the
very smallest of sums. He has caught the
desire for good artistic work too, which the
Exposition gave to the most uncultured peo-
pie and not only sets eagerly before her house
decorations from the best makers in the world,
but cheap pottery and fabrics of artistic design.
II there be any old ScroOge among our.
readers (Which God forbidD who has neither
kinsfolk nor poor friends nor needy neighbors
to make glad on the coming Christmas, he
will find Saint Nick has provided for him too:
there is q column of notices OF charities, of
succor given to the aged and poor, to orphans,
to the blind, which he can help with money
or gifts. In fact there is hardly needy suf-
ferer of any sort, from the convict in the
nearest prison to the starving outcast of Bull
garia or India, who cannot be reached by
some authorized medium in NewYork.
Such are q few of the hints which the Christ
mas saint gives us this morning. There are a
few Others which he would like to say en-
phatically, but which do not belong to adver-
tising columns. First, don't let your presents
in any case be meant as payment good
many people of mercantile souls are restiye
under obligations and use the beautiful Gus
tom of Christmas giving to pay off scores for
hospitality, kindness rendered, or still worse,
send A and b a $50 bronze because last year
they gave them $50 worth. 1t must wiring
the heart of the jolly old saint to be forced to
shoulder such Ieceipted bills. II You
want to pay old scores, find some
other season and apology. Let Christmas
of all days be given up to spontaneous good
will and kindly feeling. Secondly, take time
enough to suit your gift to your friend. The
poorest trihs which shows that you have
remembered and considered his tastes or