National Republican., 1882-12-26
CHRISTMAS IN new YORK.
The Hubbub Of Preparation for the Holidays in
Busy Gotham.
The Gorgeous Displays Of Tempting
Things in the Shop Windows
The Difference Between Christmas Celebrations al the
North and in the South
"Reminiscences OF Holidays i'm Washington
in eye OIden Time.n
Special Letter.

NEW YORK, Dec. 23.-'Thc sparkle and en-
thusiasm of Christmas preparation has been
manifest in the streets and in the shops for
the last three weeks. Either the Knickcr-
booker influence of the early days of Manhat-
tan islend,s Arst settlers stil influences this
holiday season, or, as is most probable, the
German element, which composes two-thirds
of the city's present population, is infused into
the modern New York. Whichever il may
be, no one can step into the streets without
seeing that the day of mcrrymaking is near.
The old and young, rich and poor are all ont
making purchases. In front of all the notable
shops stand long lines of carriages waiting for
the occupants who are buying goods with
which TO make Christmas presents, and all
public vehicles arc crowded nights and morn
ings with people who have been down town to
shop and, returning after the day is over,
laden with parcels of all sizes and all shares
All night long Is heard the rumble of trucks
and express wagons, the same as in the busiest
season in spring, bringing in merchandise and
taking presents ont of the city.
Those whom necessity comppls to study
economy with the pleasure Of giving. rcscrvc
this season To purchase whatever may he re-
quired for their families comfort individ-
ually or collectively, and gifts range from
bIb cs' socks 10 parlor furniture, inclusive of
everything in wearing apparel and cahinct
right for donor and recipient. But the pos
SCISSOR of unlimited means selects with care
from among the many beautiful things with
which all the stores attractivCly display az
tlfis holiday time.
SHOPS AND SHOP WINDOWS.
To walk up and down any of the business
streets and avenues. where the particular
goods designed toT the holiday trade are on
exhibition is very like walking through a
museum of art and factories of useful articles
oi the latest inventions. All the stores dis
play the most bcwildcring and multitudn6us
array of temptation in the form of all kinds
of goods which skill, ingenuity, art, science,
ana manufacturers can put before the public.
Window dressing has become an art in Trade
and one who has taste in this direction re-
ceives good salary for his gift, The dry
goods stores display silks and stufls in a be-
wlldcring maze of beauty; the fancy stores
ribbons, laces, gloves and hosiery. One win
dow will be entirely filled with fans-fans
little and big, cheap and costly of every
imaginable device and color. overlaying onean-
other from pavement to window top Another
store will be all feathers, ribbons, and artificial
MOWERS OF the most cn.iCmg Colors: in an
other there will he so many dolls that one
would imagine the people in far away Son
nenberg have done nothing but make dolls
all the last year were it not that the next
shop is SO crowded with toys as to show indi.
tatigable industry of that German toy manu-
featuring towns. The most attractive win
dows to the children grown are the bookstores
which are filled with everything ever written
or published from the days of Moses to the
present, done up in bindings so dainty
and beautiful asto be fit for the handling of
those who dwell in kings palaces and have
The handling of kings purses Next, pcr-
maps, the most miscellaneous crowds gather in
front of those few windows of uT~tOwn china
stores, wherein are dispayed china so bcauti-
full mint tad hat
the average citizen for n work of
art. These beautiful wares do not
come into the houses of the common people,
Tor often one dinner set costs $4,000 or 81 600
and the purchaser of that ware on which the
Workingman's Christmas dinner is to be
'crNcd must go into the east side, where shops
't every degree extend the entire length of
,hc Bowcry, almost to Harlem.
The display in half-do2en Broadway and
tllth avenue jewelers. windows is most daz-
%inE, and different shops attract by some
special goods. One in the beauty, richness,
9nd wonderful designs of silver ware, an
other in uniqucness of gold ornaments an
other the variety of watches, and another dia-
mondS. Unless one studies diamonds it is
supposed all are alike, but when shown by an
expert these diamonds arc clear cloudy, white.
milky yellow, and as various in form and
shape of cut AS the stones on the scashore
One house shows a novelty in n blue diamond
valued at Sl2,000 and black diamond about
the size of a pea, at$NOO each nesting in soft
cotton, and when exhibited held out of arms
reach of the hehOldcr
Within few years there has sprung I'M on
Eighth avenue II number of large stores
wherein an excellent assortment of staple
goods is Kept. These stores are patronized
mostly by the Germans and in Christmas
week this avenue is the gayrst in the city par
ticularly evenings when the stores and win
dowS are brilliantswith electric lights and the
sidewalks lined with booths wherein are dis
played the innumcrable tinkly wares consd-
cred essential to illuminc Christmas trees be-
sides the smaller wares of household furnish
ing and clothing apparel-goOds that attract
aud can be readily carried away by the pur-
chasers. Piles of eycrgrecns, holly, and small
Christmas trees show the intent of the sales
even if the decorations of all the booths We're
not signs of the time. Crowds of men. women
aud children iostle one another in the most
good natlircd way, laughing and chattcring
IN German, and the whole il SO un-Amcrican
that little imagination places it in Che far
away Fadcrand.
This out of the ordinary conventional New
York side of life is more attractive to the
average citizen, or the one looking for novel
ties, than the stad, respectable thorough
fares of Broadway, Fifth avenue, Fourteenth,
and lwcnty-third streets, which belong to
the wcll-to-dO citizen who can afford to
GratllN ms tANt" ana MS generosity with the
attract 'ons displayed in their many shop
windows.
CHRISTMAS IN THE NORTH.
Were it not for the prevalence of Germans
IN New lork, the custom of merry making
in the city would he a very tame affair, or
SINK entirely into disusc because the money
getting citizen has 50 little time TO waste
from business. While the Germans are the
most industrious and thrifty of all New YOrk's
tiypuS thpts 10
and 1t Is they who have built up all places of
amusement, aud in this love of fun, and
their necessity for social intercourse
saved the city from being u mere place et
business drudgery. In so doing they have
grated many of their time hOnOrCd customs
upon Their American habits and in their love
oi traditional observaucCs have made Christ
mas time something as ii is in Germany.
With the added influence of the followers of
the catholic and episcopal churches Christmas
IN New \ Ork is a season of social fcstivity "A !
church celebration, and breathing place for
New lorks tired, overwOrked humanity
whom ii is is hoped see in this season "of
peace on earth, good will to man." foretaste
OF the brighter land beyond where ledgers are
unknown and the weary rest,
CHRISTMAS SOUTH.
With all these weeks of preparation for
Christmas here and with the German nation
alities added to the picturesque and musical
rituals OF the churches Of Rome and England !
Christmas in a commercial city like New York |
where money interests control everything, is |
not the spontaneous outgoing of natural |