New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-26
OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTMAS.
THE HOLIDAY OF PEACE AND GOOD WILL


DaEN MADE HAPPY-PLENTY OF GOOD DINNERS.
In many respects yesterday came nearer the real
| old-fashioned Christmas Day" than any New-York
has seen for several years. There was Snow, and
lots of 1t, gray and sodden maybe in tho
business regions down town, but white, crisp and
sparkling in the upper part Of the city. The air
throughout the morning was cold without being
piercing, and bracing but not biting. The sky was
gloomy and il-tempered in appearance. but con-
siderately refraned from sending its iaky messen-
gers floating down until every one had got to
church The way home however, was stormy. But
even the snow did not detract from the general
cheerfulness, and to those who were safely housed
it possibly added the pleasure Of suggestive
contrast.
Christmas In New-York is distinctiyely the chill
dren's day and to children IL is without doubt
the landmark of the year. 1t is for them chiefly
that the great stores have within the past few
weeks or even months been putting forth their best
endeayors and striking a fair average from the
total population is safe to say that some two or
three hundred thousand youngsters yesterday re-
joced in the visit of that cherished old fraud Santa
Claus That every child whose parents were so far
removed from grinding poverty as to permit the
penditure OF even @ small sum found present in
his or her stocking goes without saying while to
those poor waits who are fatherless and motheress
the many missions and nstitutionsacte as thought
full fosterparents. Christmas present-giving among
the adults too, must have been INDUCED in to
greater extent than usual this year, If the state
ments of the tradesmen to be credited, for they
have reported a greater sale of knick-knacks, etc.
than has ever been known before.
In addition to the exchange of gifts, the day is
marked more, perhaps, than any other festival, by
the universal good cheer INDUCED in and New
Workers are always careful to see that
those less provided with this worlds
goods than themselves, shall at least
enjoy one good dinner in the year. Even those
whom their own Ill acts have placed outside the
pale of society, but not of charity, had welcome
additions TO their usual meagre fare.
Travel in this city is usually hight on Christmas
day. and yesterday was no exception to the rule.
Indeed, the snowstorm of the afternoon and even
ing tended still further to induce people to keep
within doors. The sleighing, generally so brisk,
was practically stopped after o'clock, and the
deserted park and boulevards enlivened by
no tuneful Jingle of the bells or mufied
stamp of the fast trotters' feet. Spectral trains
doomed through the driving far up aloft on the
elevated roads On the surface roads objurgations
in the choicest Hibernese Of drivers urging their
| doubled and in some cases tripled, teams along,
seemed to breathe little of the supposedly universal
| peace and charity. But those condemned to hard
| labor while others quaffng the wassail what
ever the wassail may bel can be excused little
brevity Of temper; and it speaks well for the en-
poyes of the elevated roads that inmany cases they
seemed infected with the spirit of their passengers
and of the day, and slammed the gates in the faces
of belated passengers with beamng grin in place
| of ferOcOus scOwl
The attendance at the theatres in the evening
was lighter than usual owing doubtless to the UNI
willingness of the average man, and especially the
average woman, to plough through ofeetof snow
| more or less-even with the hope OF seeing An
| American Wife, or storm Beaten" Most men
preferred the society of their own American wives
by the tireside and most of the opposite sex were
| content with the storn-beating they got on their
| way home from church in the morning.
SERVICES IN THE CHURCHES.
Against the front of the high altar of Grace
| Church great cross of carnations leanedyesterday
morning. in the centre of the cross was star OF
immortelles. Reaching out on every side were feS-
toonugs of holly and mistletOe with Its peaTly ber-
! ries The rOOd-arch wound with evergreens;
the gorgeous colors of the stained windows were
further accentuated by borders of holly, and about
each pillar was bound wreath of cedar-greens up
holding christmas tree" There was an odor OK
the winter forest pervading the entire church and
when Assistant Bishop Potter arose TO preach on
| the Nativity the great congregation seemed 10 APP
precae the oyousness the service in the perfect
| ness of every detail. The Holy Communion was held
at o am. At IL o'clock the following was the
musical programme Hymn, II, Hark the herald
| angels singD (9.) Mendelssohn; Cathedral Psalter
327. Monk; TIE Deum Landamus and the Benedlc-
tus in "Gv by Cakin; Hymn D. by Gilbert; Kyrie
| Eleison, Eyre; Hymn Is, Willis; Ofertory anthem,
Isaiah XII, Stainer, and the doxology
The interior of the Church of st. Mary the Viz
| gin was dim with the clouds of incense at tho
morning service. The altar dazzling with its
| innumerable tapers and loaded with White
| roses and carnations lilies and sprlgs
of mistletoe. On either side of the altar
bound to the pillars were two evergreen
trees The Rev. T. Mckee Brown, the rector,
preached sermon on the festival The organ ana
orchestra was under the direction OF MI PrentlSs.
! The music was an overture, THE Conservation of
the Temple" Keler-Bela; Professional Hymn 43;
Gounod Adeste FIdeles Hymn Az Novello; Mass
in b fiat. No. 10, Haydn; at the O6ertory "The
Shepherds of Bethlehem" Verdi; Recessional
HYMN 40. Schumann, and the Postlude, Festival
| March by Resch.
| st. Thomass Episcopal church in Fifth-aye. was
beautifully and profusely decorated with ever
greens for the Christmas observances. AT sunrise
| there was service at which Christmas hymns and
| carols were sung by the children of the Sunday
| school and the Sunday-school choir. At III o'clock
there was morning prayer, sermon and the Holy
| Communion. "Carol, Christians, Carol, was sung
"a a professional. The anthem was "Sing, D
Heavens, aud earth rejoice from the second chap
ter of st. Luke. The sermon was preached by the
Rector, the Rev. William +. Morgan. He took his
text from st. Luke XII: ~: "And this shall be a
sign unto ye; We shall find the Babe wrapped In
swaddlmg- clothes and lying IN a manger"
The decorations of ST. Bartholomew Church, at
Madison-ave. aud Forty fourth-st, were not elabor
ate. The altar was festooned with mistletoe and
beneath the choir-galery glowed star composed
of tiny gas-ets. The music was as follows: Process
| ainnnl .Wnnderfnl Niohtr: Yenite. Gregorian