Morning journal and courier., 1886-12-27
uow oHRIsrmAs WAS SPENT.

Many Festivities and the Usual Mum.
 ber of Presentations and Soctables-
 St. Nicholas, Genial Presence Felt
 Among All Glasses.
 Christmas has come and gone. The day
 was a bright and golden one and was thor
 eroughly enjoyed by all. In the churches it
 was characterized by rich vocal and instru-
 mental music, and the programmes in many
 of them were varied and entrancing. The
 bells of the Episcopal churches drew large
 congregations to hear fine programmes of
 sacred music. At the Trinity and St. Paul's
 specially fine Christmas services were rem
 dered. In the other Episcopal churches fine
 programmes of sacred music were rendered
 and specially prepared sermons delivered.
 All the Episcopal churches were handsomely
 decorated and trimmed with eYergreens.
 In the Catholic churches the services were
 elaborate and appropriate. At the cathedral on Hillhouse avenue six priests of the Do-
 minican order conducted the services. The
 Rev. Father Linahan preached the Christ
 mas sermon. At St. Patrick's five
 public masses were celebrated and
 large congregations attended them all.
 The Rev. Father Russell preached the ser
 mon. The other Catholic churches all held appropriate and very grand Christmas exer-
 cises The churches and altars were all
 handsomely decorated. At the First Metho- dist church a Sunday school concert and 8 Christmas tree and gift distribution for the Sunday school took place in the evening. The services wero under the charge of Chas. L. Baldwin and passed off very successfully in every respect. At the East Pearl street Methodist church, Fair Haven, there was 8 similar gift distribution, and in this case it included the pastor, the Rev. Edward Gun
 ninyhan, who was presented with very handsome geld watch and chain by his par | ishioners.
 not eat Christmas dinner were very much | in the minority. The charitable institutions, lodging houses, homes, orphan asylums, refuges, hos | pit als and jails almost without exception spread bountiful Christmas dinner, and in addition in many cases presents were freely distributed. The benevolent people who | aided in the good work of helping to provide | good dinners for the poor and lowly can feel 1 assured that their kindness was fully appre- l ciated. The poor people were principally ! fed through the aid of the Board of Associ- ated Charities and cash donations amounting l to $50 were received by the board, which l went towards providing dinners for the | needy. Some of the people who contributed generously and not for the first time are Miss Wurts, G. s. Arnold, Mrs. Belle Har- | riss, l. H. Mansfield. Mrs. Winchester, F.
 J. Stevens, G. H. Scranton, Mrs. H. Fitch, ! Mrs. E. L. Austin, R. A. Brown, Mrs. R. F. Bolles, Mrs. D. Stone and the Church of the Redeemer Sunday school. At the Home of | the Friendless Christmas tree entertain ment for the inmates was given. Presents were given to all the inmates. A few of those who contributed freely were Mrs. oseph Sheffield, Mrs. Hotchkiss, Mrs. Bunnell, Emily Booth, Miss Chaplain, Miss Daven- port and the United church Sunday school There were many tokens of good will shown | between employe and employer. Superin- tendent w. H. Stevenson was pleasantly surprised Friday by some of his subordinates. F. w. Willoughby was presented with din- ner and 8 tea set of 125 pieces by the Elm City Banjo club. The young ladies in the telephone office were remembered by many of the subscribers. They received many and tasteful presents. Members of the New Haven Checker club held "open house" at their Insurance building rooms. Notwithstanding the bad weather the day before Christmas there were very large sales on that day in various stores, and at Monson & Carpenters the sales much exceeded those of the day before Christmas year ago, which was pleasant day. The merchants in gen. enal took much prized rest from labor Christmas afternoon, the stores generally closing at noon.
 Friendship, kinship, domesticity gave zest to the home banquets. The bumper was filled, the toast was drunk and from thou sand homes went up the jovial hail "A Mer " Christmas"
 One of the prettiest features of the Christ mas season, as usual, were many homes bril- liantly lighted Christmas eve or Christmas night, and the many happy faces to be seen enjoying the gay and happy scenes about the Christmas trees.