The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-16
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.

E :Anglomania has its roots down in the
very cookies OF some Americans hearts
All my holly and mistletoe are inn
ported from England. announces one
of New York's eminent florists When
asked why, he said: ut sells better
and at higher prices The florist may
not be an anglomariac, but he is shrewd
enough to find that his customers are.
A more patriotic florist denounce5 not
only the scheme, but the truth of his
rivals statement offering to give him
500 for one spray of genuine English
holly picked from his now ready as
sortment. What the outcome of the
contest. will be the public will probably
never know, but the fact: is palpable
that the foreign decorations are sell
ing rapidly.
Mrs. Arson Phelps Stokes always inn
ports the holly for her Xmas dinner ta-
bic, and SO does Mrs. Bradley Martin,
when she takes her Christmas turkey in
America-which is seldom The Astors
and Mrs. Paran Stevens get big boxes
of both Of the English productions from
their relatives who live there, and it
is rumored that Mrs. George Gould left
a similar order at a London florist this
fall for the holiday decorat ton of her
Lakewood home.
In regard to the holly, the desire to
have it imported arises from purely
snobbish reasons. for the American
berry and leaf are as fine as nature
can make them 1t is different with
the mistletoe. The domestic product
does not approach the foreign growth
in either quality or coloring. In the
south land, where the former abounds,
the berries are small and white.
1t grows in meagre clusters and the
fruit is more scattered. Therefore one
can forgive the "Englishism'' that
reaches to the mistletoe, though it
comes high, not only in growth, but
price, the New York florist receiving
$50 to $40 for one ball. This would
probably strike southerner as ride
ulous, when it is remembered how the
ceiling can fairly be festooned with it,
all for the hire of 25 cents day of two
little negroes, who remain to tack" it
up and afterward partake of the din
ner.
But this American mistletoe, no mat
ter how un-EngliSh it is, will form the
feature of the decoration for some very
recherche dinners in New York.
One fashionable woman is to have a
canopy of mistletoe over the table in
the shape of star, heroic in size. In
candescent lamps scattered through it,
and as the glistening berries are very
reflective the stars shine with a soft
diffused light. A mirror in the center
of the table throws back the points of
light and the table decorat tons will be
bowls of white roses and holly. This is
one Of the happlest plans I have gath
cred.
Easter lilies are to be used by some.
This is somewhat rushing the season,
as the use of holly at Thanksgiving was,
nut the flowers have been forced by
the florists, and many are being bought.
The churches are not inclined to this
plan as they feel the distinction of the
lilies with the Resurrection day. In
point of fact, church decoration in its
expensive and elaborate sense Is going
out. Not from lack of love or gener-
osity, but broader feeling Of charity.
The poor of New York are in too seri-
Gus condition, think Christian folk, to
justify spending many hundreds of dol
lars upon flowers alone. Therefore, the
contribution goes as an Xmas gift to
the organized societies. One florist told
me that where Grace Church's order
for decoration had formerly been from
$500 to $500. it was restricted this year
to 5000.
Even those who would send handsome
flowers are requested by the pastors to
put money into bread for the hungry
ones OF the east side. The two
moSt PROMINENT HOflStS mere nave given
up all church orders, arguing that the
demand doesn't pay for the time. But
the florists are better able to stand the
loss than the poor.
The chancels will be twined in sim
pie fashions with snilaX ferns will De
placed for the day about the altar, and
placed for the day about the altar,
All churches, no matter how fashion,
able or wealthy, say the decoration will
end there.
H HALLMARK