The morning times., 1895-12-08
HOLIDAY DRINKS.
Customs That Went Out of Fashion
With New Years Visiting.

Customs That Went Out of Fashion
With New Years Visiting.
New York sun.
The good old days Ctf they were good
old days, which is doubtful Of wine and
wassau ceased in New York when New
Years visiting went out OF fashion and the
climate changed. Though the ratio or
pative-born American residents OF this
city keeps up about as high as II ever was,
a nd has rather increased since l SS3, through
the falling off of foreign lmmig ration,
the number OF old native New forkers
who are believers In the knlckerbockeT
customs of New Amsterdam or the Puritan
observances of the Pilgrims, gets stead
ily less. Holiday drinks are of very little
account in clear autumn russet weather,
with no snow on the ground, no frost per-
ceptible and no ice visible any where.
esnecjally after q snow storm or bitter
oold snap, in homes as well as In saloons,
there was holiday cheer for guests and LOT
patrons and seasonuble supply OF holiday
drinks was thought to be necessary lea
ture of the festivities
Gradually the range OF the thermometer
between Thanksgiving and New Years
Day, has been upward rather than down
ward, and q green Christmas has come 10
be no unusual thing. In other days, and
especially after a snow storm or bitter
cold snap In homes as well as In saloons,
there was holiday cheer for guests and Tor
patrons, and a seasonable supply of holi-
day drinks was thought to be necessary
feature of the festivities
There was segg-nogg-tbatw was at the nead
OF the holiday drinks-with spirits under
the creamy surface and plenty OF sugar TO
sweeten the taste of the liquor. There was.
under different names, the old wassali,
made OF apples, sugar, and ale. Ihere were
hot rum punch and hot whisky punch-and
sometimes too much of both. New York sa-
looms of the better class made preparations
for the holiday trade. as it is called, and
the doors and windows of saloons were
draped with holly. and at the further end OF
the bar was alwaysto be seen the huge china
punchbowl, which attraC Cted coDvivial spir-
its a beehive attracts flies. THIS form
of holiday celebration bad, OF course, Its
origin in England. though interspersed
somewhat with the Dutch notions which
were for so long time predominant In
old New York. This was a familiar stanZa:
England was merry England when
Old Christmas brought his sports again,
Twas Christmas broa ched the mightiest ale;
Twas Christmas told the merriest tale;
Christmas gambol oft would cheer
A poor mans heart through half the year"
Nowadays holiday drinks are no longer
who are the steadiest
customers of saloons, drink beer on holidays
as at other times. Many of those who at
other times drink beer take tu ale (some-
times ale withpepperini iD whe The weather
gets cold. The American partiality for
straight whisky withstands any outside ad-
ventitious allurement of holiday drinks, and
should the weather be chld, hot rum. or
hot Irish or Scotch whisky is popularity
accepted as a fair substitute for either
eggnog ur brandy punch.
The saloons, 1t is true, are still deco
rated with holiday greens, but 1t is the
cheaper fir instead of the red-berried holly
that is seen. new and by no means pic
tdresque feature Of the celebration Is the
man who ornaments the lookingglass OF
the saloon with illustrations dra wn in soap.
He is now about due. In many saloons
.he holiday drinks are no longer source
of profit, for these are the drinks that are
given ava whisky in original pack
ages. Some saloons close on New Years
Day to spare the uwner's generosity.