The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-25
FIFTH AVENUE SHOP WINDOWS.
One with Religious Aspect That Suggests
the True Christmas Spirit.

Fifth avenue Is elate these afternoons. brim-
full Of life and color. There is a stir and move
ment of hundreds of people intent on hundreds
OF varying aims and interests. nearly all richly
appointed as to person and equipage. and OBJ
viously above the necessity OF petty and penny
wise considerations. The shop windows, lit up
early in the wintry twilight, make a gorgeous
background for the street pageant, and the
sky takes on frost tints and "a gamut OF colors
that even the rich violets and pinks in the
florists and milliner's windows cannot outvie.
In all the stir a reserved, MISUNDERSTANDING
window picture in its unworldly holiday aspect
seems peculiarly Christmaslike. With a differ
ent meaning from the garlands and horseshoes
and good-luck gayetieS at the confectioner's,
and those other juvenile Christmas symbols
that make the toy store windows bright; as
precious and costly as the jewellers and fur
rier's goods. and as artistic as any OF the
antique rugs and classic draperies at the home
furnisher's, this one bric-a-brac window
stands for something apart, and on n higher
plane than any.
A notwithstanding girl said to her companion
the other afternoon as the two. done up
smartly in furs and ~velvets, toured along the
avenue and stopped at the window. intent on
holiday sights:
Why. it's like a picture. an altar: a little
saints niche. decked with chaste and elegant
offerings"
DO you suppose it Just happened so. that all
these churchly, mountaineering things
got together here. against this background.
or were they arranged by design ?"
Il don't know. but it's beautiful. and looks
so UNIQUE and refined among all the gay milli-
ners' shops, and the decorators, the furrier's
carriages going by The young Women stood
Ior some minutes by the window and COM
mented on each ornate furnishing in turn be-
Ipid YOU notice that window back there? '
f busi1 S@s Oh !You mS Wer 1e t tnGih way Ss uP we pas lre%
and anal | d dnd ehll attenttion' but its q beauty
OF admiIration to the window dresser's taste
We never had shop windows like that in
Az SAID saId the Rs'S Sidsr man man. ' ""Ih even Windows EsR y SsFs
mmony and agreement Of detail as they are now now.
That window Is a picture,a treat to sec, fin;
, sroapi 1aa fSs 20 f%ir gT e sapqs III to s SGlRs and ard
T cnssjS1o, VIII dtH. all dI.l ths Pains Hnd sspePPsee
i S5sRd a, SS Ss 2 Relieved HI s$ e, ,rJ !1ss4 fn "i sIf ;..i SSSS
OF WEAKNESS and excitement. always attendant
on fairs. and certainly without the annoyance
Fifth avenue shop window spectacle as 1t oh
tains today is a benefaction, free to ali. and
rH'soSueu Df uobuluB. dHyWnbTe IN TINS country.
Window pictures ofthe Kind educate the people.
am not sure. but | take It that the man who
eigner. with Old World ideas and the Unborn
reverence for the legendary, religious aspect Of
the Christmas festival that takes this means OF
outlet, That amber vase with the dragon
cnrled about the base and the liberal sized chal-
ice Is suggestive Of a christening font, and the
winged figure pieces about the Madonna on
the blue-starred ground with their brazen
rlmpetS appraised. and has scattered all these
oil fagons and heart-shaped re!iQuaries at her
feet Ike precious gift offerings. Everything in
the window would be in admirable taste for
drawing room or library or boudolr appoint
mne1t, but GROUPED as they are now. with that
make a timely Christmastide reminder.
Most shon, windows are dressed for n day or
two only, Then the design Is changed. and a
substituted. This window OF choice ornaments
that Is 50, much like a shrine. though II belongs
properly in the sphere OF an artistic chinaware
Importer, holds Its own, and continues from
day TO day TO win fresh admiration.