The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-12-21
GAY CHRISTMAS
STREET SCENES
Capitals Stores ThrOnged
With Shoppers.
HEARTS OF The YOUNG MADE GLAD
Visions Of Santa Claus and o. Holt
day Gifts Produced by the APP
pearance Of Armies Of Bun
die Bearers.
HEARTS OF The YOUNG MADE GLAD


cast its CHEEKY radiance before 1t. Not
only are signs of YuIetide and Yuletide
preparations in the crowded shops, the
stores, and busy markets, but on the
bright. exDectant faces Of the hurrying.
bundIe-laden shoppers dveIls a glow of
pleasureable anticipation that Jack Frost
cannot efEace
Staid and sober-Iooking men with the
port and bearing of opGlenee, whose dig
nifty would not under ordinary circum-
stances permit them TO carry the smallest
package down the street, now board the
cars or step into their carriages halI-
hidden with a pile of Christmas packages
And If their dignity suffers their saces
Go not show it
People Don't Mind BEING JostIed.
People of all ages. sizes, color. and con
dftions oE life elbow each other before the
windows. jostle each other in the stores.
step on each others toes in the thronged
markets. and pick up each others bundles
in the crowded cars There is everywhere
an air OF good humor and good feeling
- that is seen at no other time Of the year
1t is as if the story Of Christmas Day
had, whether consciously or not, perme-
s;ed the hearts and suffused the souls OF
tie thronging thousands with the subtle
beauty. of-its broader. truer meaning.
To the young, Yuletide means the reaIi-
cation of many happy dreams Of the com
ing of Santa Claus, laden with gifts and
toys for which their hearts have yearned
for weeks. To the older folk it is 3 joyous
time, in that it is another opportunity 10
give material proof Of their love for those
whose hearts have been thrilled for days
and weeks and months with promises Of
the coed things which wIII come to them
a. this season.
Decorations fer the Holidays.
The sense of beauty and the desire for
decoration seem to be stronger at Christ
ms than at any other time II may be
because people are IN this season in a
more receptive attitude toward the best
influences However that may be the
Christmas crowds seem to be keenIy alive
TO the influence of the beautiful, and It
is amusing to sec a man or woman with
both arms full of bundles, fastening down
the street with some definite destination
evidently in view, suddenly stop and hest
tate and finally yield TO the impulse &c
join curious knot of people before a
window.
The custom of decorating houses and
places of worship with wreaths and fes-
I
Is an old one. There are no customs
which are retained by race so long as
those which spring from the religious
emotions OF the people, and although the
religious aspect of many Of The Christmas
practices has been eradicated BY time
yet they themselves still survive N CIT
form or another
jog for the Children.
But the greatest fountain Of jog tha
Christmas brings is to the children. The!
laugh and chatter and yearn 10 possess. II
sweet Inconsistencies of The charmiu.
picture they make. What small boy eve
lived who did not want a drum. sled.
gun. and a pair OF skates for Christmas
The boy OF the National Capital has beer
for over a week fattening his cold nos
against the window Panes Of the shop
where such things are sold, WONDERING
just what he viii set and whether he nil
get it on the Christmas tree or fslG II b,
his bedside OF Christmas morning
some Unique Toys
y tour of the shops today is worth
long Journey If only for the pleasure Q
watching the little folks The home c
the beautiful wide-eyed doll who say
mama when you press On the torTee
spot in her anatomy. the abiding place c
the yellow monkey who climbs a PuFpi
stick. and the shops where all sorts {
marvellous mechanical toys are sold hav
each their clientage Of wondering littl
peopIe. me men who sell the mechanic
automobiles On the street corners are get
ting their share of business, also
The little people object to going pas
- them and demand that their parents pun
chase on the spot The parents obje'
and remind them that IL is nearly Dime
time. Whereupon the small son or daugf
Ter 1siII reply IN nine cases cut Of ten th5