Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-24
AMONG M|[L|ONA|RES
What Merry ChristmasMean
to Rich Folks.
HAPPY WITH CHILDREN
SOME WHO ENTERTAIN IN TRUE
ENGLISH STYLE.
Mrs. Astor Always Receives on Xmas
Day, Following an Old
Custom.
WITH CHILDREN
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
Wealth rather than poverty kills the
Christmas spirit. The child of Millionaire
Row has fewer illusions than the child
from Poverty Flats. The rapidly increas-
ing millionaire class. particularly in New
York, celebrates Christmas day in a fash
ion particularly its own, which includes
but few Of the old customs and traditions
followed by their grandparents, If fortunate
enough they be to have possessed ances-
tors worth mentioning.
Messenger boys and electric wagons have
supplanted St. Nicholas even in the child
ish mind. The little children of the rich
seldom pass this holiday in the drawing
room with their parents, but the parents
visit the nursery for few short moments,
trying hard not to look bored, and then
hurry away to their own pleasures.
In most of the homes of the very rich
no celebration of the day is visible on the
surface, save holly wreaths hung in the
windows and red and green decorations on
the dinner table AT no time Of the year
are the fashionable restaurants more gen.
erously patronized by the men and women
who comprise the smart set and it is most
correct for popular pair to give Christ
mas dinner at o'clock in one of the
white and gold private rooms of these
restaurants.
Only two of the young matrons who
stand high in the social blue book really
give their children an old-fashioned merry
Christmas. These are Mrs. George j.
Gould and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt. for
merry one of the Wilson girls. Mrs. George
j. Gould is always at Georgiancourt for
Christmas, and her five children enjoy a
real Christmas day, receiving toys and
| books in mad profusion. This year Miss
Marjorie Gould will have some new jewels
because her debut is not so very far off.
The Gould boys, Kingdom and Jay, have
only to express wish, and their indulgent
father gratifes it, Mr.. Gould gave his
wife a string of pearls last year, and it Is
said that this rope was worth 100000. In
the Chrfstmases of the past Mrs. Gould has
received emeralds.
ALI Day With Little Ones.
The other women Of the house of Gould
are most domestic, and Mrs. Edwin Gould
passes Christmas with her children and her
parents, the Shradys Likewise Mrs. Frank
Jay Gould scarcely strs from her chill
dren's nursery on this day.
Mrs Cornelius Vanderbilt has two small
children, and the biggest and best Christ
mas tree in all New York is heaped with
decorations for the express pleasure of lit
tie Cornelius. jr., and Miss Grace Wander
bilt.
The very rich have adopted the English
manner of passing Christmas out of town,
ana some OF the most noted leaOeTS Oh IaSn-
ion withdraw for holiday week to their
country homes, asking with them a large
party Of guests. After leaving the city of
steel and stone they are prepared for some
of the old-time traditions. and probably
the house parties of Mrs. Ogden Mills APP
proach more nearly to the ideal Christmas
than any other. Mrs. Mills has a fine old
estate at Staatsburg the Hudson, and
invariably she, her daughters and her close
friends have the jolliest sort of a celebra-
ton.
A rival Christmas party along the same
lines is given at Ophir Hall near White
Plains. where Mr.. and Mrs. Whitelaw Reid
live. Mrs. Reed is a sister-in-law of Mrs.
Mills. and both have the same idea of en-
tertaining. 1t is a tradition that on every
Christmas Mr.. Mills presents his wife with
a jewel that staggers even the pampered
friends Of the Mills family. For instance,
last year Mrs Mills Christmas gift was a
| REVERE Of diamonds that covered her neck
and shoulders like small cape. The pre-
vious Christmas she received an all-round
crown of diamonds, which Is the highest
tiara in the Metropolitan Opera House.
Gifts of Gems.
Millionaires usually give their wives mar
velous gems, which are displayed for the
| first time at the opera during the first week
| in January. Last Christmas Mrs. John ia
cob Aston received from her husband a
plastron of diamonds that covered her bod
ice. These plastrons are the newest set
tings, and Mrs. Astor's new gems created
furore. The young Astors pass a quiet
Christmas, and often are members of small
dinner parties.
Mrs. Aston, the arbiter of society, receives
on Christmas day, and her white house in
9TH avenue is a mecca for hundreds of
smart folk. She receives in a high-ba cked
chair, upholstered in emerald green and,
of course, magnificent bouffet fiourshes
in the background In the evening Mrs.
Astor's daughter, Mrs. Orme Wilson often
gives family dinner but in the earlier
days Mr.. and Mrs. Richard T. Wilson were
selected to give the family dinner on Christ
mas night. The Astors and Wilson's have
SO many internal feuds, however, that these
FAMILY gatherings have been dropped tact
fully. and almost all the sisters-in-law
nave diHerent sets of friends.
Extravagant Party.
Last Christmas Mrs. Hermann Oelrichs
gave a Christmas day party for the older
children of society, which was staggeringly
| extravagant. The guests were friends OF
Hermann Oelrichs, jr., and the Christmas
tree was laden with gifts Of gold. Sleeve
links studded with precious stones. gold
pencils and tie pins were given to the boys,
and the girls received gold purses lockets
and other valuable presents. A large Hun
garian band played for these little aristo-
Gratis and IN the evening Mrs. Oelrichs gave
dinner dance for her friends. Mr.. and
mrs Harry Lehr were once host and host
and the day reception heightened into an
all-night party.
Christmas day receptions are not in fash
lon any more. but In the reign of Mrs. Au-
gust Belmont and Mrs. Paran Stevens they
were all the go. A few of the "old set
persist in these eggnog parties. and on low
er 9TH avenue and Gramercy park there are
countless open houses on this day.
Mrs. Russell Sage always has an informal
reception on Christmas day, and in the
afternoon the house of Mrs. John d. Rookie
feller Is crowded with friends. The Rookie,
fellers pass their Christmas day in the old
fashioned way, and the daughters of this
great f1nancfer go about in modest brough-
ans all morning distributing gifts-all done
UP In white tissue paper and frightened
with sprig Of holly.
Two Other Ways.
1t is the intention of Mrs. Charles M.
Schwab to open her magnificent new home
on Riverside Drive on Christmas day. but
as she is religious woman her observances
are not the reckless, happy go-lucky occa-
sions Of the average New York woman.
Another woman distinguished on account
of her husbands wealth is Mrs. e. R.
Thomas, who recently was admitted to the
smartest of the smart sets. Mrs Thomas
lives in the Hotel ST. Regis, and Is arrang-
Ing Christmas dinner with roast turkey