Evening journal., 1905-12-22
NOVELTIES FOR
THE PARLOR TREE
This Year Finds Many New
Articles Of Decoration to
Beautify the Branches
PLEASURE FOR CHILDREN

with such enormous numbers mr. trees 1
would surely become drug on the |
market. but thus far no one has ever /
heard of such a catastrophe
Great trees, little trees. full-branch /
ed prosperous looking trees: poor thin /
needed trees-they all disappear until
It would seem that every house In
Wilmington is supplied and that ev-
cry boy and girl in town is blessed |
with an individual shoot, however
small Unfortunately such a blissful
state Of things has not yet occurred in
this great city.
But is it only the little folks who
have trees? II must be confessed that
the grown people enjoy the tree quite
as much as the younger members of
the family, and late Christmas Eve
many unsuspicious little eyes would
open wide in surprise to see with what
enthusiasm papa and mamma and aun-
tie assist" Santa Claus. Father, for
instance. who finds II such a bore to
stand on the stepadder to hang up cur
tains and prefers TO pay a man to put
up the pictures at moving time, forgets
to grumble at tired back and weary
hands and cheerfully risks his neck in
attaching the piece de resistance to
the topmost branch of the Christmas
tree.
For did any one ever hear Of hiring
man to trim the tree? No, indeed, the
pretty old German custom of decorat
ing the tree and impersonating Saint
Nicholas never grows tiresome, and
in more than one establishment in this
city. where there are no children to
enjoy the raptures of Christmas morn
ing, the tree goes up anyhow. Perhaps
IL is only a tiny scrap of a tree put
up ostensibly as a joke, but with a
secret longing that there was child
/ there for whom the Christmas jollifi--
cations would be an excuse More than
one house where a dog Is the object OF
alteration has a tree especially for ca
mine delight In the main the dog S
tree follows the usual lines, except
tat there is a predomlnance of gin
gerbread men and rubber balls and
other dainties more suited to the dog
gish palate than candy canes and tin
sci ornaments.
So. with an excuse or without one.
the Christmas tree lourishes In many
home. and every year the dealers
bring out new and exquisite pendants
with which to dress it. Sometimes it
is only an old idea elaborated upon;
again, Il Is something quite new, and
the counter is always lined with a tri-
lple row OF patrons for the delicate
glass balls are fragile and require re-
lnewing nearly every year. II is wise,
too. to have a generous supply on hand
for there never yet was tree dressed
without mishaps in the shape of brok-
en- ornaments.
The newest things this season are
rows of birds on a twig. small rows of
white doves on white branch, or
larger birds proportionately more ex-
pensive: yellow batting canaries, too,
are very reasonable and quite effective
against the green tree. although one is
so accustomed to seeing canaries in
cages that one rarely thinks of them
as belonging on trees or flying about
freely
In tinsel the tinsel spears are also
new and quite azzling-especaly at
might. when closed they resemble sill
yer sheaves of wheat. but when open
ed they point long gittering spears in
every direction.
Most OF the glass novelties sell in
boxes containing half a dozen, all dii-
ferent. but Of one size in one box. and
the prices range from so cents to 81 or
SO a box. Turkeys, automobiles, char
lots. fish and various other objects of
gold or silver papier-mache a.e also
in favor, and there is the usual list OF
r,Ifftariner hauhlac
Novelties in angels. however. are
. Indian angels. radiant in war paint and
I feathers and flying with golden wings.
r II is a childish notion that all angels
] dress I'm white. and an angel In war
paint seems slightly incongruous; but,
7 still who knows? There are. too. sew
. eral new varieties in ballet dancers,
the loast valuable costing three cents
. apiece.
Dolls housefurnishings are often
y placed on the tree. and every year
. there are novelties to complete the in
: terror decorations of these miniature
!. establishments. Gilded radiators, birds
! in cages. utensils for the miniature
/, range electroliers and many Other
n tiny things delight the children. Fol
|. the dolls house dinner. by the way
n are many savory viands--nlOst realis
f tic. but almost microscopic-chicker
+ salad, bologna sausage, deviled eggs
a and the like are reproduced In minia
n ture. For larger dolls, afternoon tes
d is all the rage and a nickel-piated urr
h Is in demand for this function.
E Santa Claus is reproduced in man,
. ways for the tree as well as for table
:, souvenirs. The Jolly old saint appear:
in many attitudes, from a most undg
nifed pose where he lies fiat on his
back, balancing a huge SNOWFALL OF
his toes in the air. to a plaster image
with large, electrically lighted eyes.
Some OF the shops also display card
board furniture for the dolls house
but within the furniture Is a receptacle
for the sweets which somebody's fin
gers soon discover.
For those who dread the lighted can
dies and cannot afford the electric at
\ tachment lighting hundreds of minia
o. lture colored bulbs among the branches
there are small coloredA glass lanterns
which. to some extentA obviate th'
danger from the candle4 striking th'
dry needles on the branches.
Verify, the night before Christmal
Is a delight 10 those who are preparing
j all sorts Of pleasures for lhe childrei
next day. And IN the delightful and my
sterious "doings" of this might evel
the staid and dignihed members Of tn
family grow young again.