Herald A Lantern 23 December ni

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House Tour the Day After Christmas

CAPE MAY - The MidAtlantic Center for the Arts, sponsor of the festive Christmas House Tour, announces an exciting line-up of buildings for its 8th annual self-guided tour, 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 26. A number of Victorian guest houses, several of which, have undergone ex* tensive renovation, are participating in this year’* tour. Included are the Brass Bed, an 1872 gothic revival, style; the Holly House, once of the gamed "Seven Sisters;" the Bar- ' nard Good House, a beautifully furnished Victoriafh home; the Abbey, formerly the Christian Science Reading Room and recently paired in Christmasy colors; and the Queen Victoria, an 1881 house which will display Victorian Qhristma's decorations from the 1830’s, 1860's and 1890’s. AMONG THE private homes featured on this popular tour, regularly drawing crowds from up and down the East Coast, are the American Room w#h it#- old Cape may memorabilia in the home of Betty and Bob Steger; the pre-1860 country-style home of Joanne and Pete Leonard; the Wiibraham Estate with its fascinating collection of antiques and history; and the tiny 1870's home of • Harry Bellangy complete with a 4-piece

Christmas Tree Story-

PORCH DECORATIONS include brightly wrapped packages and a sled decked In

bedroom set handmade by a cabinetmaker in 1860 as a wedding present to his 'wife. Also included are the Cape Mav Lutheran Church, and the Carriage House, home of the County

Art League.

The reception center for the evening is the Emlen Physick Estate at 1048 Washington St., designed by Frank Furness in 1881 This historic structure contains Cape May's Victorian Museum and has been especially decorated for

the holidays. ' TICKETS MAY BE pur chased after 2 p.m. Deo 25 at the Physick Estate or at most of the buildings on tour after 6 p.m A map will;, be supplied with ea«m ticket. A bright orange banner will identify each of the places on tour An additional highlight of the weekend's festivities is the guided walking tour of the City’s primary historic

district given at 3 pm. Saturday. Dec 26 The hour and a half trip begins at the Information Booth on the Mall at Washington and Ocean Sts. and examines the history, architectbre and gossip of Cape May All proceeds from these tours go to the continuing restoration of the Physick House. For further information, cqhtact the MidAtlantic Center at 884-5404.

HAMANN’S

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Country Bara Florist

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350 Hand Avenue

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Cope May Court House. N.J.

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465-5857

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Come See Our Beautiful Polntiettlo*. Door Wreath*. Cemetery PJecet. Cut, Dry 4 Silk Arrangement*.

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MEMBER TELE FLORIST

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SPECIALTY DELIVERY BETTER WATCH OUT! SUITA'S ELVES ARE IHTOWH

! * Oefvning Gifts to Secretaries end Bosses. - — * Making Personel Appearances pt the Office Party with

J Christmas Cheer

S * Gnnng Gifts of Love to Grandchildren, Grandparents,

Mom’s 6 Dad’s

* Taking Little Rememhrahces 6 Get Wei Wishes to Loved » Ones Confined to Hospitals or Norsing Homes S * Giving Cendy cones or Special Ornaments to the

| • Tree-trimming

! ' * Picking Up Children's Wish lists for Sante-

* Presenting Gifts from Secret Admirers

1 > Oekveting Surprises for the 12 days of Chnstmas S am pick-up - Creative CHI Wrappiai j ^ 36ij-TB42 ^ V ' a °'irs THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS*

(From Page 14) Mysteriously, she also had removed his moustache. Nonetheless, the little Christmas tree’s royal connection impressed fashion-conscious Victorians. Once accepted, Kriss Kringle’s decorated evergreen grew faster than Jack’s beanstalk — at least it grew fuller. THE CHRISTMAS tree of a well-to-do Victorian family, a symmetrical fir, was a miniature world of tiny houses, ships, animals, furniture, flowers, fruits, flags, dolls, drums and sugar plums — and much, much more. The introduction to America of sWe-bought ornaments made all of this splendor possible. Commercial importation to the United State of German-made ornaments Began as early as' 1869/ In that year, Harpe/’s Bazaar describedtthe ^globes, fruits, and flowers of colored glass, bright tin reflectors, and innumeriable grotesque figures suspended by a rubber string...Bismarck leaping up Napolean’s shoulders..." In 1871, a New York glassrtiaker, William De Muth, produced the first American-made silvered glass balls. The number and diversity of tin, wax,

cardboard, candy and glass Christmas whimsies available by 1890 must have astonished even dedicated consumers like the Victorians. A four-inch silver ocean liner had several hundred portholes, all its lifeboats and tiny cotton puffs of smoke rising from four smokestacks. But despite the plenty of this Christmas cornucopia, the average American family at the turn of the century still relied primarily on popcorn, cranberries, sweets and homemade ornaments to decorate its tree. UNIVERSAL acceptance of the Christmas tree, however, was not yet at hand. In 1883, a New york Times editor predicted that the Christmas tree, “a rootless and lifeless corpse," would soon disappear and that a return to the good old Christmas stocking -of his childhood was imminent. Even the times could be wrong. Not only did the Christmas tree grow in popularity, it grew in size. The floor-to-ceiling tree was an American innovation. The Christmas tree grew in status as well. It has been bandied about (Page 22 Please)

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Merry Christmas

and a

Happy, Healthy New Year from JAMES L. SAAD CAPE MAY COUNTY HEARIN^ AID

DISPENSARY

A 17 Marlyn Manor Shopping Ctr., Rio Grande J^JerjSPierjsrisrisrj^jjrjtrjprjjr^i

National Bank CLOSED SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1981