"The American Christmas cards excel the imported cards this season, and many of them are framed and presented as separate gifts, instead of merely accompanying a Christmas present.

       The four prize cards are of the highest excellence, and are especially worthy of their pretty setting in a wide mat of cream white or pale gray and a narrow frame of whitewood traced with red or blue lines, or of ebonized wood lined with white or red, or else in a plain frame of dead gilt. They make a charming illuminated bit on the wall, and are lasting souvenirs of 1881. Some of these come provided with a border of fringed silk in quaint olive, pale blue, red, or gold-color, with a cord for suspending them, and these have the advantage of not concealing the tasteful decorations on the back.

       Among smaller cards, the Christmas Carol cards, showing four funny little girls and birds on a bough, or two of the same little folks drawing Christmas greens, are great favorites, and these are also mounted in fringe or in wooden frames. The Goddess Fortune card is liked by people of artistic tastes, and there are many amusing cat, frog, and bird designs. The bric-a-brac cards are richly colored, and there are new floral designs, quaintly dressed groups of children, new horseshoe cards for good luck, spread fan cards finished with silk fringe, and the pretty Christmas dove, similar to the Easter dove of last spring.

       The folding calendar is the prettiest American calendar yet made, and surpasses the famous English ones. These cards, when sent by mail, should be folded in stiff card-board, and put in envelopes that fit closely, as they are apt to be broken if not well protected."