Gilded Age New Year’s Entertaining

Hot oysters, salads, boned turkeys, quail, and hot terrapin are offered by the wealthy, and wines are poured ad libitum, but this is a difficult table to keep in order when 10 men call at one o’clock, and 40 at four o’clock, and none between. The best table is one furnished with boned turkey and jellied tongues and pâtés which cut easily, sandwiches easy to eat, with cake and fruit merely as an ornamental aside, while the modern and admirable adjunct of a spirit-lamp under a tea-kettle keeps the bouillon, tea, and coffee always hot.

A lady who expects to have many calls, and who wishes to offer refreshments, should have hot coffee and tea and a bowl of punch on a convenient table, or, better still, a silver kettle filled with bouillon standing in the hall, so a gentleman can take a cup of it, unsolicited, going in or coming out. If she lives in an English basement house, this table can be in the lower dining-room. In a house three rooms deep, the table and all the refreshments can be in the usual dining-room, or, if she pleases, in the upper back parlor. Of course her “grand spread” can be as gorgeous as she pleases.

Hot oysters, salads, boned turkeys, quail, and hot terrapin are offered by the wealthy, and wines are poured ad libitum, but this is a difficult table to keep in order when ten men call at one o’clock, and forty at four o’clock, and none between. The best table is one furnished with boned turkey and jellied tongues and pâtés which cut easily, sandwiches easy to eat, with cake and fruit merely as an ornamental aside, while the modern and admirable adjunct of a spirit-lamp under a tea-kettle keeps the bouillon, tea, and coffee always hot.

These, with the tea-cups necessary to serve them, should be on a small table at one side. A maid in a neat cap and apron should be in con stant attendance on this table, and a man-servant or two will be needed to attend the door (which should never be left for a moment unattended) and to wait on the table. The man at the door should have a silver waiter or neat card-receiver, which he holds out for the card when the gentleman enters. If the gentleman is not known to the lady of the house, he sends in his card; if he is, he does not send it in, but leaves it with the waiter, who deposits it in some receptacle, where it is kept until the lady can examine all her cards the next day. If the gentleman is calling on a young lady, and is not known to the hostess, he sends in his card to the young lady, who presents him to the hostess and to all the ladies present. 

If the room is full, she can content herself with presenting the gentleman to her hostess. If the room is comparatively empty, it is much kinder to introduce the gentleman to all the ladies, as it tends to make conversation more easy. There can be no objection to this. As a gentleman rises to make his exit, the lady can say, “Won't you take some refreshment?” and motion him toward the dining-room. But this hospitality should never be urged upon a man. Few gentlemen accustomed to dine late like to spoil their dinners. In a country neighborhood, or after a long walk, most gentlemen, however, do like to break their fast, and go in willingly to eat a slice of boned turkey and to take a few pickled oysters, or simply to eat a sandwich and take a cup of bouillon.

The etiquette of New-Year’s is also peremptory in not asking a gentlemen if “you can relieve him of his hat,” or asking him to leave off his overcoat. He will prefer probably to wear his overcoat and to carry his hat in his hand during his brief visit. If he wishes to leave off either, he will do so in the hall. But on that point he is a free moral agent, and it is not a part of the duty of any hostess to even suggest what he shall do with his clothes.— Harpers Bazar, 1883

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

New England New Year’s Traditions

Illustration from The Butt’ry Shelf Cookbook by Tasha Tudor

A New Year's Day Open House

“Rabbits” is the first word to be said on the first day every month. It's an old family custom, reputedly bringing money to anyone who doesn't forget to say it. The fact that it is sometimes hard to see that the promise comes true doesn't alter our fun in saying it. First to awaken, echoing through the house, begins the New Year with the magic word.

Nearly always a cold, cold day, sometimes quite a stormy one, this day in New England—and indeed the country over-is for family and friends of all sizes and ages. The old house is filled to bursting in spite of weather. Boots are stacked high in the front hall, the big four-poster bed in the company room is loaded with coats and caps and mittens. In the Old Kitchen, hot spiced cider is ready for passing in mugs as a good warm-up. This is a welcoming room with its huge fireplace, beehive oven, and black ened ceiling beams.

In the best parlor, the candles have been lighted and the hearth-fire, too. Hot tea and coffee steam in gleaming silver pots reflecting the candlelight. Beside the teapot are a pitcher of cream, a dish of lemon slices with clove, and one of candied mint leaves. On the coffee tray are a bowl of whipped cream and a silver nutmeg grater. Thin Staffordshire cups of green sprig pattern or pink luster, coin-silver teaspoons, and hand-hemstitched tea napkins are arranged on polished mahogany.

The Christmas Cooky Tree is loaded with the last and the best of the butt'ry holiday supply, now dwindled to these saved especially for this party. The traditional family Pound Cake is served on the best Sandwich glass cake plate. A silver bread tray is brought to table, its neat rows of oh-so-thinly sliced Rich Plum Cake fragrant and glistening with “special flavoring.” Grandfather's eggnog on the serving tables invites a toast to the New Year.

In the Old Kitchen, the children enjoy gingerbread animal cookies, and another mug of cider. Thin sandwiches disappear like magic. Have a look at the golden shining Christmas tree, and now “Happy New Year” is being called out everywhere until the last guest has gone. Candles have burned down and the last dish is washed. Back on the top shelf of the butt'ry go the Canton punch and silver eggnog bowls, and upstairs for us all, warmed by friendship and the fun of the New Year's first party.

New Year’s Day Open House Menu

Eggnog                   Hot Spiced Cider

Christmas Cookies            Christmas Candies

Pound Cake                  Rich Plum Cake

Date-Nut Bread Sandwiches 

Gingerbread Animal Cookies

Tea        Candied Mint Leaves      Coffee

From The Butt’ry Shelf Cookbook, by Mary Mason Campbell, 1968 

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia