118 DUTCH AND ENGLISH ON THE HUDSON

admired, the children dropped into their trundle-
beds to dream of all the glories of the day.

When the dust-sheet and litter of wrappings had
been removed, the older people gathered around a
table spread with a white cloth and set out with
chocolate punch and a dish of steaming hot chest-
nuts, while the inevitable pipe, ornamented with a
head of St. Nicholas, made its appearance and the
evening ended with dancing and song in honor of
the "goed heilig man."

Besides these stated anniversaries, home life had
its more intimate festivities such as those celebrat-
ing the birth of a child, whose christening was made
quite a solemn event. Every church owned its
doop-'becken or dipping bowl from which the water
was taken to be dropped on the baby's head. One
beautiful bowl of silver dating from the year 1695
is still in existence in a New York church. About
a week after the birth of the little New Nether-
lander, the neighbors were summoned to rejoice
with the proud father and mother. In the early
days of the colony and in the farming region, these
gatherings were as rude and simple as they were
under similar conditions in Holland. The men
were invited at noon to partake of a long pipe and
-a bottle of gin and bitters. The women arrived