The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-16
THE QUEENS CHRISTMAS.
How Victoria and other Royal Per-
sOnages Keep the Holiday.

SOn0Ee1 Neep the Holiday.
A Christmas tree laden with gifts repre-
sentins an outlay of S45,o 600 is not an every
Christmas occurrence even with kings,
queens, and multi-millionaires. But upon
one occasion Queen Victoria's Christmas
tree was thus royalty bedeckcd. This was
the first year of her marriage. Previously
to that time Christmas had been kept by
Her Majesty in almost Puritanical fashion.
When she came to the throne the festivi-
ties at court were barely mentioned among
the news of the day. But the Prince Con-
sort with his German idea OF Christmas
changed all that and the festal season was
kept regardless OF expense.
Three days after Christmas-Hoiy limo
cents Day-the Queen remembers all the
children living at Windsor. All the little
ones of the neighhorhocd assemble at st.
Georges chapel, Windsor Castle, where a
service is held especially for them and
after which each child is given a cake and
toy or useful present.
The inauguration of this Innocents Day
service at Windsor dates only from 1896.
Little boys and girls. babies with mothers
or nurses and infants in stately carriages
one may meet on this day going up the
castle hill for the service. Afterwari the
older children are entertained at tea at
the Deanery.
The Queens health is drunk every day
in the year by her officers throughout the
world but on Christmas Day the cere-
mony has n character all its own; the
colonel of the regiment takes his place
-. the centre of the table, the rest of the
company sit around as they please, OK
II. a.. n III ths,.N
ident and behind the president, who Is le-
sponsible for order, are the colors Of the
regiment; behind the vice president is
always the picture of the Queen. When
the cloth is drawn the president and vice
president send the decanters down the
table. each man filling his own glass fist.
When every one has filed his glass-eith-
er with sherry, claret, or champagne as
he prefers-the president rises, and gives
the toast: Mr.. Vice, the Queen, God
bless her." The vice rises, as we'll as
everyone at the table, and answers:
Gentlemen, the Queen, God bless her."
Outside the band plays the national an
them and each man drains his glass.
Christmas at Sandringham is kept in
much the same fashion as at CSb-rne
The Pricess of Wales has consigIments
of goods sent down by the tradesmen in
order that previous purchases may be
supplemented. and the place has all The
appearance OF veritable bazaar for
many days before. The Prince of Wales
usually drives about in his brougham to
the shops, and buys what pleases him
best on The spot The Princess Of Walls.
too, goes about in her carriage making
purchases here and there, and in Bond
and Regent Streets one is certain to come
across several princesses doing their own
Christmas shopping. The Duchess OF
York usually walks when visiting The
shops, lesurely inspecting the tempting
windows.
The Princess of Wales sends costly and
weli-chosen gifts to the Anaiienbars p-l-
ace at Copenhagen, to the royal palace
at Athens, to the Dowager Empress OF
Russia, and to the Duke of CuEbcrlands
family. On Christmas morning an ava
lanche of kilograms arrive at Sandring-
hani-from relations, friends, former de-
pendents, public bodies public men, and
even total strangers.
The German Emperor and Empress per-
sonally attend to much OF their Christ
mas buying in the Berlin shops. There
is no more generous giver at this season
than the Emperor, and the Empress re-
members her humblcst friend, besides Civ
ing largely to charitable institutions.
Their gifts. too, are useful rather than or |
and the list OF persons remem-
bered equals that of Queen Victoria-or
about one thousand all told. The Empress |
gives immediate relatives some trifie she !
has knitted or embroidered. With every |
gif; a Christmas card is enclosed, and |
gifts to relatives contain besides small |
cake baked in the royal kitchen.
Each member of the royal family has |
a free-all being set forth in the shell |
salon Of the palace at Potsdam. When
is in readiness, the little Prin-
cess Victoria Louise leads the procession
10 the salon, where one of her brothers
conducts her to her own particular tree.
rhe Emperor conducts the ladies and gen.
lemen of the court to the trees arranged
or each and the Empress to their ma;es-
les trees.
The young Queen OF Holland although
| bctrothed maiden. has not outgrown
childish habits, and with each return OF
Christmas hangs III her stockings by the
He'd chimney-piace. The little king of
spain quite as carefully hides his slip
,ers on Christmas Eve, to find them filed
Sith sugar Hlums in the morning. The
lippers are always hidden, be it noted
n a convenient place-that is convenient
or the good fairy to drop gifts in.
\