The San Francisco call., 1903-12-20

ROME. Dec. 1e.-Although the real
celebration Of Christmas, with the ex-
change Of gifts. comes. for the
majority Of Italian children, on
the Epiphany. leaving December %
an entirely religious day. the royal
family keep Christmas as do other
countries. This is a tradition in the
House of Savoy which the present
King and Queen have maintained.
AT court all is movement and life at
Christmastde Both King and Queen
personally select the valuable presents
they give 10 the members Of their
households This year Queen Helene
VIII take peculiar pains in choosing an
infnity Of gifts. as il is said she gave
dlsss tisfaction last year. through an
innocent judging Of other people ~
herself
One Of her greatest weaknesses is
children. She azores her own, loves
those Of her Iadies-in-waiting. and has
q more than kindly feeling for all
young people as such. even extending
her affection to the eldest son of the
Duke Of AOsta, who viii some time sit
on the throne Of It-,y, if Queen Hell
enc has no boys. In the general
course Of human nature she would
not feel very friendly toward him
and in fact she did not in the begin
ning-but he conquered her as a
baby, and that meant forever.
Last year the Queen thought she
could not please her waiting
better than by pleasing their little
ones. so she arranged a ma gnificent
Christmas tree, which she hung with
everything that the infant heart
could desire, the presents being costly
and numerous, but there were only
triFes for the parents. This was too
much: the laments were long and loud,
and reached the ears Of the poor
Queen. who had intended so well and
had satisfied so III. With her one les
son IS sufficient so that this season the
gifts are 10 be many and beautiful,
but strictly for the mammas.
PRESENTS ARE COSTLY.
The giving Of the presents form a
regular ceremonial They are all ar
ranged on various tables. There are
Jewels for the wives of those decorated
with the collar Of the Annunciata,
wives Of Cabinet Ministers, and ladies'
in-wsiting. Each present has a card
attached. on which is written the
name Of the person for whom it is in
tended. The Countess Giucciardini,
the chief lady-in-waiting OF her Ma
5esty has a large book in which she
has written every year a list of the
presents given by both the King and
Queen. and the names Of their recipi-
ents. IN this way the giving Of dupli-
cate gifts is avoided. The ladies-in-
waiting wear the jewels presented
them by her Majesty for the first
time at the reception given by the
diplomatic corps, on the evening Of
the last day Of the year.
Besides this intimate reception"
for the bestowing Of gifts, there are
innumerable others, so that the sea-
son is considered at court to be the
most fatiguing Of the whole year.
This year there is to be an entirely
intimate Christmas tree for the little
Princesses Yolanda and Mafalda, the
former being not yet three, and the
latter having just completed her first
wear. Christmas to the babies is one
long laugh. beginning with the mo-
ment they open their eyes in the
morning, until they close them at
night The first thing they see is
some mirth-provoking object, placed
so as 10 catch their attention. Last
year Princess Yolanda found mig
ger doll sitting on her pillow, and
when she moved it it stuck o1t its
tongue. She laughed and laughed un-
til her nurse obliged her to stop, and
then she clasDed the new treasure to
her bosom and few to papa and
mamma. After breakfast, during the
morning, the shutters were closed and
the electric lights turned on, so that
the beautiful tree, shining with tiny
colored electric globes and laden with
curious and many shaped pacels,
shone in fun glory to the view of the
cpen-mouthed children.
QUEEN AS SANTA CLAUS.
THE xazr the frao will he smaller