Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-10

kaiser and kaiserine. the car and the
English sovereigns. That is. they have
the stores brought to them. After the
merchant has been notified as to the time
when the ruler of his land wishes to In
spect a certain line of goods the happy
shopkeeper dispatches his wares to the
palace where they are displayed in a long
hall or in some spacious compartment.
OF course, the articles are marked with
their prices, SO when the royal parsonage
wishes he goes into the improvised palace
store and selects the things he wishes to
buy The shopkeeper is present, but he
remains at a distance until asked for
some information to the quality or
usefulness of his goods. Although this
lowed. it does not mean that the younger
sovereigns miss all the plea sure of regular
shopping tours to the stores
In Austria Emperor Franz Joseph is
grandchildren. There, too. the Christmas
tree will be seen. The servants of the
aged emperor look forward to the day
for they know that they will share tie
bounties of their sovereign's wealth. With
Austria's emperor the associations of the
day are numerous; Franz Joseph has
lived through many kinds of Christmases.
His years have brought him into a close
friendship with many of his household,
and he counts many about him who have
spent their lives in his services
If one part of Europe more than any
other may be said to have spread the GUS
tom of observing Christmas with a Christ
mas tree it is the popular opinion that Ger
many receives that honor. These holiday
loving people not only introduced the
evergreen into southern Europe but they
sent il also into Great Britain. 1t is said
that the late Prince Albert gave the
Christmas tree its first royal recognition
in England, for he had an evergreen set
up in the palace. With Queen Victoria
Christmas was one of the greatest fea-
lures of the year. Her special interest in
plum pudding as traditional with the day
occasioned great pleasure not only to her.
self as a giver, but the hundreds of re-
cipients even sovereigns of other nations,
who never failed to receive their Christ
mas pudding from the royal kitchens at
Windsor. Her home life was never mora
remarkably happy than on the great fes-
tival in December. Her children and
grandchildren enjoyed the pleasures OF
giving as we'll as receiving.
No member Of her household ever felt
that Christmas passed unnoticed by
her majesty. The queen gave nothing
but plate to the servants who had been
with her during the lifetime of Prince Al
bert. Even when thhey We're superan-
nuated a sugar bowl a teapot or some
other piece Of plate was sent to them
every year. The black bordered card ac-
comIJanying the gift carried the message
that good wishes were sent from her
Prince Albert had been dead perhaps ten.
twenty or forty years. When the purse
of royalty Is taxed for the thousands OF
gifts which il makes Christmas IL il evil
dent that the drain is a heavy one KING
Edwards list was so large that IL ex-
ceeded his mothers, on which there were
2,Fo names. IL was the custom or King
Edward and Queen Alexandria to spend
their Christmas at Sandringham rather
than at Buckingham Palace. for to tina
late king buckingham had more the as
sociation of court ceremonial rather than
that of family reunions. Last year the
death of England's king made the season
of Christmas sad one throughout the
United Kingdom. This year the nation
Is again to miss many of its gayefirS
because of the absence of King George
and Queen Mary. who are in India for
their oriental coronation
The Prince of Wales and his brothers
and sister will no doubt enjoy a great
Christmas tree at Sandringiiam with their
GRANDMOTHER, Queen Alexandra They
will have all that goes to make up a
happy day, except their parents AS both
King George and Queen Mary have spent
much of their time with their family the
day cannot help but he one Of partial dis
to the head Of the English
nation According to the plans that have
been made the king will not even have
the pleasure of spending Christmas with
Queen Mary. as he will be at Nepol Serar
while she will be at Kelah. India. The
members of the royal household i'm Eng
land will receive their gifts as usual AS
that has been attended to by the FORE
sight of the queen. The giving OF presents
is so fashionable in England that the
poor. who arc more numerous this year
than usual on account of the recent labor
trouble. may be glad that the season is
at hand.