DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62133#0197
CHRISTMAS.
181
yet longer growth of hair and beard than the ordinary
student, and by a certain semi-Raphaelesque cut of cap and
cloak, seemed to think the fair—in two senses—attractive;
for they were there in crowds, considerably increasing the
picturesque character of the scene, as you may imagine.
And then, what groves of Christmas Trees there were, all
fluttering with gay ribbons ! and what heaps and heaps of
gilded walnuts ! and what heaps of gay dolls, with large
tinsel wings to represent the Christ-child ! what hideous
little idols ! But all was bright, and glittering, and cheery;
and the keen frosty night-air added quite a zest to the
whole thing. Such was the Christmas Bair.
Of the Christmas Eve itself I have not much to tell, at
least as regards any Christmas Tree; for, as I had another
object in Anew than seeing trees which are so familiar to us
all, I resisted every invitation, well knowing that what I
gave would be duly presented by the respective Christ-child
though I were not there, as well as that every gift de-
signed for me would reach me in time; and accordingly,
after my tea, while all the world was rejoicing itself, I lay
me down, and in imagination passed through all the happy
homes of this blessed Eve. I saw the tree that the peasant
had driven off with, in his ladder-wagon, with its long
shambling horse, set up in his little cottage in a quaint old-
world village, and decorated by some peasant-woman in a
badger-skin cap and embroidered silk boddice. I knew
exactly how the tree would look in the palace itself, and
how thousands of other beautiful trees must look in their
different homes—in the home of the noble—in the home
of the small citizen—in the home of the painter. I was
there in imagination, and seemed to hear the delighted,
astonished shouts of thousands of little children, and to see
the beaming looks of love from parents, and brothers and
sisters, and friends throughout this great Germany ! And
you may be sure I did not forget dear old England, with
181
yet longer growth of hair and beard than the ordinary
student, and by a certain semi-Raphaelesque cut of cap and
cloak, seemed to think the fair—in two senses—attractive;
for they were there in crowds, considerably increasing the
picturesque character of the scene, as you may imagine.
And then, what groves of Christmas Trees there were, all
fluttering with gay ribbons ! and what heaps and heaps of
gilded walnuts ! and what heaps of gay dolls, with large
tinsel wings to represent the Christ-child ! what hideous
little idols ! But all was bright, and glittering, and cheery;
and the keen frosty night-air added quite a zest to the
whole thing. Such was the Christmas Bair.
Of the Christmas Eve itself I have not much to tell, at
least as regards any Christmas Tree; for, as I had another
object in Anew than seeing trees which are so familiar to us
all, I resisted every invitation, well knowing that what I
gave would be duly presented by the respective Christ-child
though I were not there, as well as that every gift de-
signed for me would reach me in time; and accordingly,
after my tea, while all the world was rejoicing itself, I lay
me down, and in imagination passed through all the happy
homes of this blessed Eve. I saw the tree that the peasant
had driven off with, in his ladder-wagon, with its long
shambling horse, set up in his little cottage in a quaint old-
world village, and decorated by some peasant-woman in a
badger-skin cap and embroidered silk boddice. I knew
exactly how the tree would look in the palace itself, and
how thousands of other beautiful trees must look in their
different homes—in the home of the noble—in the home
of the small citizen—in the home of the painter. I was
there in imagination, and seemed to hear the delighted,
astonished shouts of thousands of little children, and to see
the beaming looks of love from parents, and brothers and
sisters, and friends throughout this great Germany ! And
you may be sure I did not forget dear old England, with