A ROYAL CHRISTMAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14250, 22 December 1909, Page 6 (Supplement)

A ROYAL CHRISTMAS.

■ Christmas, like cricket, date* fan ' days, and has been riveted on us and by the dotic genius cfrpS^ ' tor Urn Victorian er.-muoh'lS2>t perhaps rather overrated-wag l . I rank materialism. It grew f, t , nd ¥* « ! oblo and developed bad art, bod cUW * taste—and Christmas. But we are . l; sc.-v.tive folk ; we respect tradition ij* m strong for bygone observances. ' 8 ° - I Royalty as usual shows the Wav 'I' 1 -Hre is Christmas kept in more nl? ** ! style than at Sandringham. A da ! before the festival the Royal fam'l- 0r 80 I to their homes in Norfolk, and Chri?"' Eve will to them be crowded with W ' business and pleasure. Everyone on « " estate received a present, and His IfaJ* t bullocks will furnish joints of meat fi ,® poor of the district. And at Sandrinl there are dinners and dances, great I ™! fires that blaze everywhere, and wall. 00 ! " ceilings decorated with holly and miatleti King Edward and Queen Alexandra the simple life, and theirs is above all tJi' a family party. The King and Queen ? ways command that they should be call!i at ail early hour on Christmas morning the skirl of the pipes is heard at dawn "° the Royal piper parades the garden. Break fast is a big affair on this occasion: all ( l" party assemble in the dining hall C* each plate and on the sideboard a K heaps of presents, for everyone get* JS and nobody either great or small i, <' gotten. « ior ' King Edward and Queen Alexandra a* said to spend thousands of pounds upon * Christmas presents. Queen Alexandra Z gives her photograph in a silver frame aT! souvenir, and to her intimate friends often sends books as a present or a bitTf china or piece of old furniture. Kin* iv ward also gives many photographs, ud t« his men friends he sends such thine* u match or stamp boxes or cigar or cigarette cases ; and His Majecty has a gracious cu*. torn of sending some pretty gift to any U. whom he has honoured by his presence at dinner, luncheon, or a country-house party This is apt to take the form of a choice ornament or of a dainty box to hold briiW cards and markers. 8 And presents are also presented to the Royal hosts by their children and by the guests staying at Sandringham. But the choosing of these gifts is by 110 means an easy business, and the only chance is to hit upon something new and charming. Punctually at eleven o'clock the King and Queen and their party gather in the little church which has been decorated by Princess Victoria, Miss Knolly, and any ladies who are staying at Sandringham. The hymns and anthems for the day are chosen by Queen Alexandra, and by the King's wish the sermon never exceeds a limit of twenty minutes. After church comes the children's dinner at one, a very English l meal, with roast beef, roast turkey and | goose, a sucking pig, and a noble plum pudding, blazing high and holly-crowned, and carried into the room by two of the Royal footmen in their scarlet liveries. Visits to stables and kennels and perhaps a motor spin occupy the rest of the afternoon. The Royal Christmas dinner is a cheery : feast marked by some old-world observances, On the menu appear, the time-honoured . baron of beef, plum pudding, and nmicopies, which latter are made from a recipe peculiar to Sandringham. By the way, this plum pudding means the use of a pair of very old silver saucepans that hold brandy sauce, and which are kept hot by (paint little spirit lamps. And the other -dishes include roast cygnet, caviar from the Tsar, : a boar's head sent by the German Emperor, and a woodcock pie of vast proportions. Anent this pie there is an amusing story. It has been for years a favourite dish with , our Sovereign, but Lord Farquhar when master of the household suggested several ' improvements. He ha d been staying on the Continent, and when there had tasted a woodcock pie of supreme excellence. • This | result was arrived at by laying a beefsteak , over as well as under the birds, and by the placing of the birds themselves with their breasts downwards. . T>, 1 Dinner is served at 8.45, as is the rule at Sandringham. In the dining-room are many small tables, at one of which the King takes his place, while the Queen seats herself at another, and one or two privileged guests ' are invited to these tables by Their Majesties. Contrary to the custom at other great houses no servants are at this moment visible, but as soon* as the diners are seated tho wide doors swing open and a long line of servants enter the dining-room. These retainers make an imposing sight in their splendid liveries. Their coats are, of course, in Royal scarlet, and are in m\» rather like that of an old-fashioned officers uniform, and the men wear no collars, but have gold stocks; their get-up is completed by white satin breeches and white ml* stockings. None of these servant*? are under 6ft in height, and one special footman —known as the sergeant footman-«teiias behind the King's chair, and to him all tM dishes are brought, which he in turn hands to His Majesty. Queen Alexandra is served in a similar manner, and when dinner « over she " makes the moves like au oidinary hostess. King Edward and his men guests remain for a short time longer 111 the "'j'he wines are all decanted, and the King himself drinks 1889 champagne and sometimes a glass of old Tokay. lhe table: cloth and dinner napkins are of the finest dam embroidered with the rose, shamrock,wj • thistle. A tablespoon and two forks (placed prongs downwards) are provided m diner and one knife only, as the Kghj_ a belief that crossed knives may bring use fortune. The dinner service m is in white china with a small - -1 crown and the garter. A finger dessert is supplied to no one but His * jt Queen 6 Alexandra often P} ab "Jg, •" the evening, but at her table M o { not played for money. Several bridge are made up, but it is the " Queen rule to stop playing «jon - Ss retires to her apartments.: Shilling l itl are usual at the Kings table he plaj h a room apart, and of course, Mfecte the best players. Late hours p«wd, 88 id . ~ Alexandra seldom goes to bed before night, and King Edward often stays smoking-room until after two ft- j | Tea is an important meal at ban A deg It is served about six 0 clock, and . solid viands such as oggs, c» tlets ' flnd wiches of ham, foie gras, bacon, etc.; sometimes even hot soup; . . j. at one time m greatfavourvui ' ties. And besides tea there is coffee, liqueurs and whiskies -a" society hosQueen Alexandra—uidikesom own 'hands esses— out tea wit 1 cbar)I iii]g and presides at the table ~1 meal, simplicity. Breakfast » « and Their Majesties never appear « eleven. ~ . 4 v„ i,„, lgc is fitted Needless to say that the. N ero 3 with every modern miprovem . t}jo J , oo f ) a post and telegraph ofll H e '" tory . are eucu and the station, farmland A linked up to the mansion by, evel . guest rather curious custom is that rec orded in should bo weighed and the i a dijs— full a book, with —in the case of to* l '» the "ft R..P-1 to* -g*3 and Christmas Day visits to the • These kennels have become an innfaW • then usually take place aftei _, f(tt rdeiw» comes a walk in _ the grounds occupies . and after this driving or motoring % the time until growing twilig ~ wa v, return homo imperative. / , garQueen Alexandra has some dens which sho claims as her g oli th property. One of these consistsjf ',be«n ; African flowers only, whic b y gome brought back and presented to her 7 jr of her soldier friends at the end Southern war. Another garden 1i « | flowers only a third is devoted Jj° pttr ; i and in tins plot are some rooUoffin ] violets sent to the Queen by the late Russia. Violets and lilies of the valley Jg the favourite flowers of Her Maj«TO|| Queen. Christmastide is kept in ideal» , ner at Sandringham. ; ..