WELLINGTON SOCIAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Mail, 30 December 1892, Page 15

WELLINGTON SOCIAL GOSSIP.

Wellington, December 27

So Christmas has come and gone, that time of haste and merriment, when one whirled hurriedly hi trams and cabs from shop to shop and came out laden with knobby parcels, which were carefully smuggled into our homes; when one rushed down to meet the incoming trains that brought the missing links to complete ones' family circle; when we, I hope, filled our family pew in the cool evergreenhung church, and joined in the singing of the lovely Xmas hymns, and then came home with the ' Merry Xmas ' greetings of one's friends ringing in one's ears, to sit, grandparents and grandchildren, sons and sons-in-law, daughters and daughters-in-law, in one smiling circle around the wellspread table, where the cool fruits of summer lay in tempting heaps. Howlittle the picture of the English Xmas appeals to young colonials

Again at Christmas did we weave The holly round the Christmas hearth, The silent snow possessed the earth, And calmly fell our Christmas eve. The Yule log sparkled keen with frost, No wing of wind the region swept.

Our Christmas is better pourtrayed in the lines, '"'.'.

By night we lingered on the lawn For underfoot the horb was dry, And genial warmth ; and o'er the sky Tho silvery haze of summer drawn.

After the mid-day dinner many family parties gladly left the warm rooms, and out upon the lawn under the shade of trees, in hammocks and wicker chairs, the elder members watched the little ones as they merrily blew their trumpets or hushed their miniature babies. Large family gatherings assembled at Mr T. C. Williams', Mr E. Pearce's, Mr W. H. Moor-house's aud at many other places.

The engagement is announced of Miss Pynsent, daughter of Mr C. P. Pynsent of Hobson street, and Mr Barry Goring, who is the brother of Mrs W. Johnston.

Mrs H. D. Bell's reception on the day when Mr Bell was sworn in as Mayor, was a very decided success. The fine weather was taken advantage of to locate a band upon the lawn, whereon were also placed a number of chairs which relieved the sometime crowded rooms. Ices, tea, strawberries and cream, and other dainties were all prepared for the guests to whom the former were especially acceptable.

Mrs Bell received in a grey dress with a flounce and other trimmings of black lace, grey kid gloves. Baby Cheviot Wellington Bell, in whose honour the silver cradle was presented to Mr Bell, was viewed with much interest through a window.

Amongst the guests were Mrs Parfitt, Mrs W. Johnston, in a black Watteau jacket and gold bonnet; Mrs Newman in a yellow floral bonnet and tweed dress ; Mr 3 A. Pearce, in white silk blouse braided with black, black skh*t; Mrs and Miss Blair, the latter in a grey delaine made in the Princess robe style; Miss Williams, in cream corduroy with loose jacket; Mrs Blackett, in black ; Mrs Menteath; Miss Page, in a brown tweed ; Miss Bishop, in a fawn dress*with cream hat; Miss E. Johnston, in terra-cotta silk trimmed with black lace; Mrs Werry, in black with pansy trimmed bonnet; Miss Briggs, (Christchurch), in black and white striped sills;, black bonnet; Mrs Morrison, in dark green; Mrs H. Beere ; Mrs and Miss Barron; Mr and Mrs Gale, the latter in pinky heliotrope with cream bonnet; Mrs J. Maclean, in pale tan trimmed with black passementerie. Ignota.