 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
25 December 1890 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Thursday 25th [December 1890]. Christmas Day. Went to morning church. Nela & I worked at my costume for “Winter” for this evening. I had a white dress & only trimmed it with white fur & put white tulle over it & sewed on bits of cotton wool to represent flakes of snow. Mr Woods made me a Ducal cap wh we covered with white satin, & trimmed with white fur & a diamond tiara– The whole again covered with a veil with snow flakes. It was only all just done by the eveng. Ola arranged the rooms & we were all very busy. We dined at 7. There were Mrs Bronson & Edith, Mr & Mrs Browning, Mr Eden, Mr Brown, Mr Woods, Mr Fischer, Mr A. Montalba, Mr Malcolm & with our 4 selves making 14. We had a regular English meal beef, turkey, plum pudding, mince pies & were very merry. In the evening the rest of the English colony came not very many but Css Salim & her son & daughter & 2 Princesses Hohenlohe also came & a few outsiders. Abt 10 we of the mumming party retired to dress & the ladies were soon ready—Nela as Summer, Ola, Autumn, I, Winter, Miss Stefani Spring & Edith Bronson Maid Marian & Pss Olga Montenegro Dame Mince Pie. But we had a long time to wait for the gentlemen & it was rather amusing when one by one they emerged from their dressing room, Mr Brown as Friar Tuck, Mr Montalba “Robin Hood” with paper high boots & paper hat & long feather all in green, Mr Browning as a cook, Mr Moore in a “Marquis” dress—Mr Fischer on his hobby horse in gold paper armour & Mr Woods as Father Christmas in long robes, white beard & a paper plum pudding for a hat. We at last descended, passed through the pantry & went in procession through the drawing rooms causing great merriment as we went. We were all provided with toy instruments & added to the noise by drums, whistles, trumpets as we went. After going round for inspection St George got out of his horse, Robin Hood put down his bow—Ola took off her basket from her back, Nela deposited her gold rake, Olga her Mince Pie & we formed & danced 2 country dances—one of wh ought to have been the “triumph” if one & all had not quite forgotten it. After that the dancing became general & was kept up till past one. Mr Malcolm made a goodly brew of Punch & there was a cold supper & everybody seemed to have enjoyed themselves when we went to bed at 1.30. | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |