December 25 Sunday – Christmas – In Florence Sam wrote to daughter Clara in Berlin.

I thank you ever so much for the elegant handkerchiefs, although it does give me a little pang of pain every time I think of your taking time to work at them when you were entitled to use that time for holiday, you who are so crowded with work. …

I have some new sleeve-buttons — from the family — beautiful anti-cussers. You can put them in & take them out without change of temper. These are scarabei — that is to say, tumble-bugs — of carnelian, set in gold, & very handsome, with patent anti-blasphemers attaches on the under side [MTP]. Sam PS’d his book was done.

Sam gave daughter Susy the two-volume set of Poems of Lord Byron, Tastefully Selected (no date). He inscribed them: Susy Clemens with the love of her Papa. Florence, Xmas, 1892 [Gribben 121].

Susy’s letter to Louise Brownell, postmarked Dec. 31 also told of Christmas day.

I thought of you all Christmas day and we drank to you at dinner as I wrote you we should. We had a pleasant little Xmas and managed it well entirely escaping homesickness. American friends of Mlle. Lanson’s [Lançon’s] came out to lunch and we consoled each other for being far from home in a strange land. Jean had a tree for the children of the servants. They were charmingly at ease and responsive tho’ we couldn’t speak one word to them, adorable natural irresistible children! [Cotton 101192-3].