3-011-741 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

A Visit to the Old Folk on Christmas Eve - drawn by Alfred Hunt, 1864. 'If one could take a peep into all the houses in England on Christmas Day, what scenes of domestic happiness would be witnessed!...Here we have one of the well-to-do families - not rich, and certainly not poor - with which England abounds, and which form the bone and muscle of the nation. There is no need of fixing the locality of this scene, for every county, and indeed every parish, of England has at Christmas time many such scenes. The first hearty greetings over, the young mother, with natural pride, shows her baby to its grandmother. How tenderly, nay reverently, the dame, grasping her daughter's hand and shoulder the while, gazes on the dear innocent's face - another daughter looking lovingly on!...A boy and a girl rush gleesomely to their grandfather...The dog, sharing their delight, shows his obstreperous joy by barking himself hoarse and franticly bounding around the group, claiming recognition, for is he not one of the family ? Tenderly the father is about to lift from the holly-covered cart their youngest...The eldest daughter...holds a branch of mistletoe in her hand, too precious a treasure to be trusted to others' care'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.