6. S^t Colme Street

24^th December 1861.

My dear Papa,

Here is a very small note to wish you a merry Christmas – as I don’t think (unless you appear here tomorrow) that we can do it personally! Perhaps if it is fine, you will be tempted to come in to lunch – It is so very near, you know – Today has been dull with a thick fog – so thick I could hardly see accross <sic> Queen Street – I went out for a little while to get some Holly & Mistletoe and I was surprised to hear that all this latter came from Covent Garden – Should you have thought it would have been worth sending all that way? They say it will not grow in Scotland, as the climate is too cold for it –

Good bye, dear Papa, Johnnie sends you also all the good wishes of the day, which please also distribute to Mama & the others – If Baby wasn’t too small he would send messages also, perhaps next year, (I dont <sic> mean next week) he will be able to say something for himself.

Y^r affec^te daughter

Tilly.