ROYAL CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 430, 12 February 1909, Page 3

ROYAL CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

; -Their Majesties are the recipients of -magnificent gifts from all quarters of tho globe at Christmas time.; . From her brother,: tho King of Denmark/and.aU her Danish, Russian; aiid Greek 'relations, ■ the Queen roceives - costly and beautifulobjects... Every .member-, of the; intimate circle 'favoured by her. Majesty's friendship contributesrare - arid exquisite trifles..;- Ihis-. year, fine .pieces .of jade, have been sought out to add to the Royal collection of .quainV'animals.'/.Thg Queeri possesses .-.a cabinet full of such ornaments. The jade from ..which t-hey are fashioned is. most,carefully selected, and whenever possible tho colour is chosen that .of l ,the,liying anmal. 1 'For example, -a* green jade 'frog which has 'dark, blotches and yellow shadings was a gift, from the Czar, who had the web-feet butlined .w'ith diamonds. Rats, rabbits,'ducklings! cats, monkeys, geese,, owls, toads;'lizards; ana a peacock are a few of the trifles included in; the Royal collection, to which nearly all her" Majesty's friends ha,ve contribxited, .The King received numbers of Christmas gifts from, other monarchs. Both tho German Emperor and the Czar sent theirs by special messengers. A .'story iB told of the Prince of Wales's fourth son, Princo George,: aged six,' who had grown a .tomato plant in a flower, pot with great :ca,re as.,.a. : gift of his grandfather. liv an - unfortunate : accident the little "Prince knocked off the only tomato which the plant had; produced. .The damage. seemed. irreparable, but Princess Mary came to the rescue/ and fixed the precious tomato on to its orig-' inal stem with wire; . 'It was duly presented .to . the King,'to whom; the story of the mishapwas related to excuse tho presence of the wire.