The Stahlbaum household had been preparing for their annual Christmas party for weeks. Decorations had been hung from every wall, candles positioned on every windowsill and tabletop, trees placed in every corner. Each tree was topped with it's own unique angel. Now, on the day of the party, the entire house was filled with the smells of cooking food from the kitchen. Frau Stahlbaum had ensured that the night's dinner would be extravagantly sumptuous, with at least ten different meats, fruits imported from all over the world, and every type of candy and cake imaginable.
An hour before the guests were expected to begin arriving, Clara sat alone at the dressing table in her room. She was staring listlessly into her mirror when a sharp rap came at the door. Starting at the sudden noise, she hurriedly flattened her hair with her hands in an attempt to make herself more presentable. She was meant to be getting ready for the party.
"Come in," she called.
She could see the disappointment and dismay in her mother's face as soon as she stepped through the door.
"Clara, darling, why are you not ready yet? Haven't I told you how important it is for you to make every effort to look attractive tonight?"
Clara struggled not to sigh. Her mother said it was unbecoming of a lady. Her mother said a lot of things she did were unbecoming of a lady.
"Yes, Mama, I heard you the first hundred times you told me. It's practically the only thing you've said to me since the beginning of December!"
Frau Stahlbaum looked at her sharply. "Then I needn't remind you that your father and I have invited several suitable bachelors tonight. With any luck, you will catch at least one of their eyes and you will finally be married. To think, my daughter is 23 years old and still doesn't have a husband!" Clara had heard this statement far too often in the last weeks as well.
"Yes, Mama," she said simply.
Frau Stahlbaum clapped her hands loudly and two maids hurried into the room. "Let's get her ready, shall we?"
The maids nodded briskly and all three women set to work. For the next half hour they applied her makeup, set her hair with hot rollers plucked from the fire, and draped her with glittering jewelry. When the last puff of powder had settled, everyone looked intently into the mirror.
"Oh, my dear, you look simply beautiful!" Frau Stahlbaum exclaimed, a hand to her mouth. The maids smiled and nodded in assent. All Clara could do was stare. Her cheeks looked pink and full of warmth, her lips somehow fuller, and her hair curled perfectly down her back.
The moment of stunned silence was broken as Frau Stahlbaum looked at the clock.
"My goodness, we need to get you into your dress! The guests will be here any minute!" She directed the two maids to help Clara into the gown and hurried off to make sure everything was prepared for the party.
When they had secured all the buttons, hooks, and ribbons into place, there was barely five minutes left before the party was set to begin. The maids rushed off to finish their jobs, leaving Clara to make her way downstairs to join the rest of the family.