Dear Father Christmas,
My daddy says I've been a very good girl this year so I hope you will leave me some presents. I want a bicycle but Daddy says I have to wait until next year when I'm five and bigger. I would like some books, some games, some marbles, and a train set. Daddy talks about how he always wanted a train set so I think he would like that also and we could play with it together.
I wish I could see you but Daddy says I have to be asleep for you to come but I'll leave you some biscuits that I helped make. They are very tasty. Daddy says you're lucky that any are left but I promise not to eat any more I'll save them for you.
Thank you, Sybbie Branson
Mary stepped back and took in the scene of the hustle and bustle before her. The huge Christmas tree that reached up to the balcony filled one end of the grand salon. Two footmen standing on ladders to reach the higher branches wrapped garlands of cranberries around the tree while other servants scurried around carrying boxes filled with ornaments that had been used by the Crawleys for years. Edith and Mama were busy rustling through boxes of ornaments while Tom supervised an enthusiastic Sybbie who clapped in joy each time after placing an ornament on the tree.
"I think that one's a little too delicate for you" Tom, kneeling beside his daughter, said as the eager hands of the enthusiastic four year old reached for a glass ball.
Mary watched as little Sybbie bounced up and down, clapping her hands, and oohed and aahed over each ornament. Oh how much she's like her mother thought Mary. Suddenly Mary was no longer seeing the daughter but rather her mother as a young Sybil brimming with excitement eagerly placed a silver ball on the tree then stood back to admire her work.
"Mary which color balls do you like best?" Yet rather than waiting for her sister to reply Sybil hurriedly enthused "I think the red ones are best because they're so easy to see." But then picking up one with swirls of reds, blues, and gold, Sybil proclaimed that this was even prettier.
"I don't think we should put all those red ones together love" Tom gently reproved his daughter. Tom's soothing lilt bringing Mary back to the present.
Sybbie stood back, her hands folded across her chest, looking at the tree. "But I like the reeeedd ones."
Hearing Sybbie's reply Mary couldn't help but smile.
Mary watched as five year old Sybil rummaged through several boxes picking out ornaments, her head nodding with satisfaction as she pulled certain ones out and placed them in a small wicker basket; several silver bells in various sizes which she enthusiastically rang first causing her to erupt in laughter, a large red glass ball decorated with flecks of silver and gold, two colorful beaded balls, a jeweled red oval shaped ball that sparkled in the light, a red bell decorated with swirls of gold. Some ornaments Sybil would hold up, twirl them around but only those possessing whatever quality she was looking for would earn a place in her basket.
Sybil then stood back and carefully looked at the tree. Holding her basket of ornaments she walked back and forth in front of it then around each side before she began hanging the ornaments on the tree.
"You shouldn't put all those bells together" Mary said as she stepped next to her sister. "They should be scattered around the tree."
Sybil shook her head and gave a dismissal wave of her hand. "But then I'd have to go searching for them. This way all my favorites are together."
Tom looked up at Mary hoping for some support but noticing her misty eyes and vague expression he quickly stood up.
"Mary are you alright?" he softly asked. His first impression that she was thinking of Matthew.
It took a moment or two before she seemed to realize he was standing beside her. She turned towards him, giving him a smile and squeezing his arm. Then looking off to Sybbie she said "Watching her suddenly reminded me of Sybil. Sybil was always so enthusiastic and eager to decorate the tree."
Giving a small laugh she looked once again at Tom "and she always had her favorite ornaments and had to place them just so." She shook her head and laughed again. "One year, she must have been about six, she went around and moved almost all the ornaments that Edith and I had placed telling us we didn't do a very good job."
Tom chuckled listening to Mary's stories. Then becoming a bit more serious he said "Sometime Mary will you tell these stories to Sybbie. I want her to know her mother and you and Edith and Robert and Cora know things I have no idea of."
"And your stories are all of that beautiful woman who was so perfect" she laughingly chided him. "And not those stories of the imp who" Mary looked at Tom her eyes gleaming with merriment "well those stories are best left for a later time. I think Sybbie can be quite the handful on her own without any encourage from tales of her mother."
"Aye" Tom laughed. "With what she's inherited from me and her mother I do sometimes shudder."
"No Andy that one goes over here"
Both Mary and Tom looked over to Sybbie. "Like mother like daughter" they both murmured.
"Maybe I better go rescue the staff" Tom took a step away before Mary reached out and held his arm.
"That year she left with you … the first year she didn't have Christmas with us." Mary looked down at her skirt as she hesitated. "When we took down the tree I … I … made a box for her of her favorite ornaments. Just a dozen or so. I was going to send them to you in Dublin the next year."
She stopped talking as tears filled her eyes. Tom looked away as he knew what Mary was thinking.
Although he was looking straight ahead, Tom saw not the giant fir tree that graced the grand salon but the forlorn little tree that had graced their Dublin parlor.
"It didn't look so bad at the market" Tom remarked as he looked at the rather lopsided little tree with missing branches now sitting in their parlor. But it was the only one they could afford on their meager budget.
It just needs a bit of sprucing up" Sybil gaily replied.
"I think it needs more than just a bit Sybil" Tom retorted.
"Maybe we should set it on a table" ever the optimist Sybil replied. "It might make it seem a bit taller and wider."
She began rummaged through the house trying to find things to hang on the tree. But the few bits and bobs of ribbons and colored paper she found wouldn't be enough. Tomorrow I'll bake some gingerbread men and we can hang those she thought.
To her great delight the next night, Christmas Eve, Tom came home with a string of colorful lights. After he put the lights on the tree he handed her a small box tied with a wide deep red ribbon. "Open it now."
Nestled inside the box was a set of four green and silver glass ornaments in the shape of pine cones. "Oh Tom they're beautiful" she cooed.
That evening they sat side by side on the sofa, his arm around her shoulder and her head resting on his chest. With the string of lights lit, the little tree glowed in the darken room.
"I think it turned out beautiful" she said. "Our first tree."
He had to admit it didn't look too bad in the night. If only he had the money for some presents but the tree and the lights and the ornaments had cost him all he had to spare.
"Next year I'll buy a few more ornaments and then the year after that and soon we'll have enough for a proper tree" he said.
We only had that one Christmas Tom thought but what a wonderful Christmas it was.
"I still have that box Tom. Someday I'll give it Sybbie and tell her the stories of why her mother thought those ornaments were so special."
Tom blinked back tears, not only because of thoughs of Sybil but because of Mary's kindness and thoughtfulness. It was a side that she so rarely showed to the world, certainly as the Downton chauffeur he had never witnessed it. He leaned over and hugged his sister-in-law. "I'll fight whoever says Lady Mary Crawley doesn't have a heart."
"Daddy!" Sybbie tugged on his pants leg. "You need to help me put these higher up on the tree"
He looked down at his daughter with her dark hair and lively blue eyes so much like her mother's. He reached out and lifted her up and she in return gave him a dazzling smile that lit up her face and he thought how Sybil had given him the greatest gift of all.
Robert smiled as he looked at the small figure who until a moment ago had been walking beside him but had now taken off in chase of Isis. Bundled up against the early winter chill, Sybbie was almost unrecognizable. Her red and white wool scarf, which matched her red woolen coat, was pulled up to her chin and a red wool beret was pulled tightly down over her head leaving only a fringe of her dark bangs showing. She was a spark of color against the dull winter brown all around them; the large expanse of lawn which had been a lush green in the summer was now a dull brown as were the surrounding trees that had been stripped of their leaves leaving their trunks and branches bare.
Yet as bleak as the landscape was Robert couldn't help but feel cheerful for that most happiest of seasons, Christmas, was here. The house was already filled with wreaths and boughs of holly and garlands of pine and of course the centerpiece was the huge fir tree that dominated the grand salon and filling the air with the wonderful aroma of pine. Everyone in the house seemed to be brimming with cheer and none more so than his beloved four year old granddaughter.
He had taken a few steps when he realized Sybbie was no longer in front of him. He turned around and found her standing still looking across the wide swath of lawn to the house.
"Donk" she said as he approached her. "How does Father Christmas know which chimney to use?"
He wanted to laugh but seeing how serious his granddaughter was he thought better of it. "I don't really know Sybbie but he's been coming down the right one ever since your Aunt Mary was a baby."
"But where does his sleigh go?"
Stunned, his granddaughter's words echoed in his mind only it was another voice, a bit huskier, that had asked how does he land his sleigh on the roof.
"Donk!" Sybbie tugged on her grandfather coat. "Donk!"
He leaned down and picked her up. "I think it's time we get out of this cold."
Looking up at the overcast sky he said "the heavens might just open up and start snowing."
Sybbie clapped her hands in delight at the thought of snow. "Oh snow! Sleds"
Yet as the pair started neared the house, Sybbie's thoughts were no longer on snow and sled riding. "I think he lands there on that one" she pointed at the largest turret. "Maybe after we open our presents we could go up on the roof and looks for signs he was there."
Robert lifted his hand and touched Sybbie's nose. "You know what happens to little girls that are so iniquisitive?"
She vigorously shook her head.
"They lose their noses."
Sybbie reached up and touched her nose. Then those bright blue eyes looked searchingly at her grandfather. "Am I in-qus-tive" she asked.
Robert laughed and hugged her tight. "My dear you are delightful."