Please note that the memories and artwork contained herein are copyrighted 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Christmas Celebration

I am dancing at Schloss von Bothmer in the main room. The big room with the large wooden floors and many windows. We are having a party, and we are dancing. We have people who are playing what I would call a Celtic style of fun dance music. Violins, flutes, drums, perhaps a person with harp are part of this group.

We step lively forward and then back and we circle each other. It's daytime though I think we are going towards the evening hours. It's winter. It is very grey and overcast outside. There is a fire burning in the fireplace. Many people are lined up along the walls and watching those of us who are dancing. It's great fun. I think I had something to do with this. I think the servants were having more fun downstairs and I made the musicians come upstairs and play some of these tunes. At this point I think it is mostly family and servants are here and no real guests yet. That will be later this evening. We are having so much fun. I think it is Christmas time.

Furniture has been removed or moved back so that dancing could be allowed. I think this is my idea since I spent 3 or 4 years working in a tavern for my step father.  I saw people who enjoyed the Christmas time in a very joyous fashion.

There is a great amount of noise from feet hoping and dancing about to the music. I think some of my older adopted family is shocked and perhaps curious. The younger ones have joined in and are dancing with each other and those needing a partner have grabbed servants to fill in. This is a very private fun time for the household since we would probably not do this with formal guests in the house. 

I get the impression that we are all still getting things ready for tonight's festivities. It is probably about 3 in the afternoon. I think these musicians may have come with Hans Casper from England along with a few of his English servants. This memory really fills me with a wonderful joyous feeling. No one is worried about anything except getting preparations ready for this evening, and some of us "nobles" are also helping with the decorations and work necessary to having everything just right for Hans Casper. My three pesky knight buddies are also there helping out and dancing as well. It feels like the whole family is there.

I am guessing I am about 15 or 16 years old. Some of the girls still have their hair --- geez, how do I describe it – not everyone wore wigs and they were curling their hair. It had to dry, so they were wearing odd stuff in their hair. Several of the girls had really pretty hair and would not wear wigs if they knew in advance that important people were coming. The wigs were worn when little notice was made and one had to be all dressed up and looking elegant quickly.