Ivy-Cottage

Welwyn, 30 Dec. 1875.

Dearest Vincent,

Thanks for what you sent, how sweet of you to think of us in this way. Here chocolate is also thought of as Real Consolation, especially by Nelly.1 The pictures2 have also been put to good use. We got a great deal of satisfaction from our Christmas tree at school. It was a great joy to see such happy faces,  1v:2 so you can take satisfaction from what you sent, because I wouldn’t have been able to make something for everyone without those little photographs. I’m sending this letter to you to ask you to put Willemien’s portrait and our letters on Pa and Ma’s places when they come home from church on New Year’s Eve. I sincerely hope that you’ll have had a pleasant holiday at home. When will we see each other again? I hope very much that we may all be together on 21 May.3 Sometime I must ask your advice about this and that, but I’ll wait until you’re safely back in Paris. And now this year is almost over and we’re starting another. May it be a happy and blessed year for all of us, and may our love for God and one another grow. I wish you well, too, and receive in thought a hearty kiss from –

Yours, your loving

Anna.