My Dearest Susan,

What a splendid thought of yours to share our kindredly day with your readers!  Grand idea!  I was rather tickled to see our adventures so tenderly told, and, of course, written and sealed with your usual savoury charm.  I could right well recognise the spirit of our day upon the keepsake page of likeness in the Christmas Annual. Let me say it produced a good deal of mirth in my study, and sent forth a pleasurable giggle or two, the sound of which was not unlike, if I may say, the kindle and crack of a yew log in our bustling hearth.

Indeed, 'tis true, I could have done without that insolent streel who was 'assisting' (I suppose that is one thing you might call it) at the stall.  Ah, three days with the wee miss, and I would cause a suitable adjustment in temperment, I should expect. I can assure you, there would be not a button undone or mislaid in the whole of her life, ever again.  Shamefully, as you informed your readers with your usual erudition, she is yet another casuality of liberal/politically correct society, and its deplorable methods and programmes for education and such.

I'll stop there, as I feel a volcanic outpouring coming - a condemnation of the education system, from primary school up to graduate school, and its false systems and hypocritical tenures. I know you would listen with your usual sympathetic and understanding mind, but I do not wish to disturb the happiness of a happy Christmas. Instead, let me say that I compliment you on handling such matters with your usual grace and poise.

By all accounts, it was truly a splendid day, and the Florentine eyes of our little British skies looked upon all business with bright and cheery gleams. And yes, I do prefer the term 'dickie' to 'boot,' and I am supposing you are very keen with your observations.  The mark of a good governess, and an excellent teacher, of that there's little doubt.

I sincerely hope you're enjoying the pleasures of the wintry countryside:  the rough wind over the bracken that comes upon the hillwalker in large gulps; the privet hedge and its crown of frost.  I delight in hearing the uniform trudge of students' feet in a long walk over the Cornish slopes, or the bible-black sparkle of their precisely polished shoes, in good form shuffling under long skirts down the little footpaths that criss-cross within the village.

Much thanks for your letter, Susan, and I hope mine finds you keeping well.  The Christmas concert was a sweet success, with renditions from Chekov and Ibsen, which I'm sure would have appealed to your keenly literary heart.  They managed all right in strict period costume, but, true to say, they've practised many times in similar garments.

The clotted cream recipe is free for the taking.  I'd be happy to supply a revised version for the 'sour' variety I supply to miscreants who are under strict detention at the school.

Now then, I'm continuing with my local projects of folklore and language.  You know that I am very fond of correct English, but I have such a passion for the common tongue of these parts from days gone by.  It could be sentimental, but then let me be sentimental, for the Celtic languages, to my homegrown heart, are as much a part of my beloved Cornwall and Wales as the blooming heather in these parts.  I value them for their old-fashioned respectability, and their unfearingly old-ways stature - much like myself, I dare say.

I received a lovely gift this year:  a beautifully bound dictionary of the Welsh dialects of the Dyfed area. We lost a fine Welsh poet this year...R.S. Thomas, God rest him.  I trust on St. Stephen's Day a full glass shall sit at an empty chair somewhere along your trim table.  I hope this holiday break provided you with opportunities for rest (which you amply deserve, my dear, don't let your readers dictate your schedule!) and perhaps a wee visit to the family in your beloved Scotch countryside.  I expect that they were
full of their usual thistley dignity this Yuletime!
My best wishes to you,

Sarah.

You are indeed right, Sarah, the death of R.S. Thomas was a great loss, and I did have a glass of good wine for him on December 26th. I am sure that you recall his poem about the Celtic languages, The Old Language:

England, what have you done to make the speech
My fathers used a stranger to my lips,
An offence to the ear, a shackle on the tongue
That would fit new thoughts to an abiding tune?
Answer me now. The workshop where they wrought
Stands idle, and thick dust covers their tools.
The blue metal of streams, the copper and gold
Seams in the wood are all unquarried; the leaves'
Intricate filigree falls, and who shall renew
Its brisk pattern? When spring wakens the hearts
Of the young children to sing, what song shall be theirs?

Sarah would know this site well, but I give it for readers who may be interested in learning some words of the Cornish dialect and language. It has a dictionary of the dialect, and a list of links to excellent Cornish language sites:

I am absolutely overwhelmed! Here is God's plenty! I'm going to try to go through this issue slowly instead of devouring all the letters, as I'm so tempted to do! Think of all those lucky men and boys, being made to wear all those pretties that we all love to wear! And what a shame that those petticoated boys don't realize how lucky they are..!

The story, "A Turn of Events," illustrates a kind of behavior that has long mystified me: punishing a crossdressing boy by, of all things, giving him his heart's desire.  Here this lucky boy is going to be able to spend an entire Summer in dresses.  The short-term embarrassment and humiliation are a small price to pay for the privilege, and if he doesn't realize this now, he certainly will once he's an adult crossdresser and thinks back with nostalgia on this sweet Summer.  They certainly are never going to "cure" him of crossdressing, assuming he can be "cured", which is doubtful.
Terry Gal 

The Christmas issue was everything we could hope for. It will provide many hours of enjoyment for all of us. I think the time is right to let Donald and Ann start to learn more about petticoating as practiced by others. I have just one question both the "Ask Nanny" and "The General Correspondence" sections were identical: was this your intention?

As always thank you for the wonderful Christmas addition and your ever so thoughtful advice
Mary Beth & John

That was a linking error which I quickly corrected. Thank you for pointing it out. 

Hi Susan -

I just want to say a really big Christmas 'thank you' for your amazing work on the PDM site - It really is a work of art. Your attention to detail is superb, and you are providing a fantastic service to a wide community of petticoat fans...you are doing fantastic work here, which makes me so happy each month.

Many, many thanks - got to go now and change into my nice silky 'Victoria's Secret' panties for my Christmas outing to the in-laws!
Love from
Shauna

Dear Susan,

Considering the amount of work that must have gone into it on your part, I'm surprised you're not in the recovery room! It's a
beautiful and wonderfully crafted issue.

Thank you for all you do for others so willingly. You have a kind heart and a compassionate spirit.
God bless you in all you do,
Janet Marie

Thank you Susan!! Well done indeed! I have a confession. I could not control myself while reading all the wonderful stories.
So right now I am sitting in front of a mirror with my longish pink sweater on. Underneath are a pair of plain white cotton
panties. Over those are a brand new pair of midnite black reinforced toe 40 denier pantyhose, and over them are my pink
lacy panties. When I look in the mirror I see such a sissy!!!
Bonnie

And you look absolutely beautiful, Bonnie.

With wings all a-flutter, all the fairies in Fairyland unite in one chorus: Hurray for Susan! She is the best! Let the Christmastide begin! The Christmas Annual has arrived!
 

 Dear Miss MacDonald,
 
 The Christmas issue was great as usual.  It is a shame that we take your excellent work as standard.  You are perfection and it shows.  Thank you so much for your labor of love.
  
 Have a great New Year,
 Cissy

I've had a good look through your Christmas Annual, and it is fabulous!  People don't get thanked enough, so thank you :)
Katee xxx 

You've done it again! What a treat! Thank you so much for all the work you and your assistants put in to provide this feast of stories and pictures which your readers so love to see.
With my very best wishes for the coming year from -
Marcia 

This is a great issue and your hard work certainly shows. I can see why it takes so long to get it ready, whew!.. The
dressing game however still doesn't work however at least on my computer. Even with that, you did a great job!.. HUGS...

I made an error uploading the dressing game: it was entirely my fault, and not Nanny Nappies', whose knowledge of computer programming is excellent. 

In all the excitement of skirts, corsets and girdles, I fogot to tell you how fabulous the Christmas Issue of Petticoat Discipline turned out. Thank you and the staff for all your hard work and dedication. I, for one, am most grateful.

Have a wonderful and healthy New Year.
Very respectfully,
Nikki 

Thank you for all the hard work that you and your staff put in on the excellent Christmas Annual. It’s so thoughtful of you to work tirelessly on our behalf and this is the best Christmas gift little girl received. This little sissy wishes you a happy and healthy New Year, and hopes that you get a well-deserved rest over this holiday season.
Hugs and kisses,
Little Philicia

I would like to wish you, your wonderful staff and all the contributers to your super monthly publication a safe & happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

If I was granted one Christmas wish it would be that everyone has at least one of their own wishes come true.
Regards,
Bobbie