Kmflett's Blog

Engels was an enthusiastic celebrator of Christmas in his later years when he lived in Regents Park Rd, North London. However when he was still a Manchester businessman he found the official celebrating rather too much

ENGELS TO JENNY MARX
IN LONDON
Manchester, 3 January 1868
Dear Mrs Marx,
I must apologise for leaving your letter unanswered for so
long. But the Christmas period is the only time in the whole year
when, apart from business, I am made to feel that I stand with
one foot in the bourgeoisie, and here in Manchester this entails a
lot of eating and drinking and upset stomach, and the obligatory
ill humour and waste of time. This is now fairly well over, and I
am beginning to breathe freely again.