on the spirit of giving

Before I run out for the last bit of Christmas related stuff, I wanted to tell you all a little story I read in the catalogue about the recent Kerry Taylor Auction of Audrey Hepburn's fashion collection, which I have posted on before, and, no doubt, will do so again.

This is Audrey's first wedding dress. Which she never wore. Because she & her fiance, James Hanson (later, Lord Hanson), called the wedding off. It became apparent to them both that her rising stardom wouldn't fit with his life as a Lord. But they remained friends, and his son, Robert Hanson, is now one of the most 'eligible bachelors' in Britain, having been linked to many beautiful, stylish women. He said his father married another beautiful woman instead (his mum) and they all remained friends throughout Audrey's life. I feel it's important to remain on friendly terms with our ex's, wherever possible. Or at least, to have let it end on a good note.



In 1952, while filming 'Roman Holiday' with Gregory Peck in Rome, she asked the Fontana sisters to make her wedding gown. They said the 23 year old was 'young, fresh, on top of the world'... weeks later, when she called off the wedding, she asked them to give the dress away 'to the most beautiful, poor Italian girl you can find.' And they did. To Amabile Altobella. And she wore it to her wedding to a farm worker, and lived happily ever after, producing three daughters and five grandchildren. She said 'the dress must have brought me luck.'

Whatever you celebrate this time of year, however you celebrate, I wish for you all the joy in giving, in whatever form works best for you.