Rainer Maria Rilke, who was also a poet in his letter writing, wrote an annual Christmas letter to his mother. This was in accordance with an old agreement for our six o'clock hour on the twenty-fourth; I try each time to speak to her in a way that is comforting and engaging for her spirit, and yet also in a manner that feels sincere to me above this communication. Yes, it was always my attempt and desire to shape this occasion, so that it would not only be true but also appear to be elevated in a celebratory manner, into a means of my own upliftment. Hella Sieber-Rilke provides a first glimpse into Rilke's extensive correspondence with his mother through the publication of these letters.