When Peter and Polly got home, they ran into the house.
"Mother, mother!" they shouted. "The Christmas tree is coming. Father
has it."
"Why, mother," said Polly, "what makes the house smell so sweet? It
smells just like the woods."
"It is the green wreaths, Polly. I have them in all the rooms. There is
one on the front door, too. These wreaths smell better than the ones
that we buy. You may help me make the rest of them. We need more."
So the children went into the kitchen. On a table were pieces of
evergreen boughs.
They helped their mother twist the pieces into circles. On each circle
she wound many small twigs. When done, the wreaths were firm and thick
and green.
"How good it does smell, mother. I like Christmas smells. But see my
hands."
"That is the pitch from the greens, Polly. Just rub on a little butter.
It will take off the pitch. Then wash your hands in warm water. I will
clean up the rest of the greens. When this is done, we will pop our
corn."
That was always fun. Polly liked to shake the popper. She liked to see
the white kernels of corn hop up and down. She liked the good smell,
too.
Soon two large panfuls were popped. Then came another task. The corn
must be strung. Polly and Peter both helped. But, of course, mother
could string faster than they. She told them stories while they worked.
"When I was a little girl," said mother, "we did not have a Christmas
tree. Instead, we hung up our stockings. We hung them near the
fireplace. We thought Santa Claus could reach them better there.
"I was the smallest in our family. So my stocking was the smallest. My
presents would never go into my stocking. This used to tease me.
"My dear grandmother found it out. One day she said to me, 'I am going
to knit you a new red stocking. It is not to wear. It is for you to
hang up.'
"And the very next Christmas, what do you think? She had knit me a
stocking as long as I was tall! How pleased I was to hang it up!
"Now, children, the Give-away Box is ready. You may choose your things
to give away."
On the floor in the dining room there was a large box. It was filled
with games, dolls, bags of candy and popped corn, and many other things.
These were for Peter and Polly to give away. They would make other
children happy. And that would make Peter and Polly happy, too.
Peter chose a jumping jack for Tim. Polly chose to give him a whistle.
"He cannot whistle with his mouth yet," she said. "Perhaps Collie will
come for this whistle."
When Polly was out of the room, Peter chose a present for her. It was
the prettiest doll that he had ever seen.
Polly chose a train of cars for Peter. But he did not know that.
"We can give this candlestick to Mrs. White," said Polly. "She gave us
back our Jack-o'-lanterns. I think she would like it."
Mother said, "Why don't you give the hot water bag to grandmother? Her
bag leaks."
"Oh, we will, we will!" cried both children.
"Farmer Brown is our friend," said Polly. "He showed us his sheep. Mrs.
Brown is our friend, too. She gave us a party last summer. The lambs
came to it. It was on her steps. Let us give them two wreaths."
"There is my teacher," said Peter. "I will give her these marbles."