Again before the Second Scene begins, MOTHER GOOSE comes out in
front of the Curtain, and this is what she says:
Children, do you want to know what has happened in that Kitchen since
the curtain closed? Well, I've come to tell you all about it. The
first thing was that they all had supper; not a very hearty supper,
because they all wanted to save up their appetites for the Christmas
dinner the next day. But they had as much as they needed. And then the
two children went and got their stockings, one for each member of the
family, and then they all hung up their own stockings. Gertrude hung
up her stocking, and Walter hung up his stocking, and Mother hung up
her stocking, and Father hung up his stocking, and Grandmother hung up
her stocking, and--and--and--now, I declare, I've left somebody out.
Who can it be, I wonder? Why, to be sure--Grandfather. Yes,
Grandfather hung up his stocking; and there they were, all six
stockings hanging in a row. You look for them there, when the curtain
opens. I think you'll see them. Well, then of course the children went
to bed, and by this time I think they are both asleep. And now the
rest of the family are beginning to feel sleepy, and in just a moment,
I think one of them is going to say, "It's time we all went to bed."
What happens after that you can see for yourselves, for now it's going
to begin.