Saturday December 26

We were all up in good time but it took us most of the forenoon to get ready for the party, but we finally all got packed into the cutter and away. We went down to the Donald's first to take Ina a basket of onions that she bargained for last week and also a Christmas present Marj. got for her and to find out if she could work in an extra day next week. It was noon when we got over home and we were the last of the party of 19 to arrive. Dad. had gone down town with the bobs and brought over all the ones from down there. Dinner was ready soon after our arrival and everyone tucked in heartily to a noble one. Turkey & fresh boiled unsmoked ham with corn squash & potatoes, cranberries & all the rest of it followed by plum pudding & mince pie with nuts raisins & candies, augmented the Christmas spirit with which everyone was filled anyway so that it of necessity bubbled over. Gay amused the entire gathering by her "saying nothing & sawing wood" attitude. She hardly spoke a word or cracked a smile all day but enjoyed herself immensely, she didn't even growl over her dinner as she usualy does at home, but she put away a handsome one just the same. Harry B. seemed out of sorts till after he got excited over the tree. I think he is tired as he has not been getting enough sleep lately. The baby - that is our baby was bewildered and a little frightened at first at the number of people. I don't think noise & commotion would frighten her as she is so used to it, but she was made quite happy with a large turkey bone and during the stripping of the tree sat on my knee and enjoyed the proceeding as much as anyone. Win's baby was very good, he is much bigger than Dorothy Mary and we thought she was a whopper, and old David couldn't have been better. He was full of the joy of life all day and didn't attempt to hide it. He smothered Gay with kisses when she came in, and she received them coldly and haughtily but that didn't phase David He took a round or two out of Quint and recited "Granny's come to our house." with great elocutionary inflection. He, Harry B. & Gay all had a great time unloading the tree. They of course got the bulk of the presents and when they weren't busy undoing their own they were carrying away and mixing up some one elses When we finally emerged from the sea of paper & string with which we were all but inundated, Marj. found that she had two market baskets full of presents to take home, most of them she didn't know who they came from and she wasn't sure they were all hers until after a great deal of sorting and consultation as the kids kept bringing her things and there was so much