
A cozy Midwestern home comes alive on a snowy Christmas Eve, where a bustling kitchen, a mischievous uncle, and a chorus of children prepare for the night’s magic. The narrator’s father has gone out on a lawsuit, leaving the kids to wonder if Santa will make it through the drifts and the clatter of sleigh bells. Through playful dialect and vivid illustrations, the story captures the anticipatory hum of a household that knows how to turn ordinary chores into festive rituals.
As the children settle into their high‑chairs and the fire crackles, Uncle Sidney spins tall tales of his own childhood encounters with Saint Nick, while the family’s humble preparations—salted potatoes, popcorn popping over hot coals, and whispered prayers—set the stage for a holiday surprise. The narrative teeters between warm, home‑cooked comfort and the nervous excitement of waiting for a visitor who might be a little… off‑kilter. Listeners will feel the hush of snowfall outside and the heartfelt camaraderie inside, all wrapped in the lilting, colloquial verses that make this Christmas classic both charming and relatable.
Language
en
Duration
~14 minutes (14K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2006-12-25
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1849–1916
Best known as the "Hoosier Poet," this Indiana writer won a huge popular audience with warm, musical verse in regional dialect and with beloved poems for children like "Little Orphant Annie" and "The Raggedy Man." His work mixes humor, homespun storytelling, and nostalgia in a way that still feels lively when read aloud.
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