To me she whispered, "Now, hon, lift up your chin and say it."
I started to look up, but I saw the churchful of people. I looked down at my feet, trying to think what to do. If I were home, I could crawl under Grandma's bed. I tried to think some more. The churchful of folks were still looking. If I could just be a crawfish instead of a Christmas tree, I could scoot backwards and hide behind the curtain! But Aunt Vic had stepped back there. She motioned for me to take my finger out of my mouth and say my piece.
"Christmas is—" she whispered.
"Christmas is a-coming," I started. "And, and, uh—" I looked back at Aunt Vic.
"The goose—" she whispered.
"Christmas is a-coming.
"The goose is a-getting fat!
"Please put a penny in the old man's hat!
"If you ain't got a penny,
"If you ain't— If you ain't— If—" I had to look at Aunt Vic again. She whispered, "Half penny."
"If you ain't got a penny,
"A half a penny'll do.
"If you ain't got no half penny,
"God bless you!"
A roar of laughter swept the whole church, and everybody started clapping hands, even the school kids behind the curtains! The clapping kept swelling louder and louder till it waked Ginger. He didn't like it. And I didn't either! He gave a shrill yip, jumped up, and came rushing up on the stage, barking at me like a big dog baying at a coon.
The more he barked, the louder everybody laughed and clapped their hands. Finally Aunt Vic called Ginger, and Papa came and got me.