Each of the four little Blossoms, with much panting and counting of their pennies, had managed to buy Father Blossom a present and another for Mother.
“I’m so overcome I don’t know how to say ‘thank you,’” announced Father Blossom when he had Bobby’s ash tray on the table beside him, Meg’s red stickpin in his tie, Dot’s paper weight on his desk in the den and the handkerchief Twaddles had given him in his pocket.
Mother Blossom was delighted with the cup and saucer Meg gave her and she declared that the pin tray Bobby had chosen for her was exactly what she needed for her dresser and that Dot must have known she wanted another glass dish. But when she came to Twaddles’ present Mother Blossom looked puzzled.
“What in the world can this be?” she said, unwrapping it slowly.
They all crowded around her while she undid the paper and when she held up an enameled pot, such as Norah used to boil the potatoes in, everyone looked surprised. Except Twaddles.
“Isn’t it nice?” he urged. “Course it has a little hole in it, but that was why I could buy it for ten cents. It used to be thirty cents, Mother. Don’t you like it?”
“Why, Twaddles, of course I do,” said Mother Blossom, kissing him. “I like it very much and you must have loved me dearly to buy such a large kettle. I’ll find some way to use it, even if there is a little hole in it.”
After all the presents had been seen, and the four little Blossoms had so many toys and games that Father Blossom said folks must have made a mistake and thought they didn’t have a single thing to play with before, Mother Blossom reminded them that they were to feed the birds. The children did this every year, tying pieces of suet to long strings and hanging these in the trees where the birds could easily find them. They also sprinkled plenty of bread-crumbs in dry sheltered places, off the ground so that no cats should bother the birds at dinner.
“The snow’s awful deep,” said Bobby, stamping in from helping to feed the birds. “Couldn’t we go coasting, Mother?”
“After dinner, dear,” replied Mother Blossom. “If you went now, you would have to hurry back. After dinner you may all go and wear your new scarfs and mittens, too.”