Read "Aunt Cynthy Dallett" by Sarah Orne Jewett online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
"No," said Mrs. Hand, speaking wistfully, -- "no, we never were in the habit of keeping Christmas at our house. Mother died when we were all young; she would have been the one to keep up with all new ideas, but father and grandmother were old-fashioned folks, and -- well, you know how 't was then, Miss Pendexter: nobody took much notice of the day except to wish you a Merry Christmas."
"They did n't do much to make it merry, certain," answered Miss Pendexter. "Sometimes nowadays I hear folks complainin' o' bein' overtaxed with all the Christmas work they have to do."