“ Yet every body insists on hundreds of ghosts at Christmas—if we may judge from the volumes of literature devoted to their interests at that time.
Christmas and New Year seasonable festivities are only suitable to the very young or very old. ”

“ The good old gentleman delights in rallying him on his sporting propensities, and is particularly anxious to see him after the hounds. All the horses in the stable would have been placed at his disposal for that purpose; but Gorham declines. Later in the morning, the Squire, who has come out on purpose to see him shoot, sees him aim at a tremendous rocketer, which, to the Squire’s amazement, comes crashing to his feet, through the branches of the firs. ”

“ These are what are called reasonable festivities; with double numbers of illustrated papers, and robin redbreasts, and icicles, and Old Father Christmas, and punch, and snapdragon, and New Year's Day, and holly and mistletoe, and “A Merry Christmas to you”—which is frequently a horrible mockery to those to whom it is addressed: as, for instance, people who can't pay their bills, or who have death and sickness in the house. Depend upon it, there are a good many unreformed Scrooges in the world. Not that I am one. One hundred of the poor in my parish will dine to-morrow at my expense. ”

“ Everything is cheerful and glad under the influence of Christmas and the genial weather. There is the boy—now arrived at his early manhood. He is in the house of an Oxford friend, whose father, the dear old Squire, is presiding over an enormous round of beef; while his good mother, who has the most marvellous instinct for inventing new dishes expressly for breakfast, is busy amongst the cups and saucers. This is a shooting morning, and the Squire is chaffing Gorham about the number of pheasants he is not going to hit. Gorham is not a celebrated shot ”

“ The liberty accorded to their gastronomic powers is the more appreciable, as it is accorded but once a year; and they are loaded with presents, more or less valuable, from friends and relatives, as their parents happen to be more or less wealthy. To them it is a poem: to many of us middle-aged people it is a disagreeable reality. The old people naturally like it. ”

“ I have my house full of people; and, as I have chosen my own guests, we are a pleasant party enough. I have sent all the men out shooting. I don’t go myself, for I don’t see the fun of standing at the corner of a covert, with my nose frozen, and my hands and feet insensible, on the chance of shooting one of the many hundred pheasants I had down from town yesterday, because I won't be troubled with much preserving. So I have come into my den to have a quiet pipe, and a dip into a book, and a chat with my readers. ”

“ You will see the children blindfolded in turn, with a stick put into their hands, and taken into the middle of the room to be walked about in a maze, and left to grope about till each one fancies he is underneath the cherished object, when up is raised the stick to hit the balloon, and the air alone is struck. The bandage is withdrawn, and the patient looks very foolish as he finds himself in a totally different part of the room to that he expected. When the balloon is destroyed, all the bon-bons fall over the floor, and a general scramble ensues. ”

“ The lady is my mother, and the child myself. I am arrayed in all my glory, and am taken downstairs to be admired and worshipped by uncles, aunts, and cousins, who all load me with praises, and kisses, and presents. ”

“ The snow is falling so thickly that we can hardly see before us. I am sitting in the little cabin by the stem, calmly awaiting a collision. I am about to spend my Christmas with my ladye love, and obtain fresh and sea air. ”

“ The school children will be feasted, and all the old people will have a blanket given them, and a sackful of coals. Any wayfarer passing my lodge gates will be invited to partake of a hunch of bread and a mug of good October ale. ”