Farmer Boy

Almanzo’s family is hosting Christmas, so his aunts, uncles, and cousins are coming. He focuses on being good and doing all his chores so that he’ll get a present in his stocking. Almanzo helps with cooking, cleaning, polishing silver, adding wood to the stove, threshing, and more without complaint. At the end of the day, the family is tired from cleaning, and Mother heats the goose and pig in the wood-fired oven overnight.

On Christmas morning, Almanzo wakes up excited. He gets a new cap, mittens, candy, a jackknife, and more, feeling like he’s the luckiest boy alive. All his siblings get new clothes and fine gifts too. Merriment fills their house—until they must do the chores and prepare the Christmas feast before their company arrives.

When their uncles, aunts, and cousins arrive, the kids show off their presents. Almanzo introduces them to Bright, Star, and Lucy, his pig, and lets them pet the animals. He shows Starlight to his cousin Frank, who wants Almanzo to ride him. Frank teases Almanzo and climbs the bars of Starlight’s stall. After multiple tries, Almanzo tugs Frank down, warning him not to scare Starlight. Royal finds them fighting and chastises them, slamming their heads together.