As Christmas is coming, there are presents to be bought, cards to be sent, and rooms to be cleaned. Parents are 1 with difficult jobs of hiding presents from 2 young children. If the gifts are large, this is sometimes a real problem. On Christmas Eve, young children find the 3 almost unbearable. They are torn by the wish to stay up late so that they will not miss the fun. The wish for gifts usually proves stronger. But though children go to bed early, they often lie 4 in bed for a long time, hoping to get a short 5 at Father Christmas. Last Christmas, my wife and I 6 hid a few large presents in the store room. I 7 the moment when my son, Jimmy, would ask me where the new bike had come from, but 8 he did not see it.

On Christmas Eve, it took the children hours to go to sleep. It must have been nearly midnight when my wife and I went quietly into their room and began 9 stockings. Then I pushed the bike for Jimmy and left it beside the Christmas tree. We knew that we would not get much 10 that night, for the children were sure to get up early. At about 5 o'clock the next morning, we were 11 by loud sounds coming from the children's room—they shouted excitedly！Before I had time to get out of bed, Jimmy came 12 into our bedroom on his new bike, and his sister, May, 13 close behind, pushing her new baby carriage. Even the baby arrived, he moved on his 14 and knees into the room bringing a large balloon behind him. Suddenly, it burst. That woke us up 15. The day had really begun with a bang.