Anna All Year Round Read Online Free PDF

his back, wrapped in swaddling clothes, his arms spread wide. He smiles at Mary and Joseph. Like Anna, baby Jesus is an only child.
    After mass, Father carries Anna home. She is too tired to walk but not too tired to look for Santa's sleigh in the sky. Even after Father puts Anna to bed, she watches for Santa. Just before she falls asleep, she thinks she hears sleigh bells.
    On Christmas day, Anna wakes up before Mother and Father. She lies in bed for a while waiting for them to get up. Finally she tiptoes to the top of the steps. All is quiet downstairs. The hall is still dark.
    Anna is afraid to go to the parlor by herself. Suppose Santa has forgotten her? Suppose she's been naughtier than she thought? Suppose all she'll find under the tree is a bundle of sticks or a piece of coal?
    Behind her, Anna hears footsteps. She turns and sees Father coming toward her. "Merry Christmas, Anna," he says.
    "Merry Christmas, Father!" Anna runs to him and gives him a big Christmas hug and kiss.
    "Shall we go downstairs and see what Santa has brought?" Father asks.
    "What about Mother?" Anna asks. "Shouldn't we wait for her?"
    "Here I am," says Mother. "
Fröhliche Weinachten, Mädchen!
"
    Holding her breath, Anna slowly opens the parlor curtain. She keeps her eyes closed for a moment, scared of being disappointed. Her heart beats so fast she thinks it might fly out of her chest.
    Finally Anna dares to look. The doll she's wanted for so long sits in a brand-new wicker carriage, smiling at her. She's wearing a dress just like the one Mother has made for Anna to wear today. Under the tree, Anna finds a soft, warm beaver hat and muff for herself, and smaller ones for the doll. She also finds paper dolls and the book she hoped for,
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
In her stocking are hair ribbons, a big juicy orange, chocolate candy wrapped in shiny foil, and a pretty little gold ring for her finger.
    But where is the Erector set? Anna crawls under the tree, thinking it must be hidden there, but she doesn't see it. She glances at Mother and Father. They smile at her.
    "Santa has been good to you, Anna." Mother says.
    "Yes, indeed he has," Father agrees.

    No one says a word about the Erector set. Anna forces herself to smile. It would be ungrateful to complain, but she's very disappointed. Charlie will be disappointed, too.
    Father gives Mother her present, a Victrola and records of her favorite opera singers. Mother gives Father six handmade shirts, stitched as neatly as the dresses she sews for Anna.
    Anna gives Father a soft wool scarf to keep his neck warm on cold walks home from the trolley stop. She gives Mother lilac perfume.
    Father likes his scarf so much he insists on wearing it to breakfast. "My neck is cold," he says.
    Mother dabs a few drops of perfume behind her ears and on her wrists. The sweet smell of lilacs mingles with the waffles Mother has cooked.
    All day long Father's relatives come and go. His brother, Anna's uncle Harry, comes with his wife, Aunt Grace. Father's sister, Anna's aunt Aggie, comes all the way from the farm with her husband, Uncle George. His aunt, Anna's great aunt Emma Moree, arrives in a horse and carriage. When the relatives come through the door, they say, "Merry Christmas." Like Father, they do not speak German.
    Uncle Harry hands Anna a big box wrapped in splendid red and green paper. "Merry Christmas," he says. "This is from all of us. We hope you enjoy it, Anna."
    The relatives gather around and watch Anna untie the shiny bow. She thinks it must be a new tea set for her dolls, but when she tears off the paper, Anna can hardly believe her eyes. Her aunts and uncles have given her the Erector set she wants so badly.
    "Thank you, thank you!" Anna puts the box down and jumps to her feet. She hugs Uncle Harry and all the others and they hug her back.
    Mother shakes her head. "What will Anna do with such a thing?" she says with a smile.
    "I'll build a ferris wheel," Anna cries. "Me and Charlie—we'll do it