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The day before Christmas was a busy one in the Maynard household.The delightful breakfast that Ellen sent to the table could scarcely be eaten, so busilytalking were all the members of the family."Come home early, won't you, Father?" said Marjorie, as Mr. Maynard rose to go away to hisbusiness. "And don't forget to bring me that big holly-box I told you about.""As I've only thirty-seven other things to remember, I won't forget that, chickadee. Any lastorders, Helen?""No; only those I've already told you. Come home as early as you can, for there's lots to bedone, and you know Steve and Grandma will arrive at six."Away went Mr. Maynard, and then the children scattered to attend to their various duties.Both James the gardener and Thomas the coachman were handy men of all work, and, superintended by Mrs. Maynard, they packed the more substantial portions of theSimpson's Christmas donations.It took several large baskets to hold the dinner, for there was a big, fat turkey, a huge roastof beef, and also sausages and vegetables of many sorts.Then other baskets held bread and pie and cake, and cranberry jelly and celery, and all thegood things that go to make up a Christmassy sort of a feast. Another basket held nuts andraisins and oranges and figs, and in this was a big box of the candies the children had made.The baskets were all decked with evergreen and holly, and made an imposing looking row.Meantime King and Midget and Kitty were packing into boxes the toys and pretty triflesthat they had made or bought. They added many books and games of their own, which, though not quite new, were as good as new.A barrel was packed full of clothing, mostly outgrown by the Maynard children, butcontaining, also, new warm caps, wraps and underwear for the little Simpson.