Australian Tales - Setis

How the Knipps Family Kept “Merry Christmas.”
“I DON'T see why I should cook our Christmas goose for the Boozems
to gobble it all up,” remarked Mrs. Knipps to her husband, as they sat at
their tea-table, an evening or two before last Christmas Day.
“Well, mother, please yourself,” replied Mr. Knipps carelessly. “For
my part, I don't care whether we have a goose and plum pudding, or
corned beef and doughboys for dinner; but the young ones will expect
something extra, and I should like them to have it too, for custom's sake.”
“You need not be afraid that I will neglect the children; they shall have
their Christmas treat,” said Mrs. Knipps, “but the idea of having the
house full of hungry Boozems, makes me downright cross. I have been
thinking, Knipps, how we may get rid of them without telling fibs. It
would be easy to say that we were going out for the day; and we could go
out for a picnic somewhere, and save the bother of cooking at home. I am
sure we are under no obligation to the Boozems, though we did spend
last Christmas at their house; for they have had favours enough from us
since then, in all conscience. They borrowed your bullock team several
times, and you broke-in two colts for them for nothing, so I don't think
we owe them anything. Their great ravenous boys and girls are enough to
breed a famine in the district. I never did see such children to eat in all
my born days.”
“It's a sign they are healthy,” said Mr. Knipps. “There is one thing
certain, Missis, if we stay at home on Christmas Day we must entertain
them, for they are coming as surely as next winter; Joe told me so last
week, and I said we should be very glad to see them all.”
“That's just like you, Knipps,” said his spouse pettishly. “You don't
consider who has all the work and bother of preparing for a houseful of
folks. It is all very fine for you and Joe to sit in the verandah smoking
your pipes, and talking about horseflesh — as you call it — but it is no
joke for me to stand frizzling before the kitchen fire all the morning
cooking dinner for a lot of selfish gormandisers. I won't do it, Knipps, I
tell you plump and plain; I won't do it, so you may get rid of the
Boozems the best way you can. Bother the people! If I could have my
way, I would lock up the house, and when they came they would see we
were not at home. Then we should get quit of them without a quarrel.”
“No, no, Missis, that will never do,” said Mr. Knipps. “That ain't
manners, you know. If you don't want the people here on Christmas Day,