The autumn was drawing its final, blustery breaths, and the Island once known by the soft, sweet name of Abeqweit seemed to be mourning its loss. All through December, Glen St. Mary had been black and somber, reminding Anne Blythe of a winter long before when her Rilla was but an infant in her arms as she watched Gilbert, Jem, Ken, and Walter carry a grand fir from Rainbow Valley up the Ingleside lawn with sundry children happily following behind. She sighed a bittersweet sigh as she bent down to check on the dimpled, sleeping Charity in her bassinet.

Charity's mother had mysteriously disappeared early that morning with Persis, both carrying various lists and talking of meeting up with Nan, Diana, and Rebecca in town. Each adult member of the family had written out one of these lists after a great deal of thought and care after the children of the family wrote out letters to Saint Nicholas. Rilla, who would have liked to have disappeared with them, but couldn't due to her ever-growing condition and inability to travel far was nearby, sitting next to a warm driftwood fire knitting away at little booties.

Anne was still lost in some timeless plane as she studied the tawny Charity in her arms. "When she is asleep, I sometimes have to remind myself that Charity is not you, Rilla dear."

"I've always thought that she was a mirror image of Faith, mother."

"She is. However, when she is sleeping, her eyes button up in the same fashion yours did as a child, and when I see her sleeping, I'm taken back to such an innocent time."

Rilla smiled and then asked, "Please tell me that Little Anne isn't covered in snow from falling everywhere?"

Her mother gave her a sly grin. "I cannot say that it is true."

"I do not know what I'm going to do with that harum scarum. Her Aunt Persis has started calling her Graceful Anne as a joke."

"Well, that is one way to distinguish her from all us other Annes," the first Anne said.

Rilla mulled that thought around a bit. "Maybe so."

Several loud thuds sounded on the verandah, causing Anne to look outside again. "It appears that the luberjacks are returning." At this statement, the front door burst open with the men folk, their find, and several excited and rather loud children.

"Shh! The baby's sleeping," Anne tried to pronounce lest those buttoned eyes open before they should. Her interjections however, were too late. Thankfully, gurgles of joy came from the basinet rather than cries of fury.

Jem started toward the basinet, hoping the see his 'darling angel,' but was stopped in his tracks by his mother. "Don't you go near that baby until you've cleaned up, young man! You've been out playing lumberjack with the rest of the men and children, and I don't want your wife coming home to a baby having some sort of allergic reaction caused by all of that dirt and such that it covering you."

Jem couldn't argue with facts that he knew were true and returned to his post, helping set up the tree.

Tenny, his cheeks rosy from the north wind's touch sat beside Anne with an imploring look about his grey eyes. "Grandmother, how long is it until Santa Clause comes?"

At the mention of the jolly old man, all the children turned inquisitively to await their grandmother's response.

"I believe that we've only ten more days until then, Dears. Then, we will have lots of people here at Ingleside and have a happy, family Christmas."

Walt sat on the other side of Anne. "Who all is coming to Ingleside, Grandmother?"

"Oh, everyone is coming this year, children," she answered happily knowing that due to other conditions, the same would probably not be possible the next year. "Your Uncle Shirley and Aunt Rebecca are spending this holiday with us. Aunty Nan, Uncle Jerry, and Cecilia are coming, as are Aunt Diana, Uncle Jack, Teddy and Barry. Uncle Jack's parents are coming too because their other children have made plans to spend Christmas elsewhere. Mr. and Mrs. Ford have finished selling their house in Toronto and plan to be here this weekend also."

"That's a lot of people!" Gilly though out loud.

Walter turned to his nephew and said, "Yes it is, but I for one cannot wait to see them all. There's also some more people coming as a surprise to Hope and Tenny, "he said in a joyful tone that made the children's eyes widen. "This surprise should be arriving any minute along with Faith and Persis."

Hearing a car door slam, Anne carefully gazed out the window, yet shielded it from Tenny then turned to Walter with a smile. "It seems that one surprise has met its time, Walter. Why don't you go and greet your guests for they have arrived."

Hope ran over to where Tenny was and the twins grasped each other's hands in buoyant anticipation of their surprise. Walter returned outside where everyone could hear boisterous laughter and greetings. He soon returned inside along with six people whom Hope and Tenny had all but given up ever seeing again.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet the McGowan family. This is Gideon and Ginny and these are their children, Jacob, Maddie, Lucy, and Nicholas," he introduced pointing to each as he said their name.

Tenny and Hope rushed over to greet their long, lost friends as the racket of everyone meeting echoed throughout the house.

"Have you come to visit for Christmas?" Hope asked her older friend, Maddie.

Maddie, who was a bit shy in a room filled with strangers, only shook her head no. Her older brother, Jake, had no problem answering though. "Gosh no! Your dad helped our dad get a farm up here, and we've come here to stay!"

"Really?" Tenny asked.

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye," Jake vowed.

"That's great!" The twins exclaimed at the same time in the manner they sometimes unknowing did.

The McGowan family stayed to Ingleside for dinner where they also met the Reverend Meredith, his wife, and Una, who had come up for a visit. Everyone seemed to get along splendidly, especially the children. Once more, the race of Joseph knew its own, and were all sworn friends and allies by the end of dinner. The McGowan family fit into the tight circle as if they had always been a part of it. The only discomfort felt between anyone was that felt by both Persis and Una, both flanking Walter at the dinner table as Ginny and Gideon both couldn't help but occasionally stare with curious expressions on their faces.

"Grandpa Meredith?" Walt asked at one point.

"Yes?"

"Did you know that a whole lot of people are coming here for Christmas?"

"Why yes, Walt," the older man informed his grandson. "Where do you think half of the visitors will be staying?"

Gideon felt very at ease with everyone so he commented, "It sounds like this place will be bustling busier than a speakeasy in a few days."

The adults all laughed at Gideon's reference to the attempts in the States many people made to allude Prohibition. "We just want to get you confused at the beginning," Faith told him.

"I just love having a house full of guests and loved ones at Christmastime," Anne declared.

"I can think of one guest that we all could have lived without," Jem added.

Kenneth couldn't think of any guest of Ingleside ever being so obtrusive that he or she wasn't really wanted. "Whom could that have been?"

At the same time, Anne, Jem, Walter, and even Gilbert, whose clannishness changed focus over the years, said, "Aunt Mary Maria."

A roar of laughter exploded throughout Ingleside, and those who had spoken exchanged amused, knowing glanced and smiles. Only Rilla looked confused. "I don't remember Aunt Mary Maria ever spending Christmas at Ingleside. I always remember her refusing to ever visit Ingleside at all."

Gilbert chuckled. "You were but a babe, Rilla, last time Mary Maria Blythe visited Ingleside. She showed up before you were born, and stayed straight through until late spring of the next year. She only left when your mother dared to throw her a birthday party."

Anne laughed remembering the incident of olden days, "Apparently she took offense at my letting people know her age. Anyway, I do believe that she was the most insufferable guest ever to stay here."

Then Gilbert said something that only clannishness stopped him from saying all those years before, "Good riddance! She made Anne and Susan miserable, she was positively evil to you children, and she even wore on my nerves." As he finished, he looked to his wife, sitting to his right and they warmly smiled into each other's eyes as he clasped her hand with his.

Jem still had his two cents to put in regarding the woman with whom he had many a rile, "I was just glad to see her go because she always called me James, with a certain tone in her voice that made me want to hit something, probably her," he laughed, looking to Faith.

"I can't imagine you wanting to hit an old woman, dear."

"I wanted to hit her. I've never liked any person who has called me James, in that manner. Those I love the most have always called me Jem," he couldn't help but look to Una who was quietly listening to the conversation. Jem continued, "It has always seemed to me, that people who talk to me in that manner seem bent on making everyone else as miserable as they are. It has also seemed that those people have little respect for anything, though they are calling for the utmost respect in pose."

He regretted saying that as soon as he did, but it was something that had been on his mind for months. For a bit, it seemed as if the jovial mood of the evening had already taken its leave.

Thankfully, as in many homes, the children came to the rescue of everyone's moods. "Tell us about more Christmases," Gilly pled.

Anne smiled, "Let us finish supper, and then we can gather round the fire to tell all sorts of stories of Christmas Past."

Well, I have finally decided on Little Anne's nickname. I appreciate all of the ideas. This was one that just came to me one day. This may seem like a chapter of fluff, but I must set up a very exciting and revealing Christmas. Keep those reviews coming. I love then!