The New Yorker. Dec. 22 & 29, 1997.

Christmas without presents.

The day before Christmas

Lula Stephenson, a rich English woman, hated Christmas.
Every years, When Christmas arrived, she thought of her parents died in a car accident, on the day of Christmas.
On Christmas, Royce Stephenson, her husband, was the only person who made her smile. A day before Christmas, she prepared the meal and the fir tree, then put presents at feet of the fir tree, for her husband and people who were invited. Madam Jefferson was invited, she was the nanny and the cleaning lady of the Stephenson's Family. Her face was always whitish and her clothes was clean.
She'd taken charge of Lula Stephenson since she was a baby ! But for a month, Lula wanted that Madam Jefferson leaves the house because Her Husband Royce knew how to make everything: the housework, the cooking...
She didn't need services of Madam Jefferson. But Madam didn't know where to go, she had no family and no friends. So, Lula had said: “you will leave later Christmas!”
Madam Jefferson agreed, with a forced smile.

Christmas day.

The house was decorated with a lot of red.
The Fireplace was in the middle of the lounge, and the fir tree with fairy lights was to the left of the fireplace, and at feet of the fir tree, there were many presents with red ribbons.
In the first floor was Lula, She got dressed for Christmas with a long red dress and She had long blond hair. She made up when she heard the voice of her husband who was at the bottom of the staircase:
"I read a book because I wait that you come down, the guests are soon going to arrive, hurry you! "
Lula says: “Yes, I arrive! I stop getting ready! Visits Madam Jefferson and asks: when she leaves from our home tomorrow ?, that will occupy you!”
He answered “Okay...”
Three minutes later, he found Madam Jefferson and asked her the question.
Madam got excited and whispered: “I would never leave this house, it's because of you that I