Well its beginning to seem a little like Christmas, now. Getting ready for Christmas is more fun than the realization. Wordsworth – I think it was Wordsworth – has written a poem on this – where his wife wanted to go to Yarrow but he would never go, and when once by refusing he hurt her, he explained that it was better to look forward to going some time than realizing it right away. I suppose I have mis quoted him, but I got his idea – anticipation is better than realization. Buying presents, conscientiously, is a real pleasure. Those who by something “to get it over with” don’t know the real fun of Christmas. And we all like to wonder and speculate as to what is in every mysterious package brought home – such a bustling and whispering as there is and crackling of paper –- how wild we are to know! This year is especially fun for us, for we are going to have a tree and are trying to keep it a secret from Mama and Fred, who had a plum pudding last year as a secret.
Charles Burchfield, December 12, 1910