Larry Delaney's mother often exhorts him to study and be good, saying that Santa Claus will reward or punish him. On Christmas morning, he is disappointed to find book in his stocking while his brother has a toy gun. He switches the presents thinking only Santa Claus will know, but when his mother sees, she begins to weep that her son is thief. He realizes that there's no Santa Claus and understands why his mother is brokenhearted.
First published in the New Yorker, 21 December 1946.
| Date | Publication | Publisher | Type | Page | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 |
|
Imagine! | Nelson (Canada) | Anthology | 108 |
| 1988 |
|
An Oxford Book of Christmas Stories | Oxford University Press | Anthology | 160 |