Yesterday morning, while Miss Collins pinned the names on to the
presents, I went up to the school-house, and by the help of two native
teachers planted the tree in a cracker-box and put the little colored
candles on. In the afternoon, we took the presents up and hung them on
the tree; we put up a curtain to hide the tree, and then in the evening
put out several Japanese lanterns on the corners of the house and over
the door, and rang the bell; while the bell was ringing, you could see
the Indians coming from all parts of the village. It was a pretty sight.
The ground was covered with snow, it was just between the light and
dark, and a few bright stars were shining through the clouds.

The room is not very large, so Miss Collins proposed that they should
stand. It was well they did, for they were packed tightly together, the
men and boys on one side, the women and girls on the other.

After all came, we sang "Joy to the World," in Dakota, with several
other hymns; they all sang very loud. Then Wakanna told them about
Christ's birthday, then we lighted the little candles and took the
curtain away, and you can imagine there were some wide-open eyes and
big, smiling faces. There were over two hundred, and each one received
something; as one man came to day and said to Miss Collins, "Why,
Winona, you did not forget the little babies; their names were read out
the same as the old men." The tree was very pretty, and it would be
useless for me to tell what each one received, but the boys were
delighted with their tops as much as the girls were with their pretty
dolls; the old men received feather fans and were delighted. After they
had their gifts, we passed refreshments; we then had the fireworks; the
red light was wonderful to them--the first they had ever seen. They went
home seeming very happy.