[originaltext]W: John, do you realize that Christmas is only a month away? We’v

W: John, do you realize that Christmas is only a month away? We’ve got to think of Christmas presents.
M: Well, and what a lot of relations we have to think about!
W: Well, it’s no good leaving the shopping till the last week before Christmas Day, is it? Shall we decide what to send them all now?
M: All right. Let’s make a list of names and then decide what to give them all.
W: The children first, I think. What about Anne?
M: She’s getting too grown-up for toys. Let’s give her a book. Would she like one of the volumes of that new encyclopedia? The Oxford Junior Encyclopedia, I think it’s called.
W: I think she would. But which volume? There are twelve, I think.
M: We can let Anne choose, can’t we? She might like the volume called Natural History, or perhaps Great Lives.
W: Very well, we’ll ask Anne to choose. Now what about Dick? He thinks about nothing but space travel nowadays.
M: Oh, that makes it easy. Shall we give him one of those space travel suits the toyshops have? You know what I mean; there is a big round plastic thing that goes over the head.
W: That’s an excellent idea. He’ll be awfully excited.
M: Well, we must think of the old people as well as the children. What about your father?
W: He’s fond of music. Perhaps some tapes.
M: Isn’t he getting rather deaf?
W: He’s just got a hearing aid, and he can hear quite well with it. He’s very amusing. When mother turns the radio on to a programme father doesn’t want to listen to, he takes his hearing aid out and reads his book in peace and quiet. Then, when there’s something he likes, a concert of good music, he puts his aid in and listens.
M: And I suppose he takes it out when the conversation is uninteresting, too! Well, what do you think about giving him discs?
W: Yes, let’s do that. He’s very fond of Italian opera.
M: Do you know if his machine is still in good condition?
W: Yet, it is.
M: Then I’ll get him some discs. There are plenty of Italian operas to choose from.
W: And now your father. What would he like?
M: Not discs! He never goes to a concert. He’s been sleeping very badly the last few months. He does a lot of reading in bed. Perhaps a book?
W: Why not a bedside reading lamp? That would be useful.
M: Good idea! Then he can read without keeping mother awake. What shall we give mother?
W: A pair of gloves?
M: Yes, gloves will make a nice present. Will you buy them? A good pair of soft leather gloves with a nice warm lining.
W: Well, that’s five names on the list.
M: We mustn’t forget your mother. What would she like?
W: She still plays golf, you know, even though she’s over sixty. What about one of those baskets on wheels, with a handle, for pushing golf clubs round? Are they expensive?
M: Find out when you’re in town tomorrow. Put it on the list with a question mark. And your brother?
W: A box of cigars. But you choose them, please. I know nothing about cigars.
M: Very well, I’ll see to it.
W: Nephews and nieces next. Your sister Kater has two boys. How old is Jim now?
M: Twelve. He likes games.
W: We might give him a football.
M: Yes. I hope he doesn’t take it into the garden on Christmas morning and start kicking it about. He might kick it through the dining-room window! We shouldn’t be very popular then, if they had to eat Christmas dinner with a cold wind blowing through a broken window.
W: Well. We’ll warn Jim not to kick the ball about in the garden. We’ll advise him to take it into the park. How old is Tom?
M: He’s two years younger than Jim. He’d probably like a gun.
W: An air-gun? Can you do any damage with an air-gun?
M: Not much. But we’ll give him a warning, too.
W: Now, who else is there? What about that widowed aunt of yours? She’s going to leave you all her property when she dies, isn’t she?
M: Aunt Martha? Yes, she did tell she was leaving everything to me. I hope she won’t die for a long time yet, though. We mustn’t forget her. I don’t know what to say. She’s ver y well off. She’s got everything she needs.
W: Suppose I ask one of the shops to send some nice flowers on Christmas Eve? Flowers are always welcome, and especially in winter.
M: That’s a really bright idea, Grace! I wonder what Aunt Martha will send us. A check, I hope. There’ll be a large sum to be paid to the Collector of Taxes in January, and with all the money needed for presents...
W: She sent you a check for 200 pounds last Christmas, so perhaps you’ll get another this Christmas.
M: Your sister Mary, David and their two girls?
W: Something useful. Mary and David are always short of money. And Mary’s expecting another baby in the New Year. Can we afford to give her a new babycarriage?
M: Sorry, dear, but I don’t think we can. Think of something not quite so expensive.
W: Sheets and blankets for the baby’s bed, perhaps.
M: Yes. See what the prices are next time you’re in town, and put another question mark opposite Mary’s name. What about the girls? They’re about six, aren’t they?
W: Yes, the twins are six. They must have the same presents. Of course, dolls, I think.
M: Right! Two dolls for the twins.