Changes

Since her mother’s death Annaple Kitson, the oldest child in the family, looks after her father, brothers and sister. The family are none too happy about this arrangement since Annaple is a dreadful cook and nags her younger siblings about tidiness, cleanliness and doing things in a proper manner. Annaple dreams of romance and being swept of her feet by a dashing suitor and as Christmas approaches her father, when asked what he would like for a present, rather rashly, says, “A ''A husband for your sister.” '' Unfortunately Annaple’s sweetheart, the wealthy Francis Vere, does not match her romantic expectations so the children plan to help Francis win their sister’s hand in marriage. Francis agrees to their plan with enthusiasm and as the days pass the Kitson family home becomes the setting for an amusing and chaotic version of the carol ‘’The ''The Twelve Days of Christmas.’’ ''

Each of the chapters describes what happens on a specific day during the Christmas period starting with St. Nicholas’s Nicholas’ Day and ending on the Feast of the Epiphany. When Francis arrives on Christmas Day with a partridge and a small pear tree in a red pot Annaple is delighted and charmed. However Francis confides in the children that as a wealthy merchant he is not used to buying single items so has bought his gifts in larger quantities. The children are encouraged by Francis’s commitment and the change in his manner but as the household becomes swamped by a variety of birds, daily deliveries of milk and visits by performers and musicians Annaple’s reaction changes and the children grow increasingly concerned that their plan may not be successful.