four o'clock in the
afternoon of Christmas Eve
Her mother had taken her out in the country to Grandmother Dean 's to spend Christmas , as was the family custom , and Mrs. Dean would not wait any longer for Satan ; so she told Uncle Billy to bring him out after supper . `` Ai n't you ` shamed o ' yo ` self -- suh -- ? '' said the old butler , `` keepin ' me from ketchin ' Christmas gifts dis day ? '' Uncle Billy was indignant , for the negroes begin at four o'clock in the afternoon of Christmas Eve to slip around corners and jump from hiding places to shout `` Christmas Gif -- Christmas Gif ' '' ; and the one who shouts first gets a gift . No wonder it was gloomy for Satan -- Uncle Carey , Dinnie , and all gone , and not a soul but Uncle Billy in the big house . Every few minutes he would trot on his little black legs upstairs and downstairs , looking for his mistress . As dusk came on , he would every now and then howl plaintively .