Narrative Point of View

It is significant that the narrator of "Christmas Not Just Once a Year" is a cousin of the family that is directly affected by the aunt's hysteria. This point of view allows him just enough distance to view events somewhat objectively, although he admits that throughout much of the time in which the story takes place even he did not notice the extent to which the events had gotten out of control. A daughter or son of the aunt could not remove her or himself enough from the story to narrate it dispassionately, and an outsider to the family would not have the compassion that the narrator portrays for the family's situation. To succeed as a satire about Germany, the story must be told by a family member; thus, although the narrator is literally describing his family, he could also be seen as talking about...