Mama Had to Work on Christmas

Carolyn Marsden gets into the skin of her protagonist, Gloria, when on Christmas she must tag along with her mother to her job at the hotel where a sumptuous feast is arrayed in the hotel dining room while Gloria observes the contrast of preparation for others in the kitchen. When she accidentally interacts with a child of one of the guests in the dining room, they find they giggle at the same things until cut short by the girl's parent. Gloria relays to her doll her frustration and sadness that her family's Christmas must be delayed. But finally arriving at her grandmother's and discovering a special gift her Papi, also working on Christmas, had planned for her, Gloria savors their Feliz Navidad at last.