The Red Umbrella

Christmas in Nebraska is very different for Lucia and Frankie. On Christmas Eve, Mrs. Baxter cooks a feast, and Mr. Baxter says a prayer before the meal. Lucia smiles when Mr. Baxter includes her parents in the prayer. Mrs. Baxter surprises Frankie and Lucia by attempting to make the meal more like the Cuban dishes they are used to, which makes Lucia smile “from ear to ear” (287). Christmas is celebrated differently in Cuba, and Frankie is concerned that Santa and the wise men might not know how to locate him. Lucia explains that the “three wise men bring toys on January sixth to children who live in Cuba” and that Santa brings toys to kids in the US on December twenty-fifth” (288). Mrs. Baxter assures Frankie that Santa knows he is in Nebraska.

On Christmas morning, Frankie wakes Lucia up early. They go downstairs to see presents under the tree. Mrs. Baxter greets the kids with hugs and tells them Santa left something in their stockings. Frankie is excited to find a baseball glove, and Lucia is thrilled with a compact of pressed powder and pink lipstick. Next, they open their gifts from the Baxters.