Dad worked. One day in the lean years he was on the books for 5 employers at the same time: no overlapping shifts, just a hairy schedule on a paper calendar and more than one job-to-job commute.

We do not castigate dad for devoting his entire life to the household.

Mom, who merely had one full-timer, did the shopping and wrapping on the side. The two of them set up a wonderful Christmas day together with very few gifts and resources, and we were all together on Christmas morn before Dad went to work.

It worked. We didn’t lack for joy.