Eleanor
- On Christmas Eve, the annual box of fruit from Eleanor's uncle arrives, and Eleanor's siblings fight over the box as usual. Eleanor hopes Ben wins. Ben's just been forced to move down to the basement because Richie said Ben was "too old to share a room with girls and babies" (32.3); Ben's absolutely terrified of basements, though, and has already been reprimanded for trying to sleep at the top of the stairs.
- Eleanor's uncle has sent a letter asking if Eleanor would like to come for the summer. Richie starts arguing, asking Eleanor's mom what her brother knows about teenage girls. Richie tells Eleanor's mom that in high school, her brother "let her get pregnant" (32.11).
- Richie yells at Ben and Maisie to stop shouting about the box, and actually distributes Christmas presents to the kids (by throwing them on the floor, in most cases). He has presents for Mouse, Ben, Maisie, and Little Richie, but not Eleanor. Instead, he gives Eleanor fifty dollars and tells her, "Buy yourself some normal clothes" (32.22); Eleanor thanks him.
- Eleanor's siblings are thrilled. Richie stays home all day, and Eleanor goes to her bedroom to get away from him. All she wants to do is see Park.
- Eleanor's mom comes in later to make her go with the whole family to the grocery store. Eleanor wants to stay home, because Richie's been "drinking all day" (32.36), but Eleanor's mom assures her that Richie "never has a problem with driving" (32.36).
- Eleanor's mom says that Eleanor can't keep undermining the family, and can't keep "throwing tantrums" about it. "I have to think of myself," she says. "In a few years, you'll be on your own, but Richie is my husband" (32.38).
- Eleanor thinks her mom almost sounds sane, "if you didn't know that she was acting rational on the far side of crazy" (32.42).
- Eleanor goes with them to the store, and when they get there, Eleanor gives her mom the fifty-dollar bill. Her mother doesn't even say thanks.
Park
- Park's family is also shopping for Christmas dinner, and his mom spots Eleanor in the market. Park wants to leave, but his mom asks if he wants to say hi, but he doesn't think Eleanor would want him to, even though he's dying to see her; plus he's worried about what might happen if Richie sees him.
- Park's mom spends the rest of the afternoon in her room, and after his dad goes to check on her, he tells Park they're going to Pizza Hut for dinner, even though it's Christmas Eve. Park notices that when his mom finally leaves her room, her eyes "were red, and she didn't bother reapplying her eye makeup before they left" (32.69).
- When they get home, Park goes to his room to be alone, but his mom comes in and holds out a present for Eleanor. His mom starts to explain, in halting English: Eleanor comes from a big family, and so did she, in Korea. "In big family […] everything... everybody spread so thin," she says. "Thin like paper, you know?" What Park doesn't realize is that suddenly, his mom can completely relate to Eleanor.
- Park's mom apologizes for how she treated Eleanor initially. Park's dad appears, comforts his mom, and tells Park, "Your mom just wants you to be happy. Don't puss out on our account" (32.89).
- Late that night, Park runs over to Eleanor's. He taps on Eleanor's window. She's terrified, but motions that he should go to the elementary school.
Eleanor
- Eleanor thinks someone's trying to break into the house, and is shocked (and scared) to see Park outside her window. "Shots had been fired for less" (32.107), she thinks.
- Eleanor puts on more clothes and climbs out the window, thinking about how happy it would make Richie to kick her out for this.
- Park's waiting for her on the school steps, and runs toward her when he sees her, and immediately starts kissing her. They both start crying.
- Park apologizes and tells her he was wrong about everything. Eleanor says she's sorry, too, for acting angry all the time. She says she's not sorry about getting angry over Tina, though. "Don't even say her name," Park says. "She's nothing and you're... everything" (32.127).
- They stay outside, kissing, for as long as they can, and then Park begs her to come see him. She tells him she'll come the day after Christmas.