AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Santa isn't the only one who has to work on Christmas - clergy, law enforcement, health care, the MORNING EDITION host who draws the short straw - that ain't me. Lots of people work the holidays while most everyone else is home celebrating baby Jesus or the victory of the Maccabees or the seven principles of African heritage.
(SOUNDBITE OF SUFJAN STEVENS SONG, "O COME O COME EMMANUEL")
JUAN DE LA CRUZ: My name is Juan De La Cruz. I am the director of emergency relief services here at Coalition for the Homeless.
RASCOE: De La Cruz also works over the holidays. He's been helping feed and house people in New York City for 20 years. He remembers one poignant moment from a Christmas years ago.
DE LA CRUZ: A grandmother who was trying to get a doll for her granddaughter - African American grandmother, and I was able to find her an African American doll. We're serving out of a van at that point. It's about 8:30 at night, and we have gone through a good portion of the toys that we have. So just being able to reach in and kind of take that extra few minutes to look - and that really touched her.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "O COME O COME EMMANUEL")
SUFJAN STEVENS: (Singing) Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice.
RASCOE: Abby Cruz is a firefighter and EMT in Houston. She has lots of stories of answering calls on Christmas and says many of them are happy.
ABBY CRUZ: Unfortunately, there are some sad ones where families have lost a member. However, they are very appreciative that we're there to help that person, to console them. And I know one year, we went back to an elderly person. She lost her son, and we went back and had coffee and bread with her. So she was very appreciative of that.
RASCOE: Cruz says those little moments, even the ones born from tragedy, are like gifts.
(SOUNDBITE OF BIRDS TRILLING)
RASCOE: For Brienne Momberger, Christmas is turtle doves and French hens and partridges in a pear tree. She's an aviculturist.
BRIENNE MOMBERGER: An aviculturist is someone who specializes in the care and husbandry of birds.
RASCOE: And she does that at the National Aquarium in Baltimore with the birds in their exhibit on Australia, who need their fruit and insects no matter what day it is.
BRIENNE MOMBERGER: I usually encourage my friends and family to make their plans without me. But hopefully, I'll make it for most of the best bits. And hopefully, the time that I do spend with them is extra special because I was able to be a part of it.
RASCOE: So to everyone who may find themselves on the clock this week, thank you for what you do, and we hope you find a moment of your own to celebrate.
(SOUNDBITE OF SUFJAN STEVENS SONG, "LO! HOW A ROSE E'ER BLOOMING") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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