Each daughter finds a little copy of Pilgrim's Progress, from her mother, under her pillow when she wakes. Their mother has gone to help someone who came begging at their house. The daughters begin to prepare their gifts for their mother and await her arrival to give them to her. Amy has been missing since early morning. When she finally comes into the house, she reveals that she has exchanged the little perfume flask she bought for her mother for a larger one. "'Don't laugh at me, Jo! I didn't mean anyone should know until the time came, and I gave all my money to get it, and I'm truly trying not to be selfish any more,'" Amy says when she arrives. Chapter 2, pg. 18
Mother comes in and says that the Hummels, a poorer family in town, are hungry. She asks the girls if they would mind giving their Christmas breakfast to them. The girls and Hannah, the family's servant, help their mother bring their breakfast to the Hummels, then return home to have bread and milk for breakfast. They give their mother the presents they bought for her.
Later, they perform their play about romance, revenge, and adventure in front of an audience of girls, as no boys are allowed. Jo plays the men's roles. They have built all the scenery and costumes out of what they could find around the house.
Their rich neighbor, Mr. Laurence, has sent them a dinner after hearing that they gave away their breakfast. They discuss Mr. Laurence and his grandson, and remark on how much of a gentleman the grandson seems to be.
