How does Jeanette's family change when her father loses his job?

That Christmas, the family has no money because Rex is fired from his mining job after arguing with the foreman. Instead of getting the children toys which he cannot afford, Rex takes them out to the desert and tells each of them to pick out a star. Lori chooses Betelgeuse, Brian, Rigel, and Jeannette chooses a planet, Venus. The children are pleased to have gotten stars instead of toys and they feel proud not to have been deceived by the myth of Santa Claus like the other kids.It would seem Rex is able to use his "charm" to get his children to forget that they have no money.