...people in the 17th century must have experienced Christmas. Golden gates of heaven opening during the church service? Christ descending on earth?

Living in a world where illness, starvation and death were daily dangers that could strike at any given moment of time, Christmas was the key to salvation and must have been a profound experience far beyond the shallow festivities we have in mind nowadays.

Nobody wants to move back to the old times, but I wish all of you a good dose of this old-time experience.... and make it last into the next year, whatever religion or belief may be yours.

cheers!