What Christmas Is and What Christmas Is Not

There is in the UK, and possibly elsewhere, at least one TV channel, ITV4 (there could be more of which I don’t know), that very proudly during this season proclaims to be “Christmas free”. The people at the top of that channel must think it’s a unique trait: in fact all or nearly all television […]

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Christmas. Jesus Was Really Born 25 December

On this Christmas Eve, waiting for the Midnight Mass, I have a little (or big, according to your sentiments) Christmas present for you:  Jesus was really born on 25 December.   For some time now we’ve been hearing various people say that the 25th December is only a conventional date for the birth of Jesus […]

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Venice Snow, Global Warming Blamed in Any Weather

In Venice in the last few days it has been snowing. They will probably blame it on global warming, as they have previously done with the floods. In fact, heavy snow and deadly cold have in the past been blamed on global warming. Interestingly, 10-15 years ago the believers in global warming also believed in […]

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Amalfi Underwater Nativity Scene in Emerald Grotto

Amalfi, the historic seaside town that gives its name to the celebrated Amalfi Coast of stunning beauty, is not the only location in Italy where an underwater Nativity scene is set up in December, but it is the first place to start that tradition in the 1960s. Not the first Nativity scene, which was created […]

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