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Almost certainly not.  But the story of how that date came to be chosen as His ‘birthday’ is one that stretches back long before His birth. it seems to have started on the Greek island of Rhodes in 283 BC. That year the solstice fell on 25th December, and it was also the year that...

It was 200 years ago this Christmas, on 23rd December 1823, that the famous poem ‘The Night Before Christmas’ was first published (anonymously) in the Sentinel newspapers in Troy, New York. It was light-hearted and full of fun, and not at all what you might have expected from its author, Clement Clarke Moore. For Moore...

This year one carol will be sung with particular poignancy.  It retells the message of angels, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests” and continues: Yet with the woes of sin and strife, The world has suffered long; Beneath the angel strain have rolled,...

‘But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.’ (Luke 2:10). As we conclude our series on the spiritual disciplines, this month we look at Celebration, which is very appropriate for this Christmas season. We are called to rejoice in...

This may look silly, but it works: cover your windscreen wipers with old socks, to stop them sticking to the windscreen on a freezing morning. The RAC warns that if windscreen wipers cannot move, there is a risk the circuit will overheat and blow a fuse. If you are cycling to work, try wearing a...

Where did Mary and Joseph live before Jesus was born? a) Nazareth b) Bethlehem c) Jerusalem What was the name of the angel who told Mary she would have a child? What did Joseph do for a living? Who was the Roman ruler when Jesus was born? Why did Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem?...

 Millions are looking ahead to this winter with ‘fear and anxiety’ about the cost of heating their homes, the Archbishop of York has said as he backed the recent launch of a campaign to provide a network of warm spaces for people who struggle to pay their energy bills. Archbishop Stephen Cottrell is encouraging churches...

On the whole British people are happy with the title ‘Father Christmas’, a suitably neutral name for the central character in children’s Christmases, writes David Winter. In America, however, and by a process of cultural indoctrination increasingly in other English-speaking countries, the same red-coated and bearded fellow with his sack of presents is known as...

Did you know that mince pies have been traditional English Christmas fare since the Middle Ages, when meat was a key ingredient?  The addition of spices, suet and alcohol to meat came about because it was an alternative to salting and smoking in order to preserve the food. Mince pies used to be a different...

The Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) has warned that the numbers of people needing foodbanks this year are still rising, as the cost-of-living crisis continues. The Trussell Trust, which runs the UK’s largest network of food banks, expects to support more than 600,000 people between December and February. This means handing out around one million...

The Church of England has launched an ambitious initiative to help its network of schools reach net zero, as part of the first phase of its multi-million-pound Net Zero Carbon Programme. The initiative involves the establishment of a National Framework to help schools reduce carbon emissions, save money by improving their energy efficiency, and switch...

Check your dog’s paws for road grit salt after every walk – the stuff may clear snow and ice, but it is toxic to dogs. Protect your rabbit and guinea pig hutches from snow, winter rain and cold draughts, and check that their water bottles are not frozen. Don’t leave your dog outside a shop...