Light in the darkness

So here in the North the days are short, the wind is bitter, snow falls ... and it it the time when small lights shine out in the darkness of the streets, from Christmas trees or candles lit inside, lights of remembrance, lights of hope.

Families gather together and plan a feast.. well, my family is having a mini feast, no roast turkey but I have managed to procure a real English Christmas pudding. This is mainly so that the children can sing "WE wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year" which they have learnt at school.
For the first time we shall have all the grandchildren and their parents together on Christmas Day, a cause for great rejoicing.

Here in Amsterdam the weather is being suitably chill but we've had a snow and I don't think more will come this week.
I am contemplating a Christmas tree, but there's really nowhere to put it, so I think I'll make do with strings of small lights. That, after all, is what it's all about.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never put it out.
And we certainly need to hold onto that hope, as we look around the world today...

This is the light shining into the Rijksmuseum...