I have always been a sucker for an origin story, particularly when it explains something that we do out of habit. This time of year we are surrounded by stories, traditions, and activities we repeat almost by rote.
So imagine my surprise when I stumbled across a Christmas tale that had been largely forgotten, which forced me to reexamine the Nativity and explains a beloved yuletide tradition.
As I explored the story, I discovered that it also furnishes us with lessons that we particularly need as we enter this COVID Christmas.