Wherever I have lived, both in Europe and in North America, the weather has been the lousiest precisely around Christmas. Istria is no different in this regard. The last couple of days have been appalling. Sickening. Actually, dispiriting. Which goes a long way toward explaining the emergence and persistence of Christmas as a major holiday in the northern hemisphere. What else can one do when the weather is so lousy but rejoice? It is a question of survival, and not only spiritual one.