I love the Christmas story. I love it when I read it and when children perform it, with snowmen included. I think I love it because I can identify with each of the characters in some way. With some I am inspired by their faith and in others I see reflection of my own frailty. I love the prophetic message of a story in which a baby in squalor is an eternal King. I love men of wisdom bowing at a Manger and shepherds as the audience at an angelic cantata. It is a story filled with wonder and glory. 

Yet, as I get older I feel like I am losing my grip on the story. It is becoming familiar and I am beginning to miss the nuances that once romanced me. Every now and then a song or a painting reignites the story again as the artist casts light on a new facet that had begun to drift into the grey. 

These are 12 reflections on the Christmas story, attempting to illuminate the nuances and beauty. To be read for 12 days throughout the Christmas period.