During 1960ties Latvia was part of Soviet Union and Christmas was forbidden - to mention it, to celebrate it. People were not allowed to visit church or to light the candles at home on Christmas Eve. There were penalties for such actions. Even Christmas trees were sold only after December 25th.

A chain was placed around the legs of the table in order to ensure family unity.

"...it was many years ago, in 1962. I can remember it very well because it snowed a lot. I attended the second year in middle school and we were studying ILIAD with our Italian teacher. The war between Trojans and Achaeans.

Long time ago in the 1950s it was common to have a big snow by Christmas. The parents prepared all the Christmas decoration during the week leading up to Christmas. They pushed a match stick into a wallnut and painted the wallnut shell using silver and gold powder which you could buy during that time, then they let the wallnuts...

This Christmas story happened when my dad was a small boy. My grandma told me that on Christmas day two of his teeth went out and he put them in his tea cup. Then a man that used to bring them a Christmas tree came and my grandma invited him for some refreshments. She gave him a piece of...