Over the years my parents have always decorated our home with Christmas symbols, including a large presepio, a Nativity display that my father created for us, the whole town of Bethlehem. They also set up a canopy with baby Jesus and two angels in the entrance of our house, something which I refer to as a masterpiece, because they put so much love and attention to it. These photos show my parents next to it, back in the 1990s.
Surrounding baby Jesus are pots of grown vetch, a seed that grows very white, as long as it is grown in the dark. It is called ġulbiena in Maltese and is usually planted in early December and watered every few days, until a few days before Christmas. It may look similar to alfalfa, but it’s used frequently by many families and churches for the Christmas season. It will be snow white when displayed outside in the light around baby Jesus, but then it starts turning green after a few days. In my chapel I got into he habit of planting the ġulbiena twice, once around December 8, and another time around December 22, so that I can change it and it will look white on January 1st. Then the people will ask me 'how did you keep it so white Father?' My answer is 'Magic, and Prayers!'
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