Erickson, Deborah, and Hannah Reiker had just sat down to have their Christmas dinner when they heard a knock on the door. Erickson opened the door to see Jim Bob Walton standing there, looking scared.

"Come on in, son," said Erickson. "You are one of the Walton boys, I believe?"

Jim Bob nodded. "I'm Jim Bob." His eyes drifted to Hannah. "I wanted to visit you on Christmas Day, and I wanted it to be a surprise. Please tell me I'm not too late!"

Erickson chuckled. "Not at all. You are right on time! Please, will you join us?"

Jim Bob grinned. "Thanks!"

Erickson led him to an empty chair, and Deborah served him roast goose, potatoes, and peas.

"Thank you, ma'am," said Jim Bob as he dug in.

"When did you get here?" asked Hannah.

"I arrived in Hamburg yesterday," Jim Bob told her. "It took me a week and a half in steerage. All of us together in one little room. Straw mattresses with no pillows or sheets! And the food - " He grimaced. "This is the first real meal I've had since leaving home."

"You must be starving!" said Hannah.

Jim Bob nodded as he stabbed his roast goose with his fork. He chewed and swallowed, then continued with his story.

"I can't even begin to tell you what a relief it was to leave that ship and finally be able to breathe fresh air again! From Hamburg, I hitchhiked all the way to Gottingen, and here I am!"

"But how did you find my house?" asked Hannah.

"I asked around until I found the railroad station," Jim Bob replied. "They had a map showing how to get to your street. Once I found that, I just walked along until I came to your house."

"You must be exhausted as well as famished," Hannah remarked.

"You could say that," Jim Bob agreed.

"Why don't you take a nap in the guest bedroom when you finish your meal," Deborah suggested.

"I will. Thank you, ma'am."

Anton entered the house to see Patty holding Anna while she lighted a candle on a menorah.

"This little candle is called the shamash," Patty explained. "We use it to light the other candles, so that on the last night of Hanukkah, there are eight candles burning."

Not wanting to interrupt a sacred moment, Anton looked on in silence, until Patty looked at him and smiled.

"Hi, hon," she said. "I'm teaching our daughter about Hanukkah. I grew up celebrating it, and I want Anna to know about it, too."

Anton walked over to his wife and embraced her as he kissed her lips, then lightly touched Anna's nose.

"The candles are pretty, yes?" he said to his daughter. "What is Hanukkah about?" he asked his wife.

"The miracle of the lights," Patty replied. "When the pagans were overthrown and the temple was re-dedicated back to God, there was only enough oil for the lamp to burn one night, but it lasted eight nights."

"I remember the story about the loaves and fishes, but not the one about the temple and the oil and the lamp."

Patty frowned. "The loaves and fishes?"

"It was a miracle Jesus performed," Anton explained. "There were only five loaves and two fishes, but Jesus used them to feed a whole multitude of people."

"Oh. I don't know very much about Jesus, or about Christmas either, for that matter. I mean, I know it's all about Santa Claus, and reindeer, and trees, and presents, but there's really more to it than that, isn't there?"

Anton smiled. "Much more. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus' birth. He was born in a stable and laid in a manger, and a special star guided the shepherds to where he lay. They brought presents to him and worshiped him. Later, three wise men from the east brought presents to him, too."

"What's a manger?"

"Where the food for the animals was kept. Jesus' mother had to give birth to him there because she was away from home and there was no room for her in the inn."

Patty gasped. "Jesus was born in a barn? I don't believe it!"

Anton laughed. "It might seem hard to believe, but it is true. Jesus rose from a very humble beginning to become the light of the world."

Patty grew thoughtful. "Jesus is the Christian light, and the menorah is the Jewish light."

"I have never thought of it like that before, but you are right, PR."

The light shining in Anna's eyes reflected the glow of the candle, and Anton held his wife and daughter close as they just stood there for awhile, watching it flicker.