A small village nestled high up in the mountains had developed over the centuries a series of traditions by which they marked Advent every year.
All the men in the village used to dress up as shepherds and bring symbols of their trades to the little village church, as gifts for the Christ-child. The gifts were then distributed beyond the village, to people in need.
Similarly all the women dressed up as midwives and brought gifts to the church, appropriate for a young child, which were distributed in the same way.
All the young people, on finishing their education set out on a journey, as if following a star, to places well beyond the village to learn of different cultures, and they returned bringing new wisdom.
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