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Christmas Eve is almost here and from BeBrave we want to celebrate it by sharing with all of you the IV Christmas Anthology. The work collects poems, stories and illustrations of students and teachers of the School of Philosophy and Letters.

Below we offer a small selection and at the bottom of the page we give you the option of download the complete Anthology (43Mb).

IV Christmas Anthology

_{Danila Andreev - Philology '19}

Merry Christmas!

The longing for love that your beating heart has in you can only be filled by the Child God who is now born. He loves you like no one else, and with Him loving is easy, if with His eyes you ask Him to illuminate your countenance.

This Christmas I pray to you, King of Kings incarnate, that you whisper to my soul each day your commissions and that you open my hands to love you in every brother. In this noisy, fast and dreary world, give me the peace you had that night so long ago.

I want, Lord, every day, to curl up next to you!

Dolores López
Professor at department of History, Art History and Geography.

_{Concha Martínez Pasamar -Professor of the Department of Philology}

Balthasar's childhood

The feet were very cold in those hours of the eastern night. The blanket barely protected the body heat and the silvery light was filtering through a crack in the roof. Innocent curiosity led him out to gaze at the stars. Thousands and millions of stars twinkled in that sea of lights that reflected in the boy's pupils. Why wasn't his mother there to save him? Why wasn't she there when he was paralyzed by fear?

Suddenly she shivered and the hairs on her arm stood on end. A gasp and a step backward caused him to stumble. He did not fall to the ground because arms supported him. "What are you afraid of?" she asked with motherly affection. The son hugged his mother. "Of the stars," he stammered. "Why?" she continued to ask. The child raised his head again and gazing at them again trembled. He could not take them in. The vastness of the starry field exceeded his field of vision. He tried to find out what he was afraid of, but he only knew that he was afraid. Feeling his mother's warmth, he stood for a long time watching.

-Mom..." he said in that sweet white voice so characteristic of children, "I just don't understand it. The whole sky looks so messed up, nothing makes sense up there! If only... it would be good for something. But it doesn't do any good. And that's scary too.

The mother lay down and asked her son to do the same. Lying down, she began to explain everything she knew about astronomy: the constellations, the planets, the movement of the stars... The little boy understood everything she told him.

-Mom... so... each star is different? -he asked uncertainly.

-My son... each star is unique. They are like people: each one will take you to different worlds," he whispered.

-What if I chase a star that takes me to the wrong place? I'll get lost and no one will be able to save me!

-If that should happen, my son... then you will find your way back, I promise you. We should never regret acting on a hope. Every star leads us to some hidden place in the world; every person leads us to some secret place in oneself.

-Wow, wow, amazing! And..." he said, stretching out his vowels with his hand on his chin, " And... what if a star guided us to a person?

-Then, my son... that person would be God. ha ha!

That said, they got up and went to their respective beds. The little boy could not sleep all night, watching the silver light being absorbed by the bowl of myrrh on the table.

Alonso Schlatter García
4º Philosophy

_{Concha Martínez Pasamar - Professor in the Department of Philology}

The magic of Christmas!

"They are coming", "They are coming". This is how agitated the city of Brussels was on September 5, 1599. At entrance of the city, a great triumphal arch decorated with the coat of arms of the Spanish Habsburgs and flowers of all colors was erected in honor of our protagonists: Isabella Clara Eugenia and Albert of Austria, the new rulers of the Netherlands. Both entered on the back of two majestic horses through the streets of what would be their new home. For Elizabeth, it had been a very hard year, as it was only a short time since the death of her beloved father, Philip II. And now... she was leaving Spain, her home, to rule these territories and all for the report of her father and for the Empire.

Months passed and Isabel and Alberto tried to pacify the area with policies and dense meetings. Also, they promoted great ceremonies intended to reinstate and increase the presence of Catholicism in those lands. And then... December 24 arrived. Suddenly, the young couple found themselves celebrating their first Christmas in one of their palaces located in the Tervuren area. There, surrounded by their court, ambassadors and advisors from various parts of their domains were celebrating this great holiday with them. When dinner was over, it was then that Elizabeth beckoned to one of the servants. He brought her a small ornate chest brought from the court of Madrid. Inside were some strange brown nuggets. Then, he ordered this food to be taken to the kitchens. Hours later, one of the servants returned with a concoction that gave off a delicious and comforting aroma. It was one of the Empire's best-kept secrets: hot chocolate.

It was poured into the glass of each guest who missed the liquid. Then the daughter of Philip II and her husband raised their glasses and proclaimed a toast: "To Philip III, the Netherlands, the glory of the Empire and Christmas". In unison the entire conference room shouted "Viva" and drank the chocolate marveling at its taste. For the rest of the evening, they enjoyed merry anecdotes, sharing songs and dancing. That night there was no lord and vassal; just a group of people enjoying each other's company with a good cup of chocolate, on one of the most special nights of the year: the birth of the Savior.

At dawn, the young smiling couple walked through the streets of Brussels towards the cathedral. During the journey they remembered the dances and carols accompanied by joy and sweetness with the unexpected gift of the Indies. It was the happiest night of 1599. It was... The magic of Christmas!

Javier Martínez Sarasate
4th History + Diploma in Archaeology

_{Norely Sarmiento - 1º language Spanish Literature and Literature}

Christmas, what do you say?

Dear dark night,

that will soon house the light that illuminates us.

Dear cold night,

that will soon welcome the fire that warms us when the road gets cold.

Blessed are you, star, who let yourself be illuminated by the light and radiate it. And lead kings, shepherds and children to the way, truth and life.

Dear humble and sacred night,

Blessed art thou for the guest who comes to thy dwelling.

Blessed am I, Christmas party.

This is the time of the year when a special illusion is in the air.

Blessed are those who manage to unveil the mystical meaning hidden in my festivity.

Blessed are those who do not remain in ephemeral gifts, in the superficial.

In that which appears to be great, but awkwardly does nothing but empty.

Blessed are those who enjoy a hug and a conversation, feet in front of the fire and an uninterrupted after-dinner conversation.

Dear ones who can enjoy my solemnity, do not fall into the trap that binds you to the earthly.

Don't settle, go further.

Find the meaning of that which has no expiration date. That which is eternal and full of peace.

Lift up your eyes and behold the face of him who has come to save you.

Beatriz Pérez-Calvo Montuenga
1º Philosophy, Politics and Economics

In Christmas shoes

The chorus of All I want for Christmas is you is played . Gradually Issue descends until the carol is left as background music.

ANNCR: Good evening everyone, and welcome to our program "In the Shoes". This is Luis Sáez, and today we have the pleasure of having the presence of Christmas in person. Just for tonight and exclusively, here, in "En los zapatos". Good evening, Christmas!

CHRISTMAS: May he be beaten.

ANNOUNCER:(slyly) As I said, it's a pleasure to be here with you, Mrs. Christmas.

CHRISTMAS: Of course it's a pleasure for you. And it's Miss. I am not married.

ANNOUNCER: Let's start the interview with a few questions, is that okay?

CHRISTMAS: Does that last question count? I don't feel like talking more than I should.

ANNOUNCER: Of course not, excuse me. Let's see. Here's the first question: What do you like most about yourself?

CHRISTMAS: I think it is in very bad taste for you to force me to be vain in public. You'd better tell me what it is that you all like so much about me.

ANNOUNCER: Well, I think I speak for everyone when I say that some of the many reasons we love Christmas are the snow, the nougat, the colored lights and the presents.

CHRISTMAS:(brief pause) I'm going to say four little words about your conception of me. First, about the snow, haven't you heard about climate change? Don't you know that the North Pole is melting and that we are putting the polar bears in danger of extinction? At this rate, next Christmas we will be summering on the coast of Alicante, and the history books will study that thing that our ancestors called winter.

ANNOUNCER: I don't think that...

CHRISTMAS: I'm not finished. You said you guys like me for nougat. You don't have any dentist friends, do you? Nor a close companion who is a doctor, do you? Do you know how many kilos a Spanish citizen gains from average with so much candy?

ANNOUNCER: I imagine that...

CHRISTMAS: Shut up, it was a rhetorical question, can you imagine the amount of cavities and indigestion you accumulate every year when you come out to greet me?(The ANNOUNCER opens his mouth, but CHRISTMAS interrupts). That was another rhetorical question, don't bother to answer. As for the colored lights, I don't know who would come up with the magnificent idea of lighting up the streets as if they were a light bulb factory. Why do they get so happy when they see that network of wires climbing up the lampposts? Don't they get the invoice light? (The ANNOUNCER goes to answer, but CHRISTMAS interrupts him again.) I tell you it's a rhetorical question, you devil! They're paying for stupid light bulbs with their taxes, as if they don't have enough with the stars. So many little plastic stars, what's the point, may I ask, if they already have the ones in the sky? And if I start talking about gifts, we can stay here until my friend arrives on New Year's Eve and we get the grapes.

ANNOUNCER: It won't be necessary...

CHRISTMAS: Superficial, empty, expensive and stupid gifts, like everything else. You delude yourselves by saying they are tokens of love, but I don't get them with cheese. Capitalism, that's what it's called, my lord. The masses flock to the malls to spend their inheritance, their savings, their jewelry and their gold teeth. I have seen wills destroyed because of Christmas shopping. If honey is what they want, why don't they write each other a cheesy letter or give each other a hug and a pat?(Silence. Long pause.) ANSWER!

ANNOUNCER: I thought the question was rhetorical.

CHRISTMAS: This one is for you, you great fool. Tell me what is the solution to overcome this superficiality that consumes us.

ANNOUNCER:(long pause. In the background, only Mariah Carey can be heard singing All I want for Christmas is you for the eighth time in a row.) I think...(clears throat noisily) I think I have the solution to your... to our problem.

CHRISTMAS: You name it.

ANNOUNCER: Going back to its origins... to the moment when it all started... wouldn't you say that there... in a portal, to be exact... it is possible to find what you are looking for?

CHRISTMAS:(silence. Sighs heavily) A portal... in Bethlehem, isn't it?(pause) With a child lying in a manger?(pause again). Yes. Yes, that's what I mean, just that.

ANNOUNCER:(with visible relief) Thank you very much(to listeners). Don't go away, please. We'll be back after advertising.

María Pérez Ibáñez
4th Literature and Creative Writing

Download the IV Christmas Anthology here.

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