Beautiful and interesting piece on "Carol of the bells (Ščedryk). It also contains quotes from "We wish you a merry Christmas" and "God rest ye merry gentlmen." In the original Ukrainian song "Ščedryk", the flight of a swallow announces spring after a cold winter. "We wish you a merry Christmas", as everyone knows, also wishes a happy new year. And "God rest ye merry gentlemen" speaks about comfort, joy, true love and brotherhood.
In these dramatic and painful times, all current topics. Even a hope for better times.
So the beauty of Hicken's piece, in my opinion, goes beyond the Christmas mood.