Wising you a Merry Christmas and a joyful festive season! 

At a monastery high in the mountains, the monks have a rigid vow of silence.  Only at Christmas, and only by one monk, and only with one sentence, is the vow allowed to be broken.

One Christmas, Brother Thomas is allowed to speak and he says, “I like the mashed potatoes we have with the Christmas turkey!” and he sits down. Silence ensues for 365 days.

The next Christmas, Brother Michael gets his turn, and he says “I think the mashed potatoes are lumpy and I hate them!”

Once again, silence for 366 days (it’s leap year).
The following Christmas, Brother Paul rises and says, “I am fed up with this constant bickering!”