Instead, I saw a scene that pierced my heart: the child, wearing only a thin jacket, was shivering from the cold, pressing his tiny hands against his chest.

I rushed over to him immediately:
— “What are you doing out here? It’s freezing cold!”

He lifted his tearful eyes to me and whispered through chattering teeth:
— “Grandpa… I’m not allowed inside the house.”

Those words hit me like a thunderbolt. Through the brightly lit windows I could hear laughter, see the festive table, see the adults enjoying themselves and raising their glasses. But my grandson, that little boy, had been left to freeze outside.