Alex Ritson

I've been here in Bethlehem for the past two Christmases, and for those two years, Manger Square felt empty.

It felt quiet, almost hollow, to be honest.

A group of tourists are taking selfies in the courtyard outside the nativity church, ready to go in.

It's better.

Last year there was nothing, no people, no movement.

Now there's more of a festive atmosphere.

The city is blossoming a bit, where happy people have started to come back again.

We can hear the sounds of pumping, the sounds of shells.

I can see the pumpings are very, very close and near to us.

We used to decorate the tree inside our home, to put a nativity sense under the tree also.

What do you miss most about Christmas before the war?

My home.

To be honest, my home, my memories with my family inside our home.

All of us joined the table of the dinner, our meals, the gifts we used to give to each other.

Do you miss Bethlehem?

For sure, that's right.

We used to go to Bethlehem and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ there on the church, but now we can't go anywhere.

If you have one wish this Christmas or one message for the world, what would that be?

We ask them to keep us in their prayers.

What do you wish for yourself?