Give the Maltese people something to eat, organise some form of entertainment, pray that it does not rain – and you are certain that they will turn up in big numbers.
This is, in a nutshell, what happened at the Ta’ Qali National Park last weekend, when the Resources and Rural Affairs Ministry organised the Christmas Village for the second year running.
The event last year was a success, and this spurred the ministry to have another go. The experience gained from the first edition enabled the ministry to iron out the weaknesses, organise an even bigger activity and, thanks to the fair weather we had on Saturday and Sunday, the event was another winner.
The regret is that on Friday, the first of three days of activities, the event that was to involve hundreds of schoolchildren had to be cancelled because of the inclement weather.
But this was the only hitch in an otherwise successful event. The number of stalls, when compared to 2007, was doubled, and people who attended the activities last year can also vouch that the number of visitors also doubled from last year to this one. This should further encourage the ministry to plan for an even bigger event in 2009.
The Ta’ Qali National Park is big enough to accommodate even more stalls and even more activities. What could be noticed over the weekend was that most stalls were selling food and drinks – either for consumption in the park itself, or else to take home.
Well, with so many people wanting to buy gifts for their loved ones at this time of the year, companies selling items that could be considered as ideal gifts for Christmas – such as books and toys – should be encouraged to book their own space. The Christmas Village would then serve two purposes – that of providing entertainment in the days leading up to Christmas, and a chance for people to do their Christmas shopping.
Catholic Malta missed having such an activity at this time of the year. People who have travelled to Europe in December know that many cities have their own Christmas market, and it was a real pity that, until two years ago, we had nothing similar here. Now that we have it, such an event should be further enhanced in the years to come.
Last year, this newspaper had wished that the Christmas Village held in 2007 would have been the start of a new Christmas tradition. The fact that a second edition was held means that we are on the right track. Secondly, some localities have taken the cue and are also organising their own Christmas activities in the coming days. Again, this is something to be encouraged.
A suggestion that was made last year – and which unfortunately was not taken up – is for leaflets indicating the layout of the park and the programme of activities taking place at the village to be distributed to visitors at the different entrances. Although the ministry had a huge marketing campaign listing such events in newspapers and TV, and had boards showing the full programme on site, such leaflets would have been extremely helpful.
What should be also considered is the shortening of the opening hours, especially on the Sunday. Considering that schools are still open and that most families prefer to be home early on a Sunday to prepare for the next day, it is pointless having such long hours on the Sunday when most people had left by 8pm.
Yet, all in all, the Christmas Village at Ta’ Qali was a place worth visiting.