Each and every year, Christmas is celebrated with early breakfasts, endless family meals and the giving of gifts. Most families spend hundreds of euros at this time of the year, sometimes going on short breaks too to enjoy a different experience at Christmastime or New Year’s Day, maybe to get away from Malta for some peace and quiet or to reunite with relatives who live abroad.

Things might be a bit different for some this time round. The financial crisis that has hit various countries and which has also affected Malta has led to a high level of uncertainty, and people are not so ready to part with their saved cash as much as they used to until only a few months ago.

Added to this, the impending arrival of the first revised utility bills so soon after the end of the Yuletide celebrations have also meant that people have thought of spending less this Christmas to save something for the difficult times that could be ahead.

While, on the one hand, it is hoped that the current situation that we are in will pass as quickly as possible and that the economic wheel will start turning at a faster pace once again, on the other hand such circumstances ought to put matters into perspective and make us think of the real meaning of Christmas.

Over the past years, we seem to have lost the reason why it is a festive time. All we think about is how we are going to entertain ourselves, what new clothes we are going to buy and the gifts we would like to receive. All we consider is the weight of the turkey we will be cooking – and often end up with enough left over to have another sumptuous meal – the new Christmas tree which is bigger than the one we had last year and which kind of wine we will purchase to impress our guests.

But the true spirit of Christmas is different. When, 2,000 years ago, a baby was born in Bethlehem there were no lights in the streets, no all-night parties going on and no endless meals. Yet that birth on a cold night in a stable was meant to lead to the beginning of a new way of life, one based on mutual respect and understanding, on love and care, on peace and goodwill.

Now, 2,000 years later, the lesson has not been learnt. And it is not the wars that rage around the world that reference is being made to. Yes, of course, wars are ugly happenings that show to what low level mankind can go down to in search of power and money.

We can do little to change the course of history, although we should perhaps be stronger in showing our disdain against those who, for their own greed, use other people’s lives to reach their set targets without thinking of the harm they are causing to others. But we can do a lot to change our own little world, our own little surroundings, our own life.

We can adopt a more positive approach to life, smile a little bit more often, and compliment each other on good deeds done. We can restrain ourselves from saying something that could hurt others, and we can also try harder to forgive those who do hurt us, perhaps unknowingly. We can also find the time to do a small gesture that will mean little to us, but which can bring happiness to others.

It might appear to be an insurmountable task, but the longest voyage starts with a first step, and that first step must be made before the others follow suit.