“It is of course expected to have a commercial element in these festivals. The events themselves boost the economy of the localities that host them while the support of the commercial community is essential for the organisation and the success of the events”

An old traditional Christmas card coming to life. That was my first impression as I stepped into the nippy cold that enveloped Naxxar and the rest of the Maltese islands last week. The reason for my visit was the event Ir-Rahal fil-Milied which was a first for the locality that, according to a number of historians, owes its name to our Christian roots.

The event Ir-Rahal fil-Milied was organised by the Naxxar local council through the cultural events scheme launched by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Public Dialogue and Information and the Malta Tourism Authority. The local council was supported by the commercial community of Naxxar and other organisations such as the parish church, the Naxxar Scout Group, the band clubs and the political party clubs of the locality, and the sports associations.

All of these entities collaborated together to turn Naxxar into a unique Christmas attraction. The end result was a true Christmas village with a live crib, a Christmas market and much more, all jostling for attention as throngs of people flocked to the main square and surrounding streets to enjoy the festive spirit.

The Naxxar local council is not the only one organising Christmas themed events on a large scale. There are, at least, nine other localities which are bringing Christmas to life in the streets and public squares. Activities range from live cribs, nativity re-enactments, pageants, mechanical and stationary cribs, exhibitions and a myriad of other Christmas related events.

All the events have one element in common. Through them, local councils and local communities are striving to revive, maintain and strengthen what is supposed to be a very strong tradition in Christian Malta.

At a time when the true significance of Christmas is being suffocated, we are doing our best to keep the true meaning of the festivities alive. At a time when, in the name of pseudo-political correctness, Christ is slowly and subtly being removed from the feast that is supposed to celebrate His birth, we are putting the nativity on the forefront of the festive season.

Local councils and other entities involved in such projects are to be commended not just for keeping traditions and culture alive but also for striving to make the religious theme central to the Christmas celebrations.

It is of course expected to have a commercial element in these festivals. The events themselves boost the economy of the localities that host them while the support of the commercial community is essential for the organisation and the success of the events. However, it is very important that the commercial aspect remains ancillary to the main event. The focus should always be on the true meaning of Christmas and not on commercialisation. Christmas tourism may become a very important niche for our islands but in order for this to materialise we have to offer something different from other European destinations.

The distinguishing element should be the focus on the religious theme. Commercialised Christmas markets and other related fêtes are not exclusive to Malta. But if we use the commercial sector to support and elevate the religious aspect we can create a unique opportunity for those who look for the true significance of Christmas. Safeguarding, consolidating and strengthening the true meaning of Christmas should be our aim.

Christmas is a time to give. As in previous years the Malta Community Chest Fund will be organising “L-Istrina” to collect funds in aid of philanthropic institutions. The generosity of the Maltese is well known. We are never afraid to put our hands in our pockets and give generously to those in need and this year should be no exception.

However, this year’s edition of l-Istrina poses a special challenge. Past editions have been marked not just by the large amounts collected, but also by the prizes people won when donating. This time round, the chairman of the Malta Community Chest Fund, President George Abela, has put aside the idea of rewarding those who donate.

Quoting Dr Abela, “...the values of our society do not intimate that one expects to win something in order to help those in need. We will be living a special moment wherein we give without expecting anything back. It will be a day marked by generosity and by unity for a common goal”. Let’s live up to the challenge and reach our goal.

Finally, I take this opportunity to wish you a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Chris Said is Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the

Prime Minister