Family comes first! With the festive season in full swing, the majority of us are slowly being swept into the mad run up to Christmas day! Whether it’s attending rehearsals for some community Nativity play, shopping for presents and stocking up kitchen cupboards or planning holiday leave, this time of year brings with it a whirlwind of activity, which is unique. Love it or hate it, the next two weeks will be a blur of last minute shopping, lights, late nights out (or in!), over-indulgence, keeping up with yearly rituals and of course catching up with members of the family who will invariably drop in for that glass of port and a mince pie!
Year after year I have always wondered why this time of year seems to tug so much at our heartstrings. For a whole year we manage to ignore the guilty call of conscience reminding us to visit the great aunt in a care home or to get together with the cousin we barely meet (except on Facebook!)! Come Christmastime we are suddenly facing the daunting task of having to visit all our family members in the name of Christmas cheer and spirit. Christmas is a time for families – the greatest and oldest story of baby Jesus born in a manger has fascinated a multitude of generations. From the moment they are born, we tell our children this grand story, and the powerful image of mother, father and child in a stable has transcended times, cultures and religions to remain the greatest symbol of the united family. I am sure that all Maltese families celebrate Christmas in varying degrees whether it’s on the religious, social or commercial front. However, I am convinced that at the heart of all celebrations we all seek comfort in what comes first for all of us – family life.
Christmas is a time to celebrate families. Far from the traditional meal and the ensuing board games, this is a time to spend with relatives. Living on such a small island of course gives us little if any excuse not to stay in touch with family. However, the reality is that with such busy, stressful lives most of us tend to reserve the weekends to re-charge our batteries in preparation for the coming week. And so the culmination of grand family re-unions falls squarely on Christmas! What better way to celebrate the unity of the holy family, so widely represented in nativity cribs throughout the island, than to actually spend quality time with your loved ones and appreciate the values that our families have for so long fostered and nurtured!
Family comes first. How many times I must have heard my mother say this – makes you stop and think of the number of mothers/fathers of all ages who will be busy preparing Christmas lunch and keeping families together on this very special family day! Just like the holy family faced its own difficulties, modern families have their own share of challenges, which at times threaten the very basis of love and respect that family unions are built on. Christmas should serve as a time to put aside all issues and to concentrate on strengthening family ties where this is possible. For a number of us there can be no excuse not to make that call or visit. For others it will be a trip down memory lane wistfully remembering past Christmases with loved ones.
Of course if you happen to be a child, three cheers for large, noisy Christmas reunions which will see the table groan under the weight of food and the chances of getting the number of presents multiplied by the number of aunts visiting! There is something uniquely special that binds children to Christmas – and this magic tends to stay with us throughout our later years. It is no cliché’ – there truly is no better feeling than to be surrounded by your loved ones on Christmas day watching the kids excitedly tear at the wrappings of their presents!
Family comes first! With one week to go to Christmas I trust that you have all made plans to be with your loved ones and families for this special Christmas day. May the joy and love that this day brings stay with us all throughout the year to enrich our lives and to remind us of how fortunate we are to have loved ones in our lives. May we all have a Blessed Christmas! I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my very best greetings to the editor and staff of The Malta Independent on Sunday.
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