The Prime Minister's wife,  Lydia Abela, launched the fifth edition of the "Kartolina Milied" Christmas card initiative at the San Ġorġ Preca College in Pietà.

Abela invited all children to design a Christmas card and send their work to the Office of the Prime Minister.

This initiative has been recurring for the last few years and reportedly attracts very strong participation from the country's children and youth.

While speaking to the school children, Abela invited them all to accompany their submitted drawings with a beautiful message inside their customised Christmas card.

"Use your imagination to describe in this card what Christmas means to you," she said, "Both I, and [my husband] Robert, believe in the talent and creativity of our children and youth. This is why we want you to be the artists of the official Christmas cards that we will send for this Christmas."

This call is open for all children aged between 4-12 years of age. Participants may use any medium or combination of mediums including paint, crayons, pencils, collages, and digital media but excluding sculptures, 3D, and audiovisual to complete their drawing.

The winner of this competition will be announced on Monday, 16 December. Prizes will be awarded for three different age groups (4-6 years old, 7-9 years old, and 10-12 years old) for the best design and best message on the card.

A selection board from Arts Council Malta will select the official Christmas cards from all the submissions sent in from schools. The winning design and message from each age group will be selected for the official Christmas card designs of the Office of the Prime Minister.

All children's artwork will be exhibited at the Christmas Village in Castille Square between 16 December and 24 December.