Thursday, December 28, 2006

Celebrating Christmas in Gozo.

We arrived in Malta on Saturday 23rd December and had been told the weather had been outstanding but the taxi driver told us that it was now about to change to wind and rain, and he was right for the next 2 days we had wind and rain, cleared up after that.

In the UK Christmas is manic shopping for food and presents, the shops shut for 2 days, yet food is bought in such quantity that much of it ends up in the bin.
Christmas on the Maltese Islands however consists of nativity cribs using live people, midnight mass, and of course breakfast.
So here in Malta and Gozo the main reason for Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ, the giving and receiving of gifts to represent the presents given to Jesus by the wise men, I feel most youngsters in the UK would be unaware of this. They still enjoy their food and a good party the same as we do here in the UK but things seem a bit more in balance here in Gozo.
Another tradition is
"priedka tat-tifel" I am not sure of the translation but it involves a young boy aged between seven and ten years old giving a short sermon lasting five or ten minuets at midnight mass, this has to be learned by heart, quite a feat at this young age and well done to Adrian the son of some friends of ours whom had the honour this year at the local church.



We had Christmas dinner at the Calypso a local hotel, they produced a fine spread of food for 15 liri per head excellent value.

My apologies to Sabine for not being able to meet up, it seemed that when she was busy I was free and when she was free I was busy, we will try again on my return at the end of March.
In all we had a very nice Christmas the weather was changeable but we had some warm sunny days and it was certainly warmer than the UK.
And yes I would do the same again next year given the opportunity.


It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis.
Margaret Bonnano

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