8 Traditions That Define A Maltese Christmas
In Malta, we have a special place in our hearts for holidays, but Christmas holds a unique charm. Here are 8 cherished Christmas traditions that truly ignite the festive spirit among us:
- Lights!
In Malta, we don’t just like Christmas lights – we adore them! Whether they’re adorning our streets or our homes, these twinkling lights add a magical touch to the festive season, making the island sparkle with holiday cheer. Just don’t forget your sunglasses when walking through Valletta at night!
- Ġulbiena (Vetches)
The idea of a plant that’s grown in cotton wool inside of a dark cupboard is pretty mind-blowing as a kid. The trick is to keep the cupboard door closed to get that desired crisp, white colour. We may not have snow at Christmas, but we compromise.
- Presepji (Cribs)
From grand to petite, live-action to papier-mâché, we pour our hearts into creating our cribs. These intricate nativity scenes are a testament to our creativity and our commitment to tradition.
- The Treats!
We’re Maltese, we’ve got sweet treats for every occasion. The Christmas staples include pudina tal-ħobż, qagħaq tal-għasel, christmas log, and of course the mince pies we borrowed from the Brits and Panettone we adopted from our Italian neighbours.
- Annual Quota of Social Events
Everyone wants to celebrate Christmas, from every friend group you’ve been part of since kindergarten, to work colleagues, to both sides of the family, and don’t forget your partner’s family too. Even the local introverts find themselves swept up in the whirlwind of social events that mark the season.
- Big, Over the Top Christmas Lunches
In Malta, large families mean even larger Christmas lunches. With all the fixings and countless courses, it’s a feast fit for an army.
- Beautiful Weather
The weather on Christmas day is more often than not sunny and beautiful, very much to the dismay of the Christmas-obsessed. Nonetheless, they will still insist on an open fire and Christmas jumpers. Auntie Doris doesn’t care if you’re sweating, it’s Christmas!
- The Post-Christmas Crash
We’re all so stuffed, exhausted, broke and socially drained after the last few weeks that the island basically shuts down during the period in between Christmas and New Year. Prime time for leftover-sandwiches and copious amounts of remaining Panettone and Celebrations.
Now, speaking of traditions, how about adding a new one this year?
This Christmas, Lottoland is giving you a whopping 60% off El Gordo! The BIGGEST lottery in the world thanks to its €2.6 billion prize pool!
This Spanish Christmas Lottery takes place on 22nd December in Madrid and until recently was only available in Spain. However, with Lottoland, you can now get involved too!
This lottery sports some of the best odds in the game, and even if you don’t win “El Gordo”, there’s a massive 1-in-7 chance of winning a prize between €1,000 and €4 million!
To claim this special offer:
- Sign up to Lottoland, by clicking this link
- Pick your El Gordo numbers
- You will only be charged €1.99
So why not try your luck this Christmas? It could make it a season you will never forget.
Tag a Christmas-lover
