5 Christmas Villages happening around Malta this weekend
In a small country like Malta, you inevitably find a myriad of small towns. Every year like clockwork, each town’s local council puts something together whether it’s a small Christmas market or a major Christmas extravaganza, although they often shoot for the latter.
These events are open to the public, with the venue usually being a particular street or the town square. Each town is adorned with the trademark Christmas lights to be found in each town, but having said that, each one has its own unique attraction to offer. So, if you’re looking to capture the small town feel and immerse yourself in local culture while you’re in Malta, here are 5 Christmas Villages happening around Malta this weekend.
Milied fil-Pjazza, Birżebbuga
In the Southern Harbour District, Birżebbuġa’s kickoff event begins tonight at ‘Milied fil-Pjazza’, or ‘Christmas in the Square’. This event is actually organised by the parish of Birżebbuġa, and offers a varied programme which has something for everybody. The area will be transformed into a classic Christmas village, complete with vendors selling food, drinks, confections, handcrafted crafts, and decorations. You can even try out some traditional Maltese foods, such as ‘qastan mixwi’ or ‘imbuljuta’.
For kids, there will be a nursery and planned kid-focused activities, including painting shepherds for nativity cribs. Plus, there will be a live nativity scene to snap photos of. Furthermore, visitors can expect live performances everyday, featuring bands, choirs, dancers, and even a puppet show to be delivered by Sean Briffa! As a community activity on Sunday, there will be a walk around the coastline of Birżebbuġa at 9.30 am.
Il-Maġija tal-Milied, Gudja
Next, if you want a real small town experience, visit Gudja’s Christmas event ‘Il-Maġija tal-Milied’, or ‘The Magic of Christmas’. The Raymond Caruana Public Garden will be turned into a charming Christmas setting complete with an extensive array of events. Ofcourse, there will be food and drink vendors, as well as an artisan market. Kids can give making things by hand a try at the arts and crafts station in the kids’ area, and in addition to that, they can enjoy balloon making, face painting, and they can even get their picture taken with Santa.
Moreover, there will be a truck show organised by It’s All About Trucks around the garden on Sunday morning from 10 am onwards. Over on St Mark’s Street (Triq San Mark), there will be performances on both Saturday and Sunday evening, featuring The Brass House Unit, Future Voices, and more. Plus, you can join in on a community pizza dinner, or ‘Pizzata’, simply call 79603986 to book a spot. Lastly, Primary HealthCare Malta will be administering free blood pressure/blood sugar tests to all those who wish from 7 pm to 10 pm on Saturday, as well as from 10 am to 2 pm on Sunday.
Frosty Meadows, San Ġwann
Frosty Meadows is San Ġwann’s three-day Christmas village. The event will be kicked off tonight at 5.30 pm in the heart of San Ġwann with the lighting of their signature decorative lights, as well as their Christmas Tree. Following this, the event will carry on St Clare’s College Primary featuring a specially designated kids’ area, where kids can snap photos with Santa Claus, as well as the iconic Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Enjoy the captivating glow of Christmas lights and grab a bite from one of the many food vendors. Sip on some hot chocolate or mulled wine while you browse the artisan market, offering anything from toys to plants. Furthermore, there will be live musical performances all day on Saturday and Sunday. Some of the acts guests can expect are Kurt Calleja, Dancing Angels, and the iconic Fabrizio Faniello.
A Swieqi Christmas
Up in the North, The Swieqi Civic Centre will be completely transformed for ‘A Swieqi Christmas’. The event has something to offer for anybody; An artisan market, Seasonal food and drinks, you name it. Children, however, will be immensely pleased with the variety of unique and modern kids’ activities on Sunday. They can enjoy a ride around town on the Father Christmas Mobile Float, the Fun Bus, Go Karts, as well as a crafts stations, and even the VR Station
As for the adults, there will be free mulled wine on offer from 5.30 pm to 10 tonight, as well as a Gin Bar, candyfloss and popcorn, and ofcourse a Christmas market. At 7 pm, the young band FreeFall will perform a 30-minute set followed by the lighting of the Christmas Tree. Tomorrow at 5 pm, there will be a Live Model Painting session at the Community Hall (email on c.caruana166@gmail.com to book a spot). Later that evening, winner of the 2013 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Gaia Cauchi, will take the stage. And for the special highlight, enjoy a screening of Home Alone at 9 pm at the open-air cinema!
Il-Villaġġ tal-Milied fil-Mosta
Last but not least, visit Mosta for ‘Il-Villaġġ tal-Milied fil-Mosta’, which literally translates to ‘The Christmas Village in Mosta’. Ofcourse, the event promises a Christmarket market where attendees can shop for gifts and indulge in some traditional Maltese food, as well as a live nativity scene. What’s more, there will be live performances on both days from 5.30 pm onwards, featuring Maltese legend Claudio Faniello
The main attractions for this village, however, are the Train Tour and the Vintage Bus Tour. Take your pick and decide how you would like to see the town; The Train Tour is taken with Father Christmas on Saturday, while the Vintage Bus Tour is taken with Mother Christmas on Sunday. Plus, all kids on the tour will get to take a gift home with them! Do note, if weather interferes with the event, it will be moved to the Immaculate Conception Oratory.
So, which Christmas Village will you and your loved ones be visiting this weekend?
