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The students learnt how to dance to our traditional folklore song Il-Maltija.
They did the performance in front of an audience in the parish hall during a celebration for the elderly.

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Christmas is an important celebration as Malta is mostly Catholic and so many traditions come from things related to the Church.

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Christmas is celebrated by millions of people around the globe. It is the time of year for family gatherings, prayer, Christmas carols and Christmas trees, and also time for shopping and exchanging gifts. Despite all these things happening, there still exist today a few Christmas traditions that have been passed on from generation to generation, customs that are unique to the islands of Malta and Gozo.

1. The Sermon of the Child

Christmas still retains a strong religious element for the Maltese. Participation in churches increases around Christmas with a special attendance on Christmas Day. Churches are full for sermon services, with Midnight Mass still retaining its popularity. One of the oldest traditions would be 'The Sermon of the Child' ( Il-Priedka tat-Tifel). A boy or girl usually aged between 7 and 10 years old is chosen to replace the celebrating priest in delivering the sermon of the Midnight Mass. This special performance is awaited with great anticipation from all persons present that day. For a few months leading up to Christmas Day, the parents, brothers and sisters would have helped the child practise the speech to perfection, encouraging them to give it their all. It is a highly prized event for every child who is chosen. This lovely tradition is believed to have started in 1883 in the little village of Luqa, where a boy called George Sapiano was the first altar boy to deliver the sermon. After Midnight Mass, it is also a custom for the local parish priest to offer traditional Maltese coffee and date cakes ( mqaret) to the members of the community.

2. Children's Procession

In almost every town and village, following Midnight Mass, a children's procession is organised by the religious society. What happens during this event is that a statue of baby Jesus is carried shoulder high while children walk behind it through the village streets, carrying lamps and lights along the way and singing old traditional songs such as (sleep and cry no more). This heart-warming custom goes way back to when Saint George Preca set up the first procession in the village of Hamrun in 1921.

3. The Vetches ( Ġulbiena)

Vetches ( ġulbiena) are specifically grown in Malta and Gozo in November and December to be used as a Christmas decoration in houses and churches around the islands. It is traditional to sow wheat, grain or even canary seeds, placed on cotton buds in flat pans for about five weeks before Christmas. These are left in dark corners of the house until the seeds produce white and stringy shoots. The Maltese are quite creative with these vetches. I have seen them used in window sills, in the crib next to the statue of baby Jesus, or placed along the front façade of the crib.

4. The Nativity Crib ( Il-Presepju)

Another one of the sweetest and oldest Maltese traditions is the Nativity Crib ( Il-Presepju). The first ever recorded crib was found in Rabat and was housed by the Dominican Friars in 1607. The idea of crib building originated in Italy, where St Francis of Assisi re-enacted the Birth of Christ. From here it spread all over Europe and eventually the world, with each country adapting the crib to its own traditions, trades and style of costumes. Although this is not a purely Maltese tradition (because it is also practised in other countries), along the years the Maltese crib has developed its distinctive features. Cribs are found in almost every Maltese home and each family gives it their personal touch.

Depending on the size and structure of the presentation they are usually built with rustic stones known as ' gagazza', very abundant in the Maltese countryside. In recent years, crib enthusiasts have turned to another medium, the paper mache: this makes cribs more solid and lightweight. Wood and paints are also used. Cribs are then decorated with clay statues ( pasturi) representing The Holy Family, The Magi, the shepherds with their flocks of sheep, the baker, the bag pipe player, folk singers, angels, fishermen, drum players, and obviously the village simpleton, who is full of wonder and awe ( L-Għaġeb tal-Presepju), and whom all the Maltese joke about. The cribs are embellished with all sorts of interesting decorations including the unmistakable growth of vetch ( ġulbiena), grown in flat pans some five weeks before Christmas.

5. Traditional Maltese Christmas Lunch and Dessert

Maltese families and restaurants have a wide range of foods at Christmas, and the amounts of food served in one day are enough to feed the family for an entire week! By tradition, the Maltese housewife keeps the fattest capon ( ħasi) especially for Christmas Lunch. This is roasted at the local bakery in a casserole with fresh potatoes and vegetables. The traditional dessert that is served at Christmas is the Treacle Ring, ( Qagħqa tal-Għasel), and the most traditional 'coupe de grace' is the serving of the hot Chestnut and Chocolate beverage, ( l-Imbuljuta tal-Qastan). This is made using cocoa, chestnuts, cloves and citrus zest.

I'm sure many readers have very fond memories of Christmas past which are closely linked with nostalgic thoughts of family, love and security. Together with culture and tradition, families worldwide have their very own Christmas trademarks which undoubtedly go a long way into the making of a child's most magical Christmas. May this magical spirit of Christmas descend upon you and all your families this Christmas. A Blessed Christmas to you all!

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Christmas is the time of year for family gatherings, prayer, Christmas carols, and Christmas trees and also time for shopping and exchanging gifts. Despite all these things happening, there still exist today a few Christmas traditions, passed on from generation to generation, customs that are unique to the islands of Malta and Gozo.

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Women wore the 'għonnella' a black, hard cover on their head. Men wore a cap on their head.

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This kind of song is old and traditional. The singers sing and match end of sentences with rhyming words. They invent the songs on the spot. Today it is mostly sung by elderly people. Here is an example:

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Maltese makjetta: traditional folklore music from Malta

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We have many traditional dishes, sweets and snacks in Malta. We are famous for our rabbit stew, garlic octopus, widow's soup, baked rice and many others. As snack we like to eat hobz biz-zejt (bread with tomatoes and oil) or pastizzi (special pies with rikotta or peas). Sweets vary according to the time of the year or celebrations. During Christmas time we have the qaghaq tal-ghasel (honey rings), at carnival the Prinjolata, during lent we do the Kwarezimal, in Easter we have the figolli, in November the ghadma (bone)...

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Maltese food is renowned for being fresh and full of flavour. Having lived in Malta for a few years now, I have come to appreciate the influences which Maltese cuisine has from other European and North African countries. However, Maltese dishes make use of the most readily available local ingredients, giving them a unique and distinctive flavour that you will not be able to find anywhere else. So book your flights to Malta and be sure to try these top 5 savoury Maltese foods on your next trip!
1. Ħobż biż-Żejt
Ħobż biż-żejt literally translates to 'bread with oil'. This traditional Maltese snack is popular among locals all year round, but especially during the summer months. Ħobż biż-żejt usually consists of a crusty sourdough bread known as ħobż tal-Malti or else a ftira, a disc-shaped, crusty and semi-flat bread with a hole in the middle. The bread is typically rubbed with fresh Maltese tomatoes or tomato paste. It is then drizzled with olive oil and filled with tuna, capers, onions, olives, garlic, sea salt and pepper. However, what the bread is filled with differs depending on each person's preferences.
2. Stuffat tal-Fenek
Stuffat tal-fenek, or rabbit stew, is one of the most popular ways to cook rabbit meat in Malta. The stew is cooked slowly, over around 2 hours, in order to bring out all the rich flavours. The stew is tomato-based, and includes readily available local vegetables such as onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, and of course lots of tasty Maltese tomatoes! Locals regularly enjoy a fenkata, or 'Maltese rabbit nights', where they come together to eat and celebrate. A fenkata would normally begin with a starter of Maltese water biscuits with bigilla, or mashed beans, followed by a plate of spaghetti with a rich rabbit sauce. This is followed by the main course, which is traditionally rabbit meat cooked with white wine and garlic, served with fried potatoes or chips. Finally, ħ elwa tat-tork is served as a sweet dessert. This traditional sweet is made out of sugar, tahini and almonds.
3. Torta tal-Lampuki
Being an island surrounded by the sea, it makes perfect sense for the Maltese to use fish in a variety of their dishes. Torta tal-lampuki is a pie made out of the fish known as the 'mahi-mahi', or the common dolphinfish. These fish migrate past the Maltese islands from the end of August until around November. The fresh fish are caught early in the morning and are transported to the fish market in Valletta on weekdays. However, the fish caught on Sundays are sold in the fishing village of Marsaxlokk, on the south-east side of Malta. The freshly-caught lampuki are cooked with tomatoes, onions, olives, capers and spinach and placed in a puff-pastry before being baked in the oven.
4. Timpana
Timpana is a baked macaroni dish. The macaroni are cooked in a sauce made with minced meat, tomatoes, onion, garlic and cheese. Some people opt to add bacon and hard-boiled egg to the sauce, with some going even further and adding chicken liver or calf brains to the recipe. The macaroni is then baked in a pastry case, resulting in a rich and filling pasta dish that leaves everyone asking for more!

5. Pastizzi

Of course, you cannot visit Malta and not try one of the most popular snacks on the islands - pastizzi. These warm, savoury pastries are traditionally made out of filo pastry or puff pastry and are filled with either warm ricotta cheese 'tal-irkotta' or mushy peas 'tal-piżelli'. They are cheap, delicious and addictive, with pastizzerias found all over the island. Pastizzi are popular snacks at any time of day, all year round and taste great with a cold glass of Kinnie, Malta's own soft drink which has a bitter sweet taste. Pastizzi have become so popular in recent years that various cafes and restaurants in other countries, such as the UK, Australia and Canada have also started serving this delicious snack.

What Maltese food are you most looking forward to trying out on your next trip to Malta?

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Maltese food is renowned for being fresh and full of flavour. Having lived in Malta for a few years now, I have come to appreciate the influences which Maltese cuisine has from other European and North African countries.

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Girls dressed in traditional costumes during our Christmas play

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Girls dressed in traditional costumes during our Christmas play

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Boys dressed in traditional costumes during our Christmas play

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Boys dressed in traditional costumes during our Christmas play

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Easter in Malta is quite the feast and locals prepare for months in advance. But now that Easter week has finally arrived, here's everything you can do to experience the feast like a true local.

1. The many processions

Throughout Easter week there are various religious processions to attend, from Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday, with various prayers and songs played during the processions.

2. Good Friday

It's Good Friday and that only means one thing - sfineg! Grab these fried treats filled with anchovies and olives after your seven visits - another popular Good Friday tradition. A service is also held at 3pm on Good Friday, after which we indulge in a delish veggie pie. #GodBlessRuhi

3. Easter morning

Imagine this: it's a lovely spring morning. The sun shines gently into your room, you open your eyes slowly and BAM! There it is - that huge ass Easter egg on your bedside table which will be gone in 3 days at most. #ThanksMa

4. Mass

Mass on Easter Sunday is an obligation, but if you're not a morning person, you can opt to attend the Easter Vigil on Easter Saturday - a very beautiful service indeed but a little on the long side.

5. That crazy statue

There's this weird tradition that happens every Easter Sunday. It starts off as a normal procession with the statue of the Risen Christ. But for the last stretch back to the church, those carrying the statue begin to run towards parvis. Let's just say not every statue has made it in one piece to the finish line over the years! #GesuRxoxt

6. Figolli

Duh! By the time Easter Sunday rolls around we would have been eyeing those yummy figolli for 40 days. That's long enough! We've got to make up for lost time. You can find us in the corner picking at the icing.

7. Easter lunch

Think Christmas lunch. The nibbles, the booze, the starters, the main attraction being the lamb, and finally an assortment of desserts. It wouldn't be a Maltese Easter without loads of food, which we'll be eating for the next few days!

8. Post-Easter lunch siesta

You think you'll be fine and won't make the same mistake as last year (when you ate more than you could take), but you know you cannot resist Easter food. You're going to need a nice siesta after all your nanna's food and before you go for those drinks with friends!

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8 Maltese Easter traditions to experience this feast like a true local

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Easter in Malta is quite the feast and locals prepare for months in advance. But now that Easter week has finally arrived, here's everything you can do to experience the feast like a true local. Throughout Easter week there are various religious processions to attend, from Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday, with various prayers and songs played during the processions.

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Marsaskala Village Feast - St. Anne's - 26th July

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Marsaskala Village Feast - St. Anne's - 26th July

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The students prepared posters of what happens in our village feast. Hereafter I will upload their work.

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Ongi ongi ongella

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Ongi Ongi Ongella | Kanzunetti Tat-Tfal | Maltese Songs For Children

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Kwarezimal is a sweet we cook before Easter.

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Our students learned to play this tune during Music lessons.