In the event that you are traveling to Malta during the next Christmas holiday, you should really know your options when you are exploring the city. Christmas is crucial in Malta – not only from its religious aspect but also from the social one. That’s why you should expect the full and quite grandeur celebration on the Maltese Islands. Explore the joy and crowded festive Christmas celebrations in Malta.
For some people, this is the ideal type of ‘party’ that they can enjoy.
1. Religious Ceremonies through the Mass
As it was mentioned before, Christmas is an important religious event so expect to find midnight mass (on Christmas Eve) and also some festivities, like kids with their historical costumes, carol singing, crib procession, and also life-size baby Jesus figure, and such thing alike.
If you want to take part in the tradition, you can join the Christmas midnight Eve mass. The congregation generally takes place at St. John’s Co-Cathedral but you can also find other masses at other Baroque churches. After that, you can enjoy Christmas Breakfast at 1 AM. Just visit the 5-star bars or hotels – they definitely provide the breakfast service.
2. Live Crib
If you want to experience Bethlehem 2000 years ago, consider going to Ghajnsielem, Gozo’s sister island. The locals like to gather around and hold a live crib, imitating the time when Jesus Christ was born.
The event is completely free and you can explore around. There will be a guided map and a walk-in path that will lead you to many attractions. You can see a carpenter, a craft area, a baker, and the grotto where baby Jesus, Joseph, and Mary can be found.
This isn’t only an imitation work because you can also buy souvenirs, pick the local wooden items and crafts, and taste the local food and wine. This event takes place from the 9th of December to the 3rd of January, so you have plenty of time to explore around.
If you want to have an all-night-long experience dated back 2000 years ago, you can reserve a room within the crib. There are generally 3 rooms to rent, so pick one for yourself. To reach Ghajnsielem, you can use the ferry and the bus.
3. Santa’s Toy Town
At Popeye’s Village, you can meet Santa and Popeye, which is quite unique in a fun way. This attraction is pretty fun and attractive, perfect for both adults and kids. In this family outing entertainment, you can enjoy plenty of activities, including kids’ games, family treasure hunt, and parade.
Kids surely love it when they can meet Santa’s Helpers, watch the animation shows, or visit the Comic Museum. You will never short of entertainment and attractions, such as puppet show performance, the crib, the mini golf, and visit Santa. If you are hungry, feel free to enjoy the local foods. For the adults, there is a Popeye Special Punch that will make your day.
See: The Best Christmas Holiday Destinations in Asia
4. Christmas Pantomime
One of the most popular highlights in Malta is the Christmas pantomime which is held annually at Manoel Theater. It is pretty popular among adults and kids because it has the combination of satire element (for the adults) and slapstick humour (for the kids).
It seems that the pantomime has different themes for different years so you should check it out if you are interested in watching it. Reaching the theatre is pretty easy. You only need to use the bus. There are some routes that may require you to continue your trip on foot, though.
If you are interested in visiting Malta for your next trip, you should plan it out from now. Don’t forget to book your flight at Airpaz so you won’t miss out an interesting offer.
