It’s Christmas Eve, and our thoughts are with everyone still caught in the final rush of preparations for Christmas Day. It can be a stressful time. Making things special for others takes work. So, in the midst of it all, we invite you to look up, take in the lights, the decorations, and the magic that casually fills our streets at this time of year.

In this post by Kummissjoni Armar – Għaqda Karmelitana Banda Queen Victoria, Żurrieq, we are taken back to the late 1970s and 1980s, when the group’s Christmas decorations earned national recognition and awards.

Nativity balcony scenes were especially popular during this time, featuring the central figures of the Christmas story – Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. One such display was set on a building that also housed a Lotto Office and the Bronze Bar, a much-loved, family-friendly establishment that remains open to visitors today. The scene captures the spirit of traditional Maltese festive displays, rooted in both faith.

Accompanying these photographs are two certificates issued by the Kumitat Festa Nazzjonali, Valletta, marking the first prize awarded to Triq il-Kbira, Żurrieq, in the 1984 competition for the best-decorated street.

It’s so heartwarming to think on how communities came together to create something beautiful for one another during this time. Perhaps that spirit of shared effort and pride is a thought worth holding onto if you're having a chaotic Christmas Eve.

Do you have presents left to buy today?