While most of us will be curled up in a food coma come the afternoon on 25 December, these pillars of society will still need to get their jobs done. From the hospital to their airport, they will be working – just like Santa! 

Angele Cuschieri is a nursing office on the Rainbow Ward at Mater Dei Hospital

“The role of a nurse is 24/7. The children admitted here need very specialised care, so there’s no Sundays, no feasts and no public holidays. We care for them every day, and that includes Christmas Day.

“When I decided to become a nurse, I knew that our schedules would work on a roster, so it’s second nature now. Of course I miss being with my family but we do have a three-hour concession on Christmas Day, when we can pop home for a bit, and we certainly make the most of it. 

“In the ward itself we try to give our patients and their families a Christmassy atmosphere to enjoy; we even had a chef cook us breakfast on Christmas Day once! We have also had a number of parties through the month of December, which has been fun, as well as carol singing on the ward. The children thrive on it, and are so grateful for the presents they receive.

“I would say that, instead of focusing on Christmas Day itself, I try to make the most of my family throughout the year. We don’t need any excuse to celebrate each other!”

Rosalind Agius is the sanctuary manager at the Association for Abandoned Animals

“Christmas Day is a very normal one at the sanctuary – the dogs still need to be fed, the rooms need to be washed, and dogs are even sadly abandoned on the day itself. Last Christmas, two dogs were brought in by owners who didn’t want them anymore. It was mind blowing and heart-breaking. 

“Working on Christmas Day is just like working on every other special day – birthdays, Easter, and Mother’s Day, but I make sure to maximise time with my family in the evenings, with my dog Chucky and two cats Tiger and Marija.

“We plan a Christmas party for the dogs too, and people even donate towards it. The dogs can eat as much as they want and enjoy lots of attention. After what they have been through, they deserve all the love they can get. Knowing I am making a different makes everything worth it. And remember: a dog is for life, not for Christmas, and puppies certainly aren’t good Christmas presents!”

Denise Casolani is a captain for Air Malta

“Flights operate in and out of Malta all the time – although, generally, there are less flights of Christmas Day. Our company operates on a bidding system, which means we can choose to work over Christmas or New Year. That way duties are shared and everyone has the opportunity to celebrate. 

“Once the roster comes out we make the best of it. And, having been in the industry for 25 years, I am certainly used to it. Christmas is a time for family and, if I am working on Christmas Day, the crew become my family for the day. I feel I am so lucky to enjoy my job, and even going to work on such a special day can be fun and interesting. I then join the party wherever my family is when my tour of duty is over, and everyone is happy to see me!

“Generally, everyone is a little bit nicer on Christmas Day, be it the ground staff, air traffic controllers, or even the passengers. Both passengers and crew sometimes get an extra treat, so there is a party feel on board. As crew, we do sometimes greet our customers wearing Santa hats, and the passengers – especially the younger ones – seem to like it. We also need to be extra vigilant on Christmas Eve, as Santa is dashing through the skies delivering presents!”

Ruth Gatt is a basic specialist trainee in radiology, working at Mater Dei Hospital

“Work at the hospital never stops, as illnesses and injuries don’t take time off. But I don’t mind working on Christmas Day at all. To be honest, I find that people are friendlier and they tend to appreciate the fact that we are caring for them instead of being with our families. 

“I tend to have mini celebrations with any friends that are on duty that day too; we all cook something and bring it in for lunch together. The atmosphere at the hospital is nice at Christmas. A lot of effort goes into the decoration of the ward, which adds a certain ambience over the holiday season. There are also mince pies and snacks for staff members and even patient relatives to have if they want to. 

“The downside, of course, is that I don’t get to celebrate with my family on Christmas Day, so we make it a point to go to mass as a family on Christmas Eve. But I would say projecting a positive attitude is the most positive thing, as it can make a big difference to patients in hospital all year round. So keep your spirits up, and it will hopefully make any difficult experience better!”

Stefan Hogan is the executive chef at Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa

“Christmas Day is one of the most important days in our calendar in terms of families coming for lunch, and we make sure to put on a good show. I treat it as a normal day at the office. I have been doing this for so many years that I don’t really think about. I do like to make sure that what we put out is really special, and that there’s a good atmosphere into the kitchen so it carries through into our service. 

“As a team, we have drinks in the kitchen with the whole brigade a couple of days before Christmas, for about 45 minutes; it’s a good laugh. It’s an opportunity for me to thank everyone for their hard work over the year, and especially at this crucial time of year. 

“We did used to have a secret Santa exchange, but this year we put a charity jar in place instead and will be donating the equivalent amount to the Ursaline Sisters, who are collecting money to have their roof fixed. 

“On Christmas Day, we walk around and wish everyone a Happy Christmas, and then crack on for a busy lunch service. It’s a very busy day but most staff do stay to sit down at the end of service for a late Christmas lunch together. I then celebrate with my family on Boxing Day, and we have our Christmas lunch then or go out for afternoon tea.

“If you are working on Christmas Day, my advice is: enjoy it! It’s part and parcel of working in this, and so many related, industries, because people are hoping to have quality time with their family, with good food and great ambience; the whole team needs to be on a high.”