What Christmas means to me…
What Christmas means to me…
By Malta Santa Klaws
It’s a week before Christmas and whilst packing presents, I am listening to Radio Valentine Balzan and Alex Buttigieg is playing ‘It’s the Wonderful Time of the Year’. You may be asking yourselves, how come my wife and I became so much involved with Christmas? Since both our relatives had been so passionate about christmas, this led us to come to love Christmas and eventually, it helped our children to look forward to it as well. I remember my Uncle Tom bringing out Christmas decorations as early as September to start repairing any torn paper bunting or burnt out bulbs. When time came, our house was decorated from the roof door down to the front door (not excluding the toilet!)
My Wife’s, Lina, Christmas inspiration comes from her “Nannu Dandu”. He used to literally live in a small room, situated on the roof of the house, surrounded with paints, brushes and a thousand other things to help him make “pasturi”, the small clay figurines to go into the Holy Crib.
When we, the young grandchildren, came up for a peep, he would not scare us away, but patiently explain what the latest figure was to represent and perhaps give us one to play with (and eventually break!).
When both of us were younger, and travelling around the world, Lina came up with the idea that we start to collect Cribs / Nativity Scenes from around the globe. We did and now we boast one of the largest collections in Malta, if not in the world. However, to have it enjoyed by one and all, all through the year, which we have donated to Heritage Malta. Two halls at the Inquisitor’s Palace of Victoriosa are dedicated to the collection and a website is being setup in honor of this.
Ever since I retired, Christmas has taken a new perspective. It is perhaps because of the lack of togetherness I had with our children when they were young, as I was mostly abroad during their holidays. Furthermore, the older I became, the more my physique started resembling Santa’s and somehow I felt this was my mission for the rest of my retirement.
It all started Christmas of 1999 when our good friend George Vella came up with the idea that I should dress up as Father Christmas and give presents to the parish children. The Radio Valentine team took up the challenge, we hired a red suit and the Balzan Youth Centre made a sledge for me to carry the presents in. Fr. Calcidon Vassallo, the parish priest, was ever enthusiastic and he blessed the presents. We went all around the village giving out gifts. The children were over joyed, especially the physically deprived who, together with their parents, appreciated the gesture immensely.
The experiment was a success, so much so that the following year, one of the band clubs tried to copy us, in both date and time. Only that the children started to compare Santas. But, after all, isn’t copying the sincerest form of flattery?
By the second Christmas we wanted to be more organized. Consequesntly, ever since 25th July, five months before Christmas, I stopped shaving and started growing a beard, fit for Father Christmas or better still, Santa Claus. Furthermore, we roped in our friend Rita Galea to sew for me a tailor made Santa Claus costume – complete with mobile pocket!
The RVB team suggested we start giving presents to the children at Mer?ba Bik. Mary Rose and Vince Abela organized the whole event. They did not only work not only work with the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, but also with various sponsors who donated appropriate gifts for the little angels.
Now Santa Claus had become extra modern as reindeer were replaced by a big red Polaris Quad Bike – quite impressive for all , children… and parents. The Balzan Parish ‘Ave Maria’ Choir, thanks to Lawrence Scicluna and his assistant Ms Xuereb, created the perfect atmosphere with their carols.
By the fifth year the number of gifts increased considerably. It was such lovely sight to see Dun Kal?, the Parish Priest, blessing the gifts. Mary Christmas, who happens to be my wife Lina, was collecting the donations, whilst Patrick, my son, was driving the Presents Cart. As parents and children alike, were hustling to get to the presents, Doris Sarlo, Alex and Vince endeavored to take photos before they werepushed aside by the crowd. Naturally, surrounded by little angels, I felt as if I was on top of the world. We later visited the establishment of our main sponsors, Smart Supermarket. Thanks to the presents donated by Jesmond of PJs 2, the climax of the day is seeing the faces of the mothers and children at Dar Merhba Bik .
Meanwhile since this initiative started, we were always worried about how we can buy decent presents for the children. However, God’s Providence has always proved to us that miracles do happen. Each year we are given bigger and better presents. This year not only did we have presents for the children, but also for the mothers. No wonder Mons. Azzopardi built Dar il-Providenza! We are proud to have been of service to them, even if on a small scale, as well as to Razzett tal-Hbiberija for their annual event Enchanted Forrest.
As from the 8th December, I am invited to entertain the clients, young and old, at the Smart Complex. However, to mark the 25th Anniversary of Smart Supermarket, Ms. Doris Bonnet, on behalf of all the directors, offered a new tailor made suit with their logo on the presents sack.
The well known presenter, Peppi Azzopardi of ‘Xarabank’, came to know of our initiative in 2004 and asked me to participate by answering questions by children to Father Christmas on his show. Thanks to Saint Nicholas I managed to be credible to very intelligent but credulous children. Since then Malta Santa has become a standard guest for the last ‘Xarabank’ show before Christmas each year.
As from 2003 I have been invited to help on the Christmas Charity Fund Raising TV marathon iSTRINA and I did my best to help whenever and wherever I was required. The event was again a success and it was very heartwarming to discover that the local journalist association actually chose a photo of me answering the phone during iSTRINA as one of the photos of the year 2005/2006. I was also featured on the 2006 Christmas Card which was sent to all Maltese households.
Through the years, the Maltese Santa Klaws became popular in Italy. A famous brand of chocolate, through their local agents, invited me for a photo shoot to create a highway poster as well as video clips for their 30 second TV spots. Soon, I was getting the sensation that I was becoming quite the celebrity with people turning heads not knowing where they saw me last!
Another event I rarely miss is the annual Christmas party for the street kids of Valletta, organized by the YMCA. This is not a grand occasion where TV cameras and personalities steal the show. It is all about the love and dedication of the volunteers who are not always appreciated by the parents as well as the children, for all the effort they put into the activity.
Around the 13th December, the Ministry for Rural and Environmental Affairs, since 2007, has started to organize a Christmas Village at Ta’ Qali National Park. This is aimed at giving NGOs a Shopwindow for their Crafts and Fundraising Activities. Naturally, Santa’s Den is there hosting numerous of photos with Santa, Mrs. Klaws and their ever popular Red 4 Wheeler.
This event must also have been my showcase, since in 2007, Ms.Lotte Keinicke, a Danish freelance journalist, approached me to invite me to represent Malta by attending the World Santa Claus Congress. This is held in Bakken, Copenhagen, in July annually. I could not believe it! Christmas in July? Yes, because in Dutch, the literal translation is “Yule am Yuli”. We did accept and did not regret it. Actually, we will dedicate a separate chapter to WSCC later.
As from the middle of November, I am invited to Christmas Fairs, private parties, village street parties as well as private family functions, usually taking place in Band Clubs, Local Councils, Police Social Clubs, as well as Public and Private Schools.
But perhaps the activity that affects us most emotionally must be the private visit to San Blas during the night of Christmas Eve. This beautiful facility houses young people who are following a Substances Rehabilitation Course. One could not describe what honour and sense of gratitude I feel when I am the sole representative of all the relatives to the residents and I can present them with special gifts from their parents, wives and even their children.
However Santa Klaws Malta could not survive without the continued support of Smart Supermarket, our principal sponsors. Thanks to Lawrence and Matthew Grech as well as Doris Bonett, together with the rest of the Grech family, who love Christmas so much, we are for the 2009 Season, launching our own Website. Do tell us what you like and dislike about it. Also, please tell us what you wish to see in it.
Proud to be known as SMART Santa –
Il-Milied it-Tajjeb
Mr & Mrs. Klaws
Malta Santa
Links you might want to check out:
http://www.dartalprovidenza.org/
http://velangypsum.com/searchresult.aspx?kc=&categoryId=701
http://www.xarabank.com/index.php?lid=1&id=1
http://www.timesofmalta.com/business/view/20081211/news/melita-supporting-ta-qali-christmas-village
http://www.hispic-cafe.com/santa-claus/e-bakken010.html
http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/malta.shtml
http://www.hbiebtalpresepjumalta.org/
