Christmas tide at Valletta this year truly lacked the Christmas spirit. If you take Christ away from Christmas, it would not be Christmas any more.

This year there was no sign of Christmas. All the decorations were done by businessmen. Where was the crib that used to be erected in front of the law courts? Where were the artistic statues that adorned it? These used to remind passers-by of the Nativity of Our Lord.

What about the marvellous tall pine trees? Those trees reminded the people about the geneology of Christ as a man.

The different bands from towns and villages of our island do not echo any more in the main street of our capital.

The local and foreign choirs during the Novena, with their repertoires that attracted many people, have faded away. This can be said about folkloristic groups too.

Under the big tent at Freedom Square there was nothing related to Christmas except the Christmas message delivered by Archbishop Paul Cremona. The rest was to do with begging for money.

Christmas has started to be commercialised in Malta as well. What is the source of all this? Is it lack of money? I guess money is no problem. Is it the fault of the national festivities committee? Is it to avoid offending believers of other faiths? We are at home. I believe we enjoy freedom of religion in our country.

Quo vadis Malta, which once boasted of being a Catholic island?