“Christmas is something we always look forward to. The day usually starts with early morning mass, followed by prayers and greetings at church. The church carol programme is one of our favourite parts—it’s when everyone really comes together.

Back home, we share sweets and food with friends and neighbours. Baking plum cakes, sipping homemade wine, decorating the house and church—it all makes the days feel festive. By evening, it’s family time—relatives dropping in, food on the table, evening mass, and little meet-ups that keep us laughing late into the night.

One tradition we continue is the door-to-door carols. The church youth group goes from house to house, singing and saying a short prayer at each stop, especially for the elderly or those who aren’t well.

And it continues until New Year’s Eve with the midnight service at church. Standing there, it hits you that the year ahead isn’t just about resolutions—it’s about being present, noticing the people around you, the moments you share, and the small joys that quietly shape the way we live.”