Why Santa Marija Is Basically Malta’s Mid-Summer Christmas

Christmas might have presents, decorations and questionable amounts of food, but Malta has another day when the entire country seems to collectively switch into celebration mode: Santa Marija.

Think about it.

For many Maltese families, Santa Marija means getting everyone together around a table and preparing enough food to feed considerably more people than were actually invited. Sound familiar?

Then there are the decorations. Several towns and villages celebrating the Feast of the Assumption transform their streets with lights, banners and elaborate decorations, while fireworks replace Christmas lights in the sky.

There’s also that unmistakable feeling that everything has stopped.

With Santa Marija falling right in the middle of August, many businesses traditionally close for shutdown, people take their summer leave and plenty of Maltese head to Gozo or escape to the beach.

And just like Christmas, everyone has their own traditions.

For some, Santa Marija means heading straight to the festa. For others, it’s an enormous family lunch, a day at the beach, a BBQ or a weekend in Gozo.

There’s even the familiar question that comes before every major Maltese occasion:

“So, what are we doing for Santa Marija?”

Swap the Christmas tree for a beach umbrella, mulled wine for an ice-cold drink and December weather for 35°C heat, and the similarities start becoming suspicious.

So maybe Santa Marija really is Malta’s mid-summer Christmas.

Just with more sunscreen. 🇲🇹☀️

#MaltaDaily