The NSTS - English Language Institute is closed on Public Holidays which are:
January: 01st New Year's Day;
February: 10th Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck;
March: 19th Feast of St. Joseph and 31st Freedom Day;
Good Friday;
May: 01st Workers' Day;
June: 07th Sette Giugnoand 29th Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul;
August 15th Feast of the Assumption;
September 08th Feast of Our Lady of Victoriesand 21st Independence Day;
December: 08th Feast of the Immaculate Conception, 13th Republic Day, 25th Christmas Day and 26th Boxing Day;
Any lost group lessons will not be made up for nor refunded, while when possible time-table adjustments will make up for the lost lessons. Individual lessons will be rescheduled when possible.
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Christmas Festivities
The Island of Malta follows the traditional timeline of a Christian Christmas. The citizens of Malta build and place cribs called ‘presepjis. The cribs are decorated with clay figures of shepherds, street singers and baby Jesus. This tradition started in 1826 and the first known crib was found with the Benedictine Nuns. They also decorate the streets with lights that they call ‘festunis’ and have a procession through the streets with children carrying small statues of baby Jesus on Christmas eve.
Maltese houses are also decorated with Christmas wreaths, candles and all sorts of other decorations. One very typical Maltese Christmas tradition is the 'Priedka tat-Tifel' which means 'the preaching of the child'. A boy or a girl, normally aged 7 to 10 years old, does the preaching of the sermon at the midnight mass instead of the priest! The Children learn the sermon by heart and start learning it four or five weeks before they preach on Christmas Eve.
Maltese people have a wide range of food at Christmas. The traditional desert served over the Christmas period is the Treacle Ring, 'Qaghqa tal-Ghasel'. Today the traditional Maltese menu has made way for Christmas Turkey, Christmas Cakes, Christmas Puddings and Mince pies all inherited during 164 years of British rule in Malta.
The Christmas Season is a also a time of fun and good cheer. Parties, shopping, outdoor celebrations and many family get-togethers. Join us now in the traditional countdown to the New Year. Book your stay in Malta now on nsts@nsts.org