Six politicians, six Christmases, one goal. In an endeavour to ensure that this coming Christmas is a special one, these MEP hopefuls, each with their busy lives, tell Simonne Pace that they will be taking a break from politics to spend some quality time with their loved ones.

PN candidate and MEP Roberta Metsola, 34.PN candidate and MEP Roberta Metsola, 34.

How do you intend to spend Christmas?

I will be spending it with my family, away from my e-mails and phone and catching up on films I’ve been meaning to watch and books to read, including Lawrence Gonzi’s memoirs of his role in the Libya crisis and Ġużè Stagno’s latest novel What Happens in Brussels Stays in Brussels.

There will also be baking. My family takes Christmas very seriously and we prepare a long time ahead, using the whole Advent period to decorate our home and bake cakes and other sweets.

Together with my husband and three boys, I will keep up our little tradition of going to Midnight Mass, then returning home to warm mince pies and the opening of one gift each.

There is a special feeling to watching the children hover around their presents under the tree, and trying to guess what each one is.

Will this Christmas be different?

This year, my youngest son, who is a terror, has started walking and will be intent on tearing open his brothers’ gifts, much to their annoyance. So there will be one more to watch out for and make sure no major mishaps, such as falling down the stairs or knocking over the tree, occur.

My husband’s Finnish family will be spending Christmas with us this year. This means that we will celebrate the Finnish Christmas on December 24 with herring, gammon and schnapps, and the Maltese Christmas on December 25 with turkey, qagħaq tal-għasel (honey rings) and the full works.

This Christmas also has a particular significance in that immediately after the lull, we will be in full campaign mode for the EP elections in May. So it is only natural that I shall be cherishing every second of this time.

What does Christmas mean to you?

I love Christmas. It is a time of joy, of giving and of serenity. It is a time for me to take a temporary break from my hectic schedule, spend some proper, quality time with my family and reduce my subservience to my mobile phone.

It is also a time for solemn reflection on the year that has gone by and time for planning the year ahead. Christmas time is also a time when one can count one’s blessings and reflect on those who are less fortunate.

Will politics take you away from family and friends?

I have been juggling my work with family and friends for many years now. It takes good organisation, an understanding husband and planning in advance, but it can be done.

Name three priorities on your Christmas list...

Read Sycamore Row, sequel to A Time to Kill by John Grisham, and Ġużè Stagno’s What Happens in Brussels Stays in Brussels.

Bake the mince pies and steam the puddings – I am the only member of my family who does this – and of course I’m the best at it.

Visit relatives and friends I have not managed to see for some weeks.

How did you spend Christmas when you were young?

Christmas has always been about family. When I was young we would spend Christmas Eve with one side of the family and Christmas Day with the other. I have a large, extended family (28 first cousins), so it was always a loud, Mediterranean affair. My grandfather, who was a pastry chef, left us with the most delicious Christmas recipes and the holidays would not be the same without stuffing ourselves with them.

PN candidate Jonathan Shaw, 40, with his wife Lara and their dog Jack Black.PN candidate Jonathan Shaw, 40, with his wife Lara and their dog Jack Black.

How do you intend to spend Christmas?

The fact that I’m involved in a business that peaks during Christmas demands that I am around the stores more than usual.

Besides spending quality time with my wife Lara, I also plan to fit in a game or two of golf, enjoy my staff party, have a break from politics and balance the increase in food and drink with two or three extra visits to the gym.

A short break overseas at the end of the year will also recharge my batteries for 2014.

Will this Christmas be different?

In one way or another, every day is different and I think this Christmas will be too. I’m obviously on the go with my campaign and enjoying meeting new people from all walks of life. This in itself will definitely contribute to making this Christmas an even more different one!

What does Christmas mean to you?

I don’t consider myself to be a traditionalist and I’m not one who over-anticipates Christmas and goes to town with celebrations and events. Ideally, one feels the sense of giving throughout the year and not only in Christmas.

Nevertheless, I respect and value the significance that Christmas has for people and acknowledge the fact that Christmas has different meanings for different people. One thing is for sure – nothing beats the smile and excitement on children’s faces at this time of year.

On a personal note, Christmas does mean special moments with my loved ones and moments of reflection on the year that has passed and on the one ahead.

Will politics take you away from family and friends?

The biggest challenge anyone entering politics faces is that it shouldn’t change who you are. It is obvious that, like any other commitment, time becomes a constraint. But life is about striking the right balance and I’m committed to work hard to manage this.

One cannot control everything but learning to contain and work around external factors is crucial. Hence, politics will take me away from family and friends only if I allow it to do so. This can be applied to anyone and anything, be it work, sport, hobbies and interests.

Name three priorities on your Christmas list...

My priorities throughout the year, irrespective of whether it’s Christmas or not, are to savour the present and seek to add value in whatever I do.

How did you spend Christmas when you were young?

I recall large family lunches, waking up early to help my dad cook and opening up presents with Keith, one of my four brothers, who is only 18 months younger than I am.

Yet, for some reason, the clearest memory I have is that of the flaming of the Christmas pudding!

PN candidate Stefano Mallia with his wife Faye and children Nina and Adam.PN candidate Stefano Mallia with his wife Faye and children Nina and Adam.

How do you intend to spend Christmas?

Christmas is my favourite time of year. It is a wonderful opportunity to wind down a bit and spend quality time at home with my family. Given that my children, Nina and Adam, are avid nature lovers, we also go for some great country walks, taking our dog Sacha with us.

We spend Christmas Day with extended family and friends. Like most families, we have our Christmas routine, which kicks off with Christmas Eve Mass and early morning breakfast at friends.

When we get home, it’s vital that we prepare milk and biscuits for Santa and carrots for his reindeer.

The morning starts off with the discovery of what Santa has brought and the exchange of presents we would have bought for each other.

The main event of the day is Christmas lunch – a happily rowdy affair that brings together family and friends.

Ironically, such a joyous day also brings with it a certain amount of sadness, given that I lost my mother four years ago.

Will this Christmas be different?

I will work hard to ensure it won’t be much different from previous ones. I sincerely hope it will bring the same happiness it always does.

What does Christmas mean to you?

Christmas is more of a spirit than a day. It is all about giving: giving joy, giving gifts, giving other people a reason to be happy. To me, it is the most important celebration of the year. It symbolises all that our religion and community values should represent.

Life would be so much easier if we think and act with the interests of others in our minds.

To me, it’s also a time to stop and think of those children who have passed away at a young age or are in hospital too sick to celebrate Christmas at home.

Will politics take you away from family and friends?

Ideally not, but I acknowledge that during the Christmas period itself, I will have to dedicate more time than usual to meeting people and attending a number of formal activities.

This is my first year in front-line politics and, as expected, it is taking a heavy toll on my time. As a result, I am spending less time than I used to with my family and friends.

I’ve also had to stop playing football and this is something I sorely miss, especially the banter with my teammates.

I am fortunate that Faye, my wife, has not only supported my decision to contest this election but is actively involved in my campaign. This has the added advantage that we get to be together albeit in the not-so-romantic setting of political campaigning.

I also make it a point that when I’m not abroad, I take my children to school. This serves as relaxation time.

Name three priorities on your Christmas list...

I don’t really want much. I just want good health for my family and friends. Beyond that, there is nothing that really matters.

How did you spend Christmas with your family when you were young?

Together with my brother and sister, there was always the challenge of trying to find out what Christmas presents our parents would have bought for us.

We would always devise some scheme or another to discover what lay under the Christmas tree. Then, we would feign surprise on the day. Pretty much like today, we would go to Christmas Eve Mass and then have Christmas lunch with the extended family, some of whom we would not have seen for a year.

This lunch would normally take place at my grandparents’ house in Kalkara, which was huge and had wonderful gardens.

Things have obviously changed since then, but the wonderful, happy memories of those days will remain with me forever.

PL candidate Miriam Dalli with her husband John and her son Jack.PL candidate Miriam Dalli with her husband John and her son Jack.

How do you intend to spend Christmas?

Christmas is that time of the year I look forward to. Ever since my son was born, Christmas has gained a totally new meaning for my husband and I. We intend to spend this Christmas together – go to Midnight Mass and open the gifts first thing in the morning.

I intend to spend Christmas Day with my parents and family and enjoy our traditional Christmas lunch, which is always a lengthy event at my mother’s house.

Will this Christmas be different?

This Christmas will be the most special of all. I’m looking forward to Jack’s first Christmas and to our first Christmas together as a family.

What does Christmas mean to you?

I love Christmas and the joy and cheer it is associated with.

I love Christmas carols, especially the old songs, which somehow put me in an even better mood.

In a few words, Christmas simply makes me happier.

Will politics take you away from family and friends?

I don’t think so. I will try to combine both. But I have always noticed that during Christmas, politics are placed on the back burner.

This means that during the Christmas season, the focus will be on my family and friends, particularly my closest ones.

Name three priorities on your Christmas list...

Spend time with my husband and son.

Spend precious time with my parents, sister, niece and friends.

Relax and take some time off.

How did you spend Christmas when you were young?

We always spent time as a family. We used to go to Midnight Mass, then head straight home for a light breakfast before going to bed.

Waking up in the morning, we dashed straight to the Christmas tree to open our gifts and then went to our grandparents to wish them a Happy Christmas.

This tradition has been kept alive year after year.

PL candidate Clint Camilleri, 25, with his sister Francesca, mother Marlene and fiancée Angela Xuereb Dingli.PL candidate Clint Camilleri, 25, with his sister Francesca, mother Marlene and fiancée Angela Xuereb Dingli.

How do you intend to spend Christmas?

Christmas is usually that time of the year when I slow down my busy schedule and spend more time with my family. It will be no different this year.

As a family, we enjoy Christmas the traditional way. I always look forward to Midnight Mass, although it’s a struggle to remain awake until the end. Christmas starts off with the exchange of gifts, followed by lunch at home.

Will this Christmas be different?

Yes, in the sense that I will have a much tighter schedule than I had before – and this will probably mean a bigger struggle to balance political and personal commitments.

Having said that, I feel that Christmas is a time when politics should be put aside, with the focus being on the unifying atmosphere that this time of year brings along with it.

What does Christmas mean to you?

To me, the real meaning of Christmas goes beyond gifts and other materialistic things. It is all about spending more time with one’s family and loved ones.

It is that time of the year when we should take a break from our daily routine and think of others who are unable to feel the joy these days bring along.

Will politics take you away from family and friends?

I believe it’s actually the other way round. Most of my family members and closest friends take an interest and are heavily involved in my political work. They are the ones with whom I am coordinating most of the work involved in the MEP election campaign.

Name three priorities on your Christmas list...

My mother Marlene, my sister Francesca and my fiancée Angela.

How did you spend Christmas when you were young?

I can clearly recall the joy and excitement that Christmas brought along when I was young. At home, I was the one in charge of the crib.

I also remember writing letters and wish lists to Father Christmas and hanging them on the Christmas tree while waiting eagerly for them to be picked up during the night.

However, Christmas morning was definitely the best. My sister and I would rush down the stairs to see what gifts would be waiting for us under the tree.

I will never forget those days of joy and happiness, which always remind me of those special moments we had as a family when dad was still around.

PL candidate Ivan Grixti, 46, with his wife Carmen and children Daniel, 19, Thomas, 16, Mireille, 13, and Esther, six.PL candidate Ivan Grixti, 46, with his wife Carmen and children Daniel, 19, Thomas, 16, Mireille, 13, and Esther, six.

How do you intend to spend Christmas?

Quite the usual: Midnight Mass at Ta’ Ġieżu church in Valletta, followed by Christmas lunch, prepared by my dear mum Adelaide... I can already smell her lasagne!

Will this Christmas be different?

Yes, because it will be the first Christmas in eight years without any thoughts about my PhD... though I still have to survive my viva!

Will politics take you away from family and friends?

Well, definitely not on Christmas Day. That is for family and I look forward to spending it with them.

I will, though, also be tied up with planned activities as part of my campaign.

Name three priorities on your Christmas list...

I, honestly, do not have any, as I take life one day at a time.

How did you spend Christmas when you were young?

Given the situation of my sick grandmother (she had Parkinson’s for 16 years), my mum and her sisters would agree who was to prepare what and meet up at their modest, three-roomed apartment in lower Republic Street. We would roughly have been eight adults plus seven children.

I still recall us children having our own table to sit around. Then, in the evening, mum’s brother would join us and we would set off again, with plenty of goodies, playing bingo and opening our presents. I honestly miss it!

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