December - Diċembru By Doris Fenech December - Diċembru, is the twelfth and last month of Julian and Gregorian Calender year and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. December is known as the Holy month because of Christmas ("ixxahar tal-Milied"), Jesus's birth. During Advent and Christmas day, (3 - 25 December), weddings were not aloud to be carried out. 1st December; Families start preparation for the family crib. 4th December; St Barbara's day 8th December: IL-Kuncizzjoni Immaculate Conception day Traditionally in Mellieħa, wheat (qamħ), vetch ("ġulbina"), and carry seed (ġulbiena), are sown in small containers to decorate the crib. 13th December; The feast of Saint Lucia - the first day of "lirwiegel" 25th December; Christmas Day - "Il-Milied", The date known to be the actual birth day of Jesus. Maltese proverbs - "Qwiel Maltin" Santa Barbara, la deni u lanqas ħsara - St. Barbara, pray we suffer neither evil nor harm. Nhar Santa Barbara ż-żara' jikber għarbara - On (about), St. Barbara's feast the wheat will have reached its fullest growth. Mill-Kuncizzjoni sal-Milied erfa' l-moħriet minn ħalq il-wied u qiegħed l-ixkubetta fuq l-utied - From the day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (8th December), till Christmas, take away the phough from the month of the valley and put the fowling piece on the peg. Iż-żara' nhar Santa Lużija jikber sieq ta' tarbija - On St.Lucia's Feast Day wheat grows by the length of a baby's leg. X'ħin jasal il-Milied il-ħeġġa tax-xita tkun diġa ħdiet - By the time Christmas arrives, the enthusiasm for Winter will be already over. Meta jasal il-Milied / il-omm timla' l-platt bil-ftiet - When
Christmas arrives mummy fills the plate with bread-slices. U l-missier iqbbad iż-żnied - Father lights (his pipe by striking), the flint Il-Qastanija tajba, u x-xemx dejjem mgħajjba - Christmas treacle ring-cake are good, (but) the sky is always overcast. Meta l-Milied taht il-bejt, il Għid fuq il-bejt - When Christmas under the roof Easter on the roof. Meta l-Milied fuq il-bejt, il-Għid taħt il-bejt - Christmas on the roof, Easter under the roof. Il-Milied fil-kcina, il-Għid taż-żina - Christmas in the kitchen, fair Easter. Il-Milied taż-żina, il-Għid fil-kcina - Fair Christmas, Easter in the kitchen Dicembru jilħaq fis-sala membru - December becomes a member of the assembly hall (of the months). Sal-Milied, la Bard (brud) u lanqas ġwieħ (ksieħ), - Till Christmas neither cold (chill), nor hunger (cold). La jiġi l-Milied erfa' xkubbetitek fuq il-farxa (xkaffa), tal-bieb When Christmas comes put your fowling piece on the door shelf, i.e the game (bird) season is over. Source: Wikipedia encyclopedia. Journal of Maltese Studies. Maltese Meteorological and Agriculture Proverbs. By J.Aquilina