Blog - Page 3 of 4 - Elizabeth Lake

One of the most famous Christmas carols is undoubtedly Silent Night (‘Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!’). It was written in 1816 and first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818 in a small Austrian village.  This carol became hugely popular and has since been sung by many artists across many different music genres. Silent Night has been translated into over 300 languages and dialects over the years, and was even sung by French, British and German troops during the 1914 Christmas truce of the First World War, as it was the one Christmas carol that soldiers on both sides of the frontline knew. Christmas of 1914 was the only time when the soldiers stopped fighting and put down their weapons to celebrate a day of peace. The soldiers shared not only Christianity, they shared Christmas and its carols, and for one day were able to remember that Christmas is a time for peace to all men.

May this Christmas be a peaceful time for you, whatever your background, and may you enjoy a special time with your loved ones as 2013 draws to an end.  I look forward to sharing more posts with you in the New Year!

On the 13th December 1974 the Maltese Constitution was amended and Malta became a Republic, having Sir Anthony Mamo as its first President.
Activities marking this historic date take place every year, mostly in Valletta.

On this day, a big feast is held and Malta’s National Anthem is played and/or sung at the end of all masses. In addition, the President of Malta presents national awards. These awards inspire a sense of patriotism, as they are awarded as a token of appreciation for those who honour their country through their achievements and service to their community.

After Malta become independent in 1964 both English and Maltese were given official status and Maltese became the national language of Malta. Today Maltese is used in most sectors of public life, including parliament, the church, the press and other media, and in general conversation. English is generally the preferred medium of instruction in schools, especially at the higher levels of the educational system.

In 1800 Malta became a British colony and the British tried to replace Italian with English as the local language. As a result, about half of the vocabulary of Maltese comes from Sicilian and Italian, and a fifth comes from English. Maltese also contains quite a bit of vocabulary from Norman and French.

Today (18th November) is the Day of Proclamation of the Republic of Latvia.  In 1918, national representatives convened in what is now the National Theatre and proclaimed the independence of the Latvian state. This is an official public holiday.

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Today is Armistice Day – 11th November.  It is Bank Holiday in France. This day holds major significance for the French and it has a place of its own among the many festivals and events in France.

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Every year on the 26th of October Austrians celebrate their country’s declaration of permanent neutrality after World War II and its regained status as an independent and sovereign nation on this day in 1955.

Today the Austrian national flag will be omnipresent throughout the country. Memorial ceremonies will be held in many locations. Federal museums offer free entry and some state institutions open for visitors. Read more

On the 3rd of October, Germans celebrate German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit); this date marks the anniversary of the nation’s unification. It remembers when the Federal Republic of Germany and the Democratic Republic of Germany united to create one single, federal Germany on this day in 1990.

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In Britain, many people enjoyed a day off on Monday.  The summer bank holiday was introduced in the Bank Holidays Act 1871 and first observed in that year. It was originally intended to give bank employees the opportunity to participate and attend cricket matches.

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