Ħal Għaxaq Primary Ekoskola Christmas Village

With the festive season just around the corner, European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) 2026 arrives at the perfect time to remind us that Christmas is not about how much we buy, but about the joy, creativity and togetherness we share.

How much is enough? Can we celebrate Christmas meaningfully without always buying something new?

This year, St Benedict College, Ħal Għaxaq Primary School, through its EkoSkola Committee, will sprinkle a little festive cheer onto sustainability education by transforming everyday milk cartons into a charming, handmade Christmas village!

Inspired by this year’s theme of Material Sufficiency, the initiative encourages pupils to rethink consumption, recognise the value of existing resources and discover that meaningful celebrations do not have to depend on purchasing new materials.

Throughout EWWR, EkoSkola committee members will collaborate with pupils and educators across the school to collect empty milk cartons generated through the local School Milk Scheme. Pupils will help collect, wash, dry and prepare the cartons for creative reuse, with appropriate supervision and hygiene precautions.

The Christmas magic will extend beyond the EkoSkola Committee! Pupils attending the school’s Morning Breakfast Club will also join in the festive preparations, helping to build and decorate our little Christmas village replica of the town of Ħal Għaxaq. Alongside EkoSkola members and children from different year groups, they will transform clean milk cartons, reused cardboard, leftover paper and other reclaimed materials into miniature houses, festive decorations and charming village scenes.

By involving children during their morning breakfast activities, the initiative creates another opportunity for pupils to contribute to a shared school project, encouraging creativity, teamwork and environmental responsibility in a fun and meaningful way.

Beyond reducing packaging waste, the initiative celebrates the cultural and community spirit of a traditional Maltese Christmas village. Pupils will draw inspiration from their local Maltese village architecture, decorated streets, traditional houses, community gathering places and festive customs. Together, they will recreate the warmth and charm of a Maltese Christmas while discovering that meaningful celebrations need not depend on excessive consumption.

The project will bring together EkoSkola’s Gardening, Community & Friendship, and Green Leaders committees, pupils attending the Morning Breakfast Club, educators and children from across the school. Through collecting materials, preparing crafts, designing decorations and constructing the village, pupils will experience the value of collaboration and shared responsibility.

At the heart of the initiative lies a simple but important message: waste is not always the end of a material’s story. By giving everyday packaging a second life, we can reduce demand for new resources, minimise unnecessary waste and make more thoughtful choices about what we consume.

Through this hands-on experience, pupils will become young sustainability ambassadors, discovering that small actions, when shared by a whole community, can create something truly meaningful.

Our festive message: Less waste, more imagination, and a little Christmas magic!

After all, the true magic of Christmas isn’t found in what we buy, but in what we create, share and cherish together. Sometimes, all it takes is an empty milk carton, a little imagination, many helping hands and a whole lot of Christmas spirit to give something a wonderful second life!