Christmas is one of the holiest days of the year, celebrating the birth of Christ.Perhaps this Christmas, the Island can celebrate its own birth — or rebirth: a rebirth of a united Bermuda.In the wake of the rancour of the general election, the blaming and the counter-blaming, the accusations and counter-accusations and the vitriol written on social media, remember that Bermuda needs to stand united, now more than ever. As Marc Bean said when he was elected as the new leader of the Progressive Labour Party: “It’s time to turn our swords into ploughshares.”Mr Bean is absolutely correct. The challenges that faced this Island in 2012 are not going to go away. In all likelihood they are going to get worse and the One Bermuda Alliance will not be able to wave a wand to cure the Island’s ills overnight.This newspaper hopes that the OBA will make some bold statements in the New Year such as abolishing term limits, ensuring that business can plan ahead with some degree of certainty and that the all-important job creators and high-earners with the large disposable incomes that support so many Bermudians in different ways, will stay on the Island.But they cannot do it by themselves. Foes need to become friends, politicians need to set aside traditional rivalries and participate in collaborative politics.As Premier Craig Cannonier says in his Christmas message in this newspaper today: “Use the spirit of Christmas to grow our world into a better place — giving of ourselves, brother to brother, sister to sister; each of us supporting one another, letting the spirit flow forward; taking us to a better place.”So, regardless of race, colour or creed we all need to be each other’s brothers and sisters, we need to stand united in the face of what is going to be a challenging year. We must all support one another and give generously of that support.This newspaper wishes everyone on this Island a very merry Christmas and hopes it is the start of the rebirth of Bermuda.