Merry Christmas Bermuda.

I hope this day finds you in good health.

This is my first Christmas message to you as Premier.

And on behalf of my family, my colleagues and the Government, I wish you the very best for the holiday season and beyond.

Without a doubt, we have had a busy year.

As a country, we’ve been working hard to move forward in a challenging world. And within our communities, we’ve been working hard to uphold the values and standards that make life good.

So this holiday season is a time to rest, to be with family and friends, to enjoy their company and to be thankful for all that we have.

It is also a good time to reflect on our fortunate place in this world, and to consider where we have been and where we need to go.

What makes Christmas so special and relevant is that it anchors us to the guiding star of Jesus Christ.

In countless ways we continue to be guided and inspired by the words he spoke and the example he set.

Through Jesus’s teachings we learn and understand the true value of service, charity, tolerance and compassion.

Jesus urged us to live with love in our hearts ... to be our brother’s keeper, to love our neighbour, and to live in peace.

He taught us that to be loved, we must give love, to be forgiven, we must forgive, to be fulfilled, we must share, and to be respected, we must respect others.

These are lessons for a good life. And they are lessons that can bring people together in harmony.

These are fundamentals that should bring us as Bermudians together not just for this holiday season, but beyond. Bermuda, 2015 promises to be an unforgettable year and it is my hope that as we progress forward as a country and as a people that we work to bridge our differences for the sake of a more inclusive and unified Island, and to give deeper meaning to the identity we all share as Bermudians.

Let’s use this festive time to come together in whatever way we can.

Let us use the days ahead to reach beyond your circle and deepen the connections that make our Island strong.

Get to know your neighbour. Support a charity. Mentor a young boy or girl. Help a single mother or a family in need. Hire that extra worker.

Reach out. Join hands. Make a difference.

And our expressions of goodwill must not be confined to just this yuletide season.

After all, Christmas is more than one day; its sentiments are meant to be within us throughout the year.

Bermuda, this is our home. Let’s do what we can to care for it.

Let’s do what we can to build it together in ways that bring us together.

We have the power within each of us to do good things.

That is the meaning of Christ — and the hope He represents is why we celebrate his birth.

May this day bring you joy and appreciation, family and friends, and may we all carry forward his message of “Peace on Earth, Goodwill towards men.”

From my family to yours, merry Christmas Bermuda and best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season.