How to Celebrate an Irish Style Christmas
Christmas in Ireland is similar to many other European countries yet it has certain features that make it distinct and different and uniquely Irish.
In the Irish language Christmas is called ‘Nollaig which comes from the Latin natalica meaning birthday. Thus, Christmas is synonymous with Christ’s birthday. The Irish Christmas begins with Advent or the period of waiting for the Lord to arrive. The month of Advent begins on the first day of December and ends on Christmas Eve.
The way to celebrate Irish Christmas is to allow the influence of its marvelous culture to enrich your celebration.
A few suggestions
- Bake a plum pudding at least a month in advance and allow it to mature till Christmas Eve.
- Decorate your house with wreaths made from Glossy leaved holly with its bright red berries. Hollies grow wild in South Ireland.
- On Christmas Eve, place a very large candle near the front window and light it. According to legend, it serves as a symbol of welcome to Mary and Joseph who sought shelter in vain on that first Christmas Eve. The candle must be lighted by the youngest member of the family and snuffed out only by someone named Mary.
- After the evening meal on Christmas Eve, reset the dining table. Put a loaf of bread filled with caraway seeds and raisins, a pitcher of milk and a big lighted candle and leave the door open. This is to extend hospitality to the Holy Family or to any traveler on the road.
- Go carol singing with your neighbors and collect funds for the poor.
- Attend Midnight mass with your friends and family on Christmas Eve night.
- After the church service come home to partake of a Christmas dinner comprising turkey, roast potatoes and Brussels sprouts with your friends and family. Serve the Christmas pudding for dessert.
- On St. Stephens’s day, (December 26th) dress up in old clothes, blacken your faces and go from house to house with a pole with a holly bush attached to it.
Do’s
- Bake shamrocks (flour, butter, sugar and almonds) and share them with people for luck.
Don’ts
- Do not go overboard; do only as much as you can possibly pull off without straining yourself.