Irish Christmas Traditions |
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Irish Christmas traditions have their own distinct customs and rituals followed through ages. Traditional Irish Christmas begins a week before the Christmas Eve with people cleaning their households and whitewashing the farm houses and stores. It’s believed that ancient Irish Christmas festival has its roots in Alban Arthuan, the ‘Festival of the Winter Solstice’. In 1171, the English King, Henry II introduced Christmas to Ireland where he is said to have built a huge hall in traditional Irish style, in a village near Dublin, called Hogges. |
Traditional Irish Christmas customs begins with the placing of a lighted candle in the window of the house on Christmas Eve, usually lighted by the youngest member of the family. According to ancient beliefs, the lighted candle serves as a symbol of welcoming Mary and Joseph who is said to seek shelter on the Christmas Eve. After the evening meal is served on the day of Christmas Eve, the kitchen table is again decorated with a loaf of bread filled with caraway seeds, raisins, pitcher of milk and a large candle lit intended to welcome any wandering traveler. Also the custom of practicing ‘Wren Boy Procession’ on the St. Stephens Day is quite popular in different parts of Ireland. On the day of Christmas, Irish people decorate their houses with holly wreaths and mistletoes.
Traditional Christmas in Ireland has undergone a lot of changes in the past few years with people engaging themselves in varied multi cultural festive activities. On the day of Christmas, traditional Irish Christmas foods like turkey, Christmas cakes, and Irish shamrocks, Christmas puddings with brandy or rum sauce and Irish soda bread are prepared and enjoyed by the whole family. Also traditional Irish wishes as 'Nollaig Shona Duit' meaning ‘Merry Christmas’ are exchanged between family, friends and well wishers. Thus, Irish Christmas traditions offer a unique opportunity to enjoy the festive zeal of Christmas.
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