Table of Contents
What are some Christmas traditions in Ireland?
The famous ones…
- Decorating the house. This is a classic one.
- Decorating public places.
- Christmas carols.
- The Laden table.
- A candle in the window.
- The Wren boy procession.
- Guinness and mince pies for Santy.
- The Christmas swim.
What are Mummers in Ireland?
Mumming is a masking or masquerade tradition found in several parts of Ireland; as well as masquerade, it involves the enactment of a traditional play with stock characters. Many of these characters are found in European carnival tradition.
How do Irish decorate for Christmas?
Houses are decorated with natural material such as holly, pine cones and ivy but also glass, wooden or plastic ornaments. Many people place a natural holly wreath on their front doors. Most people will have at least a small crib in the house, with the baby Jesus only placed into the manger on Christmas morning.
What was the wren tradition?
The wren tradition is known to take place in Ireland and England where, in previous times,wrenboyswould hunt a wren, kill it, and visit homes reciting a poem that asked for money to give the bird a proper burial. A feather from the wren might be offered to the patrons for good luck.
What is a Mumming?
A mumming is a type of folk play, known in many areas of Europe but particularly common in England, Scotland and Ireland, that combines music, dance, and sword fighting in episodes involving the death and revival of a character or characters. (The name derives from a French word meaning masked.)
What is the meaning of black Irish?
The term is commonly used to describe people of Irish origin who have dark features, black hair, a dark complexion and dark eyes. A quick review of Irish history reveals that the island was subject to a number of influxes of foreign cultures.
Do the Irish put up Christmas trees?
Historically, for Irish Catholics, the festive period began on 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, with many putting up their decorations and Christmas trees on that day, and runs through until 6 January, or Little Christmas.
What are straw boys?
Crashing parties, particularly weddings, is a long-standing tradition, and in the west of Ireland wedding crashers were known as “straw boys.” Straw boys would obscure their faces with large conical hats made of straw, pop into the reception, dance with the bride and groom, have a quick drink, and then be on their way.
Why do the Irish Hunt the wren?
One of Ireland’s unique and darker traditions, celebrated on December 26th, relates to killing a small bird in revenge for betraying St Stephen. “Hunting the Wren” is an Irish tradition that is believed to pre-date Christian times.
What is Irish Christmas Eve tradition?
There is an old tradition that in some Irish houses (although now not many), people put a tall, thick candle on the sill of the largest window after sunset on Christmas Eve. The candle is left to burn all night and represents a welcoming light for Mary and Joseph.
What is an Irish straw boy?
Strawboys, who were groups of revellers disguised in straw costume and wearing conical straw hats over their faces, have traditionally visited weddings to dance with the bride and other women, entertained with music, songs and jokes. Their presence was believed to bring luck, wealth and health to the newlyweds.
What are the best Christmas traditions in Ireland?
One of the best Christmas traditions in Ireland is the dinner, and one thing you’ll notice about the Irish Christmas dinner is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the 1000+ variations of cooked potatoes we manage to stuff on our plate. Roasted, boiled, mashed, champ – you name it, we’ll have included it!
When do we decorate the Christmas tree in Ireland?
Traditionally, Christmas began in Ireland on the 8 th of December, a holy day known as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Today, many Irish folk continue this tradition, making a start on the Christmas shopping on this day, and decorating the tree. 8. Making sure the decorations are down by January 6 th – we wouldn’t be seen dead with them up
What is an Irish Christmas dinner like?
The Irish Christmas dinner. Preparations for Christmas dinner usually start on Christmas Eve with the slow cooking of the turkey and preparation of the vegetables and any other goodies that may come with the large feast. An Irish Christmas dinner may consist of turkey, ham, chicken, stuffing, potatoes, Brussels sprouts,…
How do Irish families decorate their homes for Christmas?
Most, if not all, Irish families decorate their homes with lights, tinsel and baubles. A Christmas tree is usually erected in the family home on the first day of the holy advent calendar. The tree will be beautifully decorated with an angel on top, presents will lay underneath as seen with many family homes around the world.