Resources for home school, teachers, parents & kids

Sign up for our newsletter

Christmas In Ireland

What is Santa called? Father Christmas

How Christmas is Celebrated in Ireland

To the Irish, Christmas is a time for religious celebration rather than revelry. The manger scene is in most houses and there are a few Christmas trees. The best-known Christmas custom is that of putting a candle in the window, often decorated with some greenery, on Christmas Eve. The idea is to help light the way of the Holy Family or any other poor traveller out on such a night. After the evening meal, the table is also set with bread and milk and the door left unlocked as a symbol of hospitality that the family is offering to Mary and Joseph and the little one to come. The only festive note that is struck is in the pudding that caps the meal. Three puddings are made early in December, one each for Christmas, New Year's, and Twelfth Night. The day after Christmas, St. Stephen's Day, witnesses the rowdy old custom of hunting the wren, when boys go from door to door with a wren on a stick (today the wren is not a real one), singing the traditional song and begging for treats.

According to Fntansh Chrismas is like this in Ireland

Christmas in Ireland (An Nollaig) starts very early, with cards and decorations in the shops from October. Plum Pudding which is the traditional Christmas Day desert is made early as it takes a few weeks to mature. Christmas fruit cake is made and iced just before Christmas. Children often use advent calendars to count down the days to Christmas. Christmas trees are brought in anytime in December and decorated with colored lights, tinsel and baubles. Some people favor the angel on top others the star. The house is decorated with garlands, candles, holly , and ivy. Wreaths are hung on the door and some people hang mistletoe. Cribs (sets of figures representing the nativity) are also common, and churches have large versions which are put out at Christmas Before Christmas gifts (usually of money) are made to people who perform services throughout the year, milkman, dustbin men (garbage) etc. Christmas cakes,Plum puddings and mince pies are made. Mulled wine is often drunk around Christmas, especially after a cold evenings carol singing! People do sometimes go out carol singing to raise money for charity. (Many people in Ireland enjoy a hot Irish whiskey in the winter months as a warmer) On Christmas eve children put out stockings or in some cases pillow cases, on the end of their bed for Father Christmas to fill. Adults often go to midnight Mass (Catholic) or midnight Service (Protestant) to see in Christmas day. Some people open their gifts then in the middle of the night! Children opening their stockings in the morning traditionally find an apple in the toe and an orange or tangerine in the heel. Many people include a bag of chocolate coins with the tiny toys. Some people sit down to Christmas dinner at lunchtime, often as late as 3 pm. There is no traditional appetizer, but its likely to be something like smoked salmon with brown soda bread, Prawn cocktail or something similar. The main course is fairly standard - turkey, a ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, bread sauce, sausages, potatoes and vegetables. Dessert is Christmas Plum Pudding with brandy or rum sauce or brandy butter and cream. Mince pies are also eaten. The table will usually have crackers to be pulled during the meal. Christmas cake is usually cut in the afternoon on Christmas day. Some families eat their main meal in the evening, serving main dishes of spiced beef (another traditional Irish Christmas food). This is beef that has been spiced over several days and cooked and then pressed. It can be served hot but is usually served cold at some stage over the holiday period. Pantomimes traditionally start on Saint Stephen´s Day and yes, men do play the women's parts and women the men's parts with a few exceptions. The handsome prince will be played by a girl, but so would Cinderella or Snow White. The step mother is always a man, as are the ugly sisters. Subjects include, Babes in the Wood, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots. In Dublin each year, there are at least 2 pantomimes going on. The 6th of January is the official day when all the decorations are removed.

Some fun things the Irish do

• Place lighted candles in the windows. They are usually red and decorated with Holly.
• Bake a seed cake for everyone on the house.
• Make 3 puddings. One for Christmas Day,Twelfth Night and one for New Years Eve.
• Sing carols
• Put out nativity scenes

Some fun things for you to do!

• Go caroling!
• Bake some traditional Irish foods.
• Make Dixie cup candles and put them in your windows.
• Add Ireland to your map.
• Color a picture of the Irish flag.

Foods they cook for the holidays

Irish Soda Scones

3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Stir together dry ingredients and mix lightly with hands.
Make a hollow in the centre and add enough buttermilk to make a soft dough.
Turn onto floured board and knead quickly and lightly until the dough is free from cracks.
Roll out until 1/4 inch thick and cut into rounds.
Place on greased oven sheet and bake at 350 degrees till lightly browned.

"Irish Spiced Beef
Ingredients

• 20 cloves
• 2 tsp ground allspice or cinnamon
• 6 Shallots
• 2 tsp Prague Powder(can be obtained from the Sausage Maker-26 military Rd,BNuffalo,N.Y. 14207)
• 1Pound Kosher Salt (coarse)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• three tsp. ground mace
• 7-8 lb. beef.
• 2-3 bay leaves
• ground nutmeg

I Instructions:

1. Grind all dry ingredients and mix
2. Add finely chopped shallots
3. Rinse beef and place in plastic or glass container(avoid iron).
4.Take 1 seventh of the spice/salt mixture and rub it all over the meat. Place meat back into container, cover and set out on the back porch or in a cool spot-if too warm out place in fridge. Each day for seven days rub the meat with one seventh of the mixture, turn over and re-cover. Leave the liquid that forms with the meat. At the end of seven days place meat and liquid into a big pot -add water to top up and cover the meat and boil until the meat is tender.(a fork should just barely be able to lift up strands of meat-dont over do it!) Change water adding clean water and boil for another 30 minutes. Then add veg-large carrots,onions, and potatoes- cook until done. You can eat this hot or leave to cool overnight-place meat into colander with weight on it and plate or dish under it. "

Apple-Barley Pudding

Put the barley in the water and bring to the boil. Add the sliced apples and continue cooking gently until the barley and apples are soft. Press through a sieve, or put through the blender, and put back in the saucepan. Add the sugar and lemon juice and bring to the boil again. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, and then chill. Serve cool with the cream stirred in.

Christmas Crafts

Paper Candles

Let small children make these candles for their windows. Paint toilet paper tubes red, cut out yellow flames and glue to the inside. Glue onto a cardboard circle base painted green or paint it yellow and add a handle. Decorate with artificial greenery.