Uncovering Ireland’s unique and fun Christmas traditions!

You may not know this yet, but there is an official date to start decorating your home before the 25th. In Ireland, it is forbidden to put up a tree before the 8th of December, as this is said to bring bad luck. So if you want to be put on the ‘nice’ list this year, I’d follow this rule if I were you. Now, for those of you who are already familiar with this, you would know that this is the Christian date commemorating the immaculate conception. And like many passed on traditions, this one kept afloat as its timing is delightful: a week’s worth of time to find a tree and prepare your decorations before making your house look like a winter wonderland. The rule to take down the tree and its decorations is the 5th or 6th of January, the Twelfth Night Fall - amounting to a month of cosy Christmas bliss! 

Now for a traditionally Irish holiday targeted specifically towards women: Nollaig na mBan in Celtic, or Little Christmas. This holiday is celebrated on the 6th of January. Why after the holidays and exclusively for women you may ask? This is due to an old-fashioned and gendered view of household demographics. In a ‘traditional’ household, women would prepare the meals for Christmas and New Years, whilst the children would enjoy their presents and the men would host the guests with drinks or what have you. Thus, to exchange their thanks, the 6th of January is a holiday whereby wives and mothers are given a day’s break whilst their husbands and children do the household work. During this celebratory holiday, women would gather amongst themselves to enjoy a nice dinner and a few drinks to properly unwind after their holiday efforts. While this holiday is now considered as misogynistic and purely gentrified, it is not as popular today - and thank goodness for that! But the meaning of it all made sense, don’t you think? 

A simple and warm gesture, but which makes all the difference come Christmas Eve. There is a lot of mystery behind this tradition, but the fact is that on Christmas Eve, you are to light a candle by your window. Back in the day, this was an Irish Catholic gesture whereby those leaving candles lit by their windows meant that they welcome priests to visit them and celebrate mass together. Whilst many say this is a symbol of good faith, others have now adopted it as a gesture of remembrance for those who have passed away or who do not have a home for the holidays.

Now for a more modern approach: the 12 Pubs of Christmas! This is a recent addition to an Irish Christmas, whereby friends and family gather round in the streets leading up to Christmas to do a (12) pub crawl whilst wearing proper Christmas attire (Christmas sweaters, Santa costumes). In other words, a perfect excuse to get festive and rowdy. Odds are you won’t make it to the 12th pub, but it’ll be worth a try. Indeed, the week leading up to Christmas is the most popular and crowded for this holiday event. So get ready to be overwhelmed with crowds and Guinness pints as you walk into any Irish pub during the festive season. But that’s not such a bad thing, is it?

Yet another event planned on the 24th of December, but make sure to blow out your candle before heading out! As in many countries, Irish Christian churches open up their doors the eve of Christmas for midnight mass for an hour and a half. This is the time for all to gather and join the choir in holy matrimony. A lovely occasion to see friends and family and to bring out Christmas cheer one last time before the big day. 

Believe it or not, the Irish love their cold dips in the sea - even in winter! Indeed, the Irish love to start off Christmas day by swimming in the sea right after opening presents in the morning. Whether it’s shining bright or lashing rain, all families gather round for the annual event. Prepare to see walking elves and freezing Santas quickly dip in and out before trembling back to their slays! A true sight. This refreshing swim will then lead to a warm shower before getting dressed for the rest of the festive evening. 

Wren Day or Lá an Dreoilín in Irish is a specific post Christmas holiday hosted on the 26th of December. Only two counties celebrate it in all of Ireland: (Dingle) Kerry and (Miltown) Clare. On this day, the Kings of the Birds, the Wren Boys, suit up in straw-like costumes and raid the streets whilst playing or singing along to music on the way to houses to collect donations. There are numerous theories as to where this holiday originates from, the first and foremost being that wren birds used to be sacrificed to celebrate “mid-winter” on this day. Why the wren bird you may ask? As they were symbolic birds said to continue to sing throughout the winter months according to Celtic Mythology.

Amongst the Christmas classics such as Christmas cake, mince pies or sherry trifle, the Irish have had their twist on another festive goody - the world famous Irish Coffee. You may have had an espresso martini recently, well the Irish have had their own and better version for centuries leading up to today. 

Here’s the quick and easy recipe for those wondering: 2 tablespoons of freshly whipped irish cream, 150 ml of freshly brewed black coffee, 50 ml of Irish whiskey, one tablespoon of white sugar, and a pinch of nutmeg. A pro’s tip: make sure to add the cream at the very end before you serve it to your guests - as this creamy delight will slowly make its way to the rest of this yummy drink, rendering it perfectly smooth and warm for all to enjoy at the end of their Christmas feast.