Twelve Days of Irish Holiday Traditions: Christmas Eve
Written by Ciaran Vipond on Dec 11, 2023 | 0 Comments
Inspired by that traditional carol, and the funny Irish version, Christmas Countdown, we're bringing you Twelve Days of Christmas (Traditions). These Irish traditions make the season so special for so many on the Emerald Isle. You may even want to try one for yourself!
Day 11 - Cosy on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is a big night in many cultures - and in Ireland that is certainly the case. We have already gone through Irish Christmas Eve traditions like lighting a candle in the window, eating a slice of Christmas cake, heading out to sing, or hanging holly. Below are a few more Christmas Eve traditions to add to the mix.
Light the Fire
Just like the holly, this one goes back to pagan mid-winter traditions. Many families in Ireland would light a special fire in the hearth on Christmas eve with a Yule log. According to folklore this log would be so substantial that it would be used to keep the fire burning throughout Christmas.
Photo Credit: Stéphane Juban on Unsplash
Tell stories
A lit fire is a natural gathering place, and with tea, drinks, and Christmas cake forthcoming, the stories would soon follow. We all know Dickens’ story of “A Christmas Carol” - but in his words Christmas eve was the “witching time for story-telling” and that was certainly the case in Ireland.
Stories, and especially ghost stories and stories of the dead, were typical tales to share around an Irish Christmas Eve fire. One of our favourites is "The Dead" - a short story from “Dubliners” by James Joyce. This story, described by T. S. Eliot as "one of the greatest short stories ever written" is a tale of warmth and hospitality, set over the Christmas season. But it's also a reflection on past, present and future and those we have loved and lost - a sort of Irish version of “A Christmas Carol.”
A wonderful tale to share by a Christmas Eve fire. And for those that don’t fancy reading you could always watch the beautiful movie of the same name directed by the great John Heuston.
Leave the door unlocked
On the subject of the dead, remembering those who have passed plays a large part in traditions at Christmas in Ireland. Prayers are offered for the dearly departed at Christmas Mass and graves are decorated with wreaths made of holly and ivy.
On Christmas Eve night, many would also leave their door unlocked so lost loved ones could return home. A cake or some bread, drinks and a lit candle would be left on the centre of the kitchen table too - so any returning spirits would be made welcome and wouldn’t go hungry.
These days it’s more traditional to leave out something for a different midnight visitor - Santa. In Ireland, Santa is just as likely to be left a bottle of Guinness and mince pie as milk and cookies! Lucky him!
Mince pies are not to everyone's taste but Santa seems to enjoy them when he visits Ireland.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Farber on Unsplash
Midnight Mass
Heading to church on Christmas Eve, is a longstanding tradition. Even if the service often isn’t quite at midnight anymore! Many parishes hold it a bit earlier to accommodate young children and ensure the congregation isn’t too the worse for wear.
The local Christmas Eve mass is a huge social gathering for the Parish. Everyone who has returned "home" for the holidays is there, so it's a great chance to catch up with old friends and acquaintances. And in the days before electricity, the church lit by candles was a magical sight.
Did we miss any?
We are sure we haven't captured all the rich traditions of an Irish Christmas Eve. We would love to hear your Christmas Eve traditions. Let us know in the comments below.
What's Next?
Check back in with us tomorrow for our last day of our Twelve Days of Irish Christmas traditions. You might also like to see our Twelve Days of Christmas offers too!
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Ciaran Vipond
My Irish Jeweler
Born in Co. Antrim and reared in Dublin, I was fascinated with Gaelic culture from an early age. I suppose it's not surprising given my mother inherited a grá for the Irish language from my grandfather, an Irish school headmaster. And that grá continues! My brother and sister are now Gaelic teachers here in Ireland, my niece is an award winning Irish dancer, and I proudly work to share Irish culture through our Irish and Celtic Jewelry at My Irish Jeweler!
I love researching and reading about the history of Irish design. It's at the core of what we do here at My Irish Jeweler. I find much of it so interesting that I have to share what I find. I hope you enjoy it!
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