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The top ten Irish Christmas traditions that make the season - SEE PHOTOS

The Irish flock to church, shop, and make merry

Published Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 5:20 AM
Updated Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 5:33 AM

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Just some of the traditions that make's Ireland special at Christmas
Just some of the traditions that make's Ireland special at Christmas


SEE PHOTOS - Christmas traditions in Ireland

Christmas really brings out the best in Ireland and the Irish from cheerful festivities to wild acts of machismo, happy reunions, musical celebrations in Church and partying for week. In Ireland Christmas lasts for about two weeks and is gladly celebrated as a respite from the winter.

Here are just a few of Ireland’s favorite things at Christmas some old some new but all activities and aspects that make Christmas in Ireland particularly special:

1. Midnight mass on Christmas Eve

If you’re looking for a Church packed to the rafters look no further that any Church in Ireland at midnight mass on Christmas Eve. This is a huge social gathering where family, friends and neighbors who you may not have seen all year come together and celebrate Christmas.

With Christmas carols being sung and often live music midnight mass in Ireland is a great place to catch up with old friend and get in touch with the local community at Christmas.

2. Horse races on St. Stephen’s Day

St. Stephen is the patron saint of horses but I am almost positive that this is not the reason that the horse races in Ireland on St Stephen’s Day have become a tradition in Ireland. The races in Leopardstown, South Dublin attract almost 20,000 every year but I think this has little to do with the old Germanic tradition of racing horses on St Stephen’s Day to honor the saint.

In Ireland heading off to the races is a chance to get out of the house, stretch your legs, perhaps have a flutter on the horses and have a drink with friends.

3. Christmas Day Swim, Forty Foot, South Dublin

Christmas day swims take place all over Ireland on Christmas morning but probably most famously at the Forty Foot Rock, just south of Dublin. On Christmas Day hundreds of people can be seen jumping off the rock into the Irish Sea wearing only their bathing suits.

The water in the Irish Sea on Christmas Day is usually around 50F / 10C. Unfortunately the temperature outside the water is usually about have of this making the experience bracing to say the least. This is certainly not for the faint hearted but is a proven hangover cure and is participants often receive sponsorship for charities.

4. Reading of James Joyce’s story, “The Dead”

“The Dead” is a short story from James Joyce’s collection “Dubliners”. The story tells the tale of a group of Dubliners gather together for a Christmas celebration in James Joyce's transcendent tale of the banality and magic in life and death.

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11 Comments

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eileen murphy | Dec 12, 2011, 07:15 PM EST
The stuffing my family made from the Irish parents and relative was bread stuffing with sauage meat, potates butter, celery and onions.Loved it!!!!

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norinalundy | Feb 01, 2011, 09:37 PM EST
Love the Women's Christmas idea - I could certainly have used the rest!

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maryjohanna | Jan 09, 2011, 05:04 PM EST
How about potato stuffing. My mother always put bread stuffing in the front of the Turkey and pototo stuffing in the back. And the cherry trifle cant forget that.

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srcarrvt | Dec 26, 2010, 06:10 PM EST
Hi all - I hoping someone can refresh my memory as to why and when we would put our shoes outside of our door? Thank's!

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GeorgeDillon | Dec 25, 2010, 07:49 AM EST
pacifist: Thanks for describing Christmas at the Pacifists. But what's with all the domestic fighting if you're such a pacifist? Maybe next year you all take a vacation around this time? To different places, of course.

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pacifist | Dec 21, 2010, 03:06 PM EST
How about a few more? 1 Drinking to excess. 2) Eating too much. 3) Driving under the influence. 4) Spending too much. 5) Increased domestic violence. 6) Increased public violence. 7) Increased vandalism. 8) Family disputes. 9) Family break-ups. 10) Increased depression. 11) Depression.

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galwaygirl51 | Dec 21, 2010, 02:15 PM EST
I wish I was in ireland!!~

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fromGort | Dec 21, 2010, 12:13 PM EST
Love number 10. Wish it would become widely observed in the USA.

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carrickcourt | Dec 21, 2010, 10:18 AM EST
The poor wren on St. Stephan's Day/Wren Day. My late second cousin Tom once told me that the Wren Boys carried around a live wren on Wren Day. Depending upon what 'donations' the Wren Boys received decided the fate of the poor wren (death or life). Thankfully for the wren this part of the Wren Day tradition no longer exists. I think the Wren is now a separate species from it's North American 'cousin' the winter wren.

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allicat4u2 | Dec 21, 2010, 10:12 AM EST
As an Irish American, my Pop had us following most of those traditions with the exception of number TEN...(And the horse races, although he did enjoy horses when he could). Now I know why we had the biscuits...never knew that.

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oflaherty | Dec 21, 2010, 09:39 AM EST
I always thought that December 8th was traditionally the day when people descended on the closest city to do their Christmas shopping. In the old days, when Ireland was mostly rural and strongly Cathoiic, schools were closed and everyone went to Mass because the Feast of the Immaculate Conception was a Holy Day of obligation. In our house, December 6th - the feast of St. Nicholas - was the start of the Christmas season and when we began putting up decorations. All decorations came down after Epiphany - it was considered bad luck to keep them up after that date. We have a lot of articles about Christmas in Ireland on our web site irish Culture and Customs. Nollaig Shona dhuit agus mise.

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