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

The Irish flock to church, shop, and make merry

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Christmas really brings out the best in Ireland

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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.
This tale has rather become like an Irish version of “The Christmas Carol” a tale of reflection on our past, our present and future.

5. Awful Christmas Sweaters

This started off as aunties, grandmothers and relatives handing over the most ugly sweaters as present for Christmas but somehow Christmas Sweaters have almost turned into a competition on the streets of Ireland. The woollier, hairier and more ridiculously decorated the better. In fact this year I spotted a gentleman with fake robins, bells and fairy lights all on one sweater.

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