Candle in the window: On Christmas Eve, usually to help Joseph and Mary  on their way, also signifies a light for emigrants remembering them.

Hunting of the Wren:
Ancient Irish ritual carried out on St.Stephen’s Day when wren boys go door to door singing and collecting money. Allegedly the wren betrayed Stephen to his Roman pursuers.

Midnight Mass:

A glorious family tradition where the family goes together to chuch and afterwards has a special get together when the tales of Christmas Eve get told.

Little Christmas:

No one dares take down the decorations until January 6th and Little Christmas, also known as Women’s Christmas when the females get a deserved day off is an important day.

Week off between Christmas and New Year:

Very few work in Ireland  between Christmas and New Year’s, spending the time instead visiting family and friends.

St. Stephen’s Day horse racing:

Big day out after being cooped up over Christmas, Leopardstown in South Dublin and Limerick racecourses the places to see and be seen. especially for the fashion-conscious ladies.

Christmas morning fry:

After the imbibing exertions of the night before slap on the calories with a monster Irish fry with bacon, eggs black pudding sausage toast etc. Not for the faint hearted!

40 Foot Dun Laoghaire naked swim Christmas morning:

A famous bathing place in South Dublin and a tradition for men only but challenged in recent years by the ladies.

Phone calls/Skype from emigrants home:

An age old tradition of emigrants calling home alas, and getting ever more popular as more emigrate.

Opening the door to let in the New Year spirit:

Right as midnight strikes, all house doors opened to let in the New Year and banish the old.

Got any Christmas traditions we haven’t covered? Let us know.