Christmas Customs

Laurencetown, Co. Galway

On Christmas night, all people remain in their own homes – they do not go to cúirt as they do on other nights during the winter. There is always a candle left lighting in a window and the blind is not drawn. This is an invitation to homeless people to come in for shelter on the great festival. There is always something extra or tea that night, usually a currant cake. This is a night to which the children always look forward on account of their good old friend who comes down the chimney. He is best known as Santa Claus or Daddy Christmas. The house also gets an extra polishing for Christmas and is well decorated with holly and ivy and coloured papers. In the same way in the shop windows as well as the decorations there is always a great display of the nicest goods sold in those shops.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Laurencetown, Co. Galway

Footnote: Duchas, http://www.duchas.ie

This page was added on 16/05/2017.

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