Thanx, Cara. I wish you the same and figure it's as good a time as any to thank you for giving us all presents throughout the year. You've a good heart and seeming endless energy. Things to thank the Lord for. Paul -----Original Message----- From: Cara_Links [mailto:cracker@hotkey.net.au] Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 03:41 To: IRL-WICKLOW-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [Wicklow] TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS A Traditional Irish Christmas The Traditional year in Ireland provides a calendar of customs based on Folk Tradition dating back to its Neolithic farming ancestors of six thousand years ago. The Feast of Christmas recalls the joy of Christendom at the birth of the Saviour, a rejoicing fully enjoyed by Irish tradition. There is the lighting of the Christmas candle by the youngest child to welcome the Holy Family into the home. There are the titbits given to the animals in memory of the first to adore Him, the ox and the ass of Bethlehem. There is the churchgoing, the visit to the Crib, the presents and feasting. But behind that there are the echoes of the older festival of Midwinter. What other explanation couth there be for the Hunting of the Wren on St Stephens Day, 26th December, when groups of young men, gaily dressed and playing music from house to house ( or pub to pub) announcing they have killed 'The Wran, the Wran, the king of all Bird's and requesting contributions toward his burial? Needless to say the money gathered is spent on a party with plenty of music, dancing, eating and drinking. And what of Christmas Rhymers or Mummers, a group of young men who perform a little play, the main feature of which is a duel between two champions, in which one is killed to be revived again by a skilled Doctor. Is this, as some think, a survival of some ancient ceremony representing the death of the Old year and the revival of the New? The questions will always be asked - How did it all begin? Passed down through more than 200 generations, some of the festivals are so old that one can only guess where such a rich assembly of belief, custom and ceremonial, of story, song and prophecy came from in the first place. But I do recall my first Christmas in Arklow, Co Wicklow, a trip to Dublin to see the lights spectacular, and the shortest of days, returning to a coal fire, and a warm toddy, memories, that remain with me long after the event. And a longing to be there now, with my extended family and friends, but this year its Christmas in Tasmania again, no so bad, the weather doing a really Irish jig, one day fine the next so cold. But to each and every lister, wherever you are, in the world , whatever you may or may not be doing for Christmas I with my (himself) and family would like to take this moment in time to wish you all a Merry Christmas- And good luck in your pursuit of your Irish ancestors. Cara, Himself, and the rest of the family ==== IRL-WICKLOW Mailing List ==== SUBJECT LINE~ Make it catch the eye of the reader, Body of the mail add as much information as you can ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx