Hi Pat: Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful Irish Christmas Traditions with us. . They are lovely to read to think about this time of year. A very Merry Christmas to you. Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pat Connors" <nymets11@pacbell.net> To: <CountyCork-L@rootsweb.com>; <waterford-l@rootsweb.com>; <mayo-l@rootsweb.com>; <irl-leix-l@rootsweb.com>; <Irl-Laois-L@rootsweb.com>; <waterford-l@rootsweb.com>; <IRL-LIMERICK-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 7:19 PM Subject: [MAYO] Irish Christmas Traditions > Thanks to the Irish Heritage newsletter for this info. > > Lighted Candle Placed in Window > > > A distinctive feature of Christmas decorations is the very large > candle placed near the front window and lighted on Christmas Eve. > According to one belief, the candle long served as a symbol of welcome > to Mary and Joseph who sought shelter in vain on that first Christmas > Eve. The ceremony of lighting the candle is one of simple ancient > rituals during which prayers are said for the departed and the privilege > of striking the match is usually given to a daughter named Mary. > (Another tradition is that the candle be lighted by the youngest member > of the family and snuffed out only by someone named Mary). > > For centuries it has been a practice in Irish villages to set the > kitchen table after the evening meal on Christmas Eve. On it is a loaf > of bread filled with caraway seeds and raisins, a pitcher of milk and a > large lit candle. The door is left unlatched. Thus, hospitality is > extended to the Holy Family or to any traveler that might be on the > road. Also it is said that the candles were "kindled to guide the angels > who on Christmas night direct the New Born from the Heavens". > > The story of the abiding religious faith to which this nation has clung > to so strongly for centuries is reflected in the symbolism of the > lighted candle in the window, which spells out the simple beauty of the > the Christmas story. > > This flickering symbol also served as a signal in times past to any > priest seeking shelter and protection that he was welcome in this house > and that it was safe to say Mass there. > > Irish actress, Roma Downey, who portrays the angel Monica on Touched By > an Angel, is in keeping with the tradition of her native land, where > families from her hometown of Derry light candles in every window on > Christmas Eve as a welcome to friends, Santa and wayward travelers. > > Candle lighting at this time can also be traced back to antiquity, to > the time when ancient Romans lighted candles at the midwinter festival > to signify the return of the sun's light after the winter soltice. > > > > Holly Wreaths > > > The glossy-leaved holly with it's clusters of red berries, popular as a > door decoration in North America can be traced to early settlers from > the south of Ireland. They came to the United States during the Great > Potato Famine. Holly grows wild in the south of Ireland and at Christmas > time houses are lavishly decorated with holly. > > > > Santa Claus/Father Christmas/ Daidi na Nollag/ / > > In some areas, due to English influence, it is Father Christmas who the > children wait for to fill their stockings on Christmas Eve. In other > areas of Ireland, due to western influences, you will find Santa Claus > instead. But some children will still wait for Daidi na Nollag/ /when > he arrives in his green robes. > > -- > Pat Connors, Sacramento CA > http://www.connorsgenealogy.com > > ====MAYO Mailing List==== > Add your name in the County Mayo Surname Registry at: > http://www.connorsgenealogy.net/Mayo/ > Do you have a County Mayo website you would like to see in this space? > Send an email to Mayo-admin@rootsweb.com > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MAYO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message