Here is short story about the old Christmas and New Year customs and superstitions, which some of you might remember, by my old friend Catherine Hudson Raymond CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR CUSTOMS AND SUPERSTITIONS Catherine Hudson Christmas as we know it today has changed out of all recognition from years gone by when restricted incomes and very simple lifestyles were the order of the day. Most of the old customs and superstitions associated with that time of year have gone and it is difficult to understand how some of them originated. One can only surmise that living, as so many did, in isolated areas with little outside influence, every little thing that occurred would be noted and, that over a period of time, a series of happenings or coincidences would be associated with previous events and so myth became reality. Christmas fare For good luck and good fortune in the coming year it was recommended that herrings, fresh or salted, be eaten as the first meal on Christmas Day. So when people returned from midnight Mass or church service they would have a meal of fish, salt and potatoes or a pig's head and bacon. The Goose was the traditional Christmas fare or, if less well-off, a chicken was substituted. Turkeys were introduced in the 17th century but were for a long time restricted to the 'gentry'. Towards the end of the 18th century both turkeys and geese sold for about one shilling and ducks and chickens for a few pence. Tea was expensive and a rare luxury, and so was a special treat at Christmas. For those who could afford mince pies, it was the tradition to eat a pie each day for the 12 days of Christmas. It was believed this would help ward off illness in the coming year. The Christmas pudding was not like today's plum pudding but was made from potatoes and bread and was boiled in a cloth (usually cut from a flour bag) suspended in a cooking pot over an open fire. It was also usual to give the animals extra food at Christmas. One of the nicest of the old customs was that of 'leaving the door on the latch' when neighbours and travellers could feel free to call and share the food and drink, however meagre. Rhymers or Strawboys travelled around from house to house performing short plays or dancing and the pennies they collected were used for charity. Christmas candles A lovely old custom which has not entirely died out is the placing of a lighted candle in the window. The first two lines from a 1920 poem read: "She set her lighted candle inside the window pane, the happy time of Christmas had come to earth again". The biggest candle that the family could afford was lit with great ceremony late on Christmas Eve, the oldest and the youngest members of the family holding the lighted taper. This custom is thought to have originated in Ireland in the 17th century. Imagine the scene, in the days before electricity, of a village or even a small rural community, its windows all aglow with flickering candles welcoming not only the birthday of Christ but, in a practical way, the footsore weary traveller or homecomer. When the Famine led to mass emigration this custom was taken to America where it became very popular. Customs connected with the candle varied from place to place but generally it was not extinguished until dawn. It was thought to bring great luck to have breakfast on Christmas Day by its light. In some places the candle was lit each evening over the 12 days of Christmas. On the night of 6 January a tin lid was filled with sand and 12 small candles arranged in a circle. They were lit before the evening meal and allowed to burn out. When they did, Christmas was over and everyone said, "May we all be alive and well this time next year". The crib Another surviving custom is the placing in homes and churches of figures representing Mary, Joseph, the infant Jesus, and the shepherds and animals in the stable at Bethlehem. The first crib in the 13th century was the idea of St Francis of Assisi when he used real people and animals to represent the scene. Since then, the crib, with its figures made from china, plaster, wood or even cardboardis frequently displayed. The figures of the three Kings or Wise Men are added to the others on the Feast of the Epiphany on 6 January. This is also known as Old Christmas Day as this was the day on which Christmas was held before the calendar was changed. It was also called in Gaelic Nolisig na mBan as it was a special day for women. The woman of the house was waited on by the family as a reward for all the hard work she had done before and during Christmas. Christmas boxes, cards, trees and decorations Until the 1950s and before the advent of the supermarket, it was customary for family grocers to reward their customers with a 'Christmas box'. This was sometimes a small hamper containing a large candle, an iced cake or biscuits. Most businesses routinely gave customers a calendar; this usually had a pouch on the front in which to keep letters. If the picture on the calendar was a pretty one, as it very often was, it would be kept safely and put in a simple frame to adorn the wall. Christmas cards were first published in 1843 by an artist called Horseley. However, they were rarely sent or received, except by wealthy families, until well into the present century as they were much too expensive for common use. They were very often in the form of postcards. The Christmas tree is a relatively new custom which was imported from Germany and Scandinavia. Yet it is said that, as far back as 900 AD, a group of Irish monks on a bleak mountainside in Alsace, feeling homesick and lonely one Christmas time, decorated a tree underneath which they sang hymns. Great superstitions by pagans in ancient times were attached to both holly and ivy but these were later adopted by Christians for use at Christmas - the prickly holly as a symbol of Christ's suffering and the red berries as a reminder of the blood he shed. It was also said that to hang up mistletoe brought happiness and good fortune - provided it did not touch the ground. Animals It was believed that the donkey and oxen knelt in their stables at midnight on Christmas Eve. This was thought to originate from the fact that it was a donkey that carried Mary to Bethlehem and the breath of the ox and donkey that kept the Infant warm. It was also believed that the cock crowed each night for three weeks before Christmas. This must have been believed centuries ago as Shakespeare writes in Hamlet "Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, The bird of dawning singeth all night long'. If the cock crowed at midnight on Christmas Eve it was thought to be a very good omen. Bees are also believed to wake from hibernation at Christmas and hum or sing in celebration. Old sayings and beliefs A very old custom more common in Antrim and Kerry was of playing hurley with improvised sticks, barefoot on the sand. The day on which Christmas falls was deemed to be of significance. If it fell on a Sunday it signified a windy winter and a good summer with peace throughout the land. Monday and especially Tuesday were not considered good days for it to fall. Wednesday meant a hard winter and good summer, but a bad year for ships. Thursday and Friday also foretold hard and windy winters but good summers and harvests. Saturday signified a severe winter and wet summer. Frost and snow at Christmas were welcomed as they were thought to be the sign of a mild spring. A new moon on Christmas Eve was also considered lucky. Old sayings include: . A green Christmas fills the Churchyard. . When the blackbird sings before Christmas, she will cry at Candlemas. . If ducks can swim at Halloween, at Christmas they will slide.

Great to read, thanks NZ ----- Original Message ----- From: "the_researcher" <the_researcher@raymondscountydownwebsite.com> To: <nir-down@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 11:11 AM Subject: [NIR-DOWN] Christmas, New Year customs, catherine hudson > Here is short story about the old Christmas and New Year customs and > superstitions, which some of you might remember, by my old friend > Catherine Hudson > Raymond > CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR > CUSTOMS AND SUPERSTITIONS > Catherine Hudson > Christmas as we know it today has changed out of all recognition from > years gone by when restricted incomes and very simple lifestyles were the > order of the day. Most of the old customs and superstitions associated > with that time of year have gone and it is difficult to understand how > some of them originated. One can only surmise that living, as so many did, > in isolated areas with little outside influence, every little thing that > occurred would be noted and, that over a period of time, a series of > happenings or coincidences would be associated with previous events and so > myth became reality. > Christmas fare > For good luck and good fortune in the coming year it was recommended that > herrings, fresh or salted, be eaten as the first meal on Christmas Day. So > when people returned from midnight Mass or church service they would have > a meal of fish, salt and potatoes or a pig's head and bacon. > The Goose was the traditional Christmas fare or, if less well-off, a > chicken was substituted. Turkeys were introduced in the 17th century but > were for a long time restricted to the 'gentry'. Towards the end of the > 18th century both turkeys and geese sold for about one shilling and ducks > and chickens for a few pence. > Tea was expensive and a rare luxury, and so was a special treat at > Christmas. For those who could afford mince pies, it was the tradition to > eat a pie each day for the 12 days of Christmas. It was believed this > would help ward off illness in the coming year. The Christmas pudding was > not like today's plum pudding but was made from potatoes and bread and was > boiled in a cloth (usually cut from a flour bag) suspended in a cooking > pot over an open fire. It was also usual to give the animals extra food at > Christmas. > One of the nicest of the old customs was that of 'leaving the door on the > latch' when neighbours and travellers could feel free to call and share > the food and drink, however meagre. Rhymers or Strawboys travelled around > from house to house performing short plays or dancing and the pennies they > collected were used for charity. > Christmas candles > A lovely old custom which has not entirely died out is the placing of a > lighted candle in the window. The first two lines from a 1920 poem read: > "She set her lighted candle inside the window pane, the happy time of > Christmas had come to earth again". > The biggest candle that the family could afford was lit with great > ceremony late on Christmas Eve, the oldest and the youngest members of the > family holding the lighted taper. This custom is thought to have > originated in Ireland in the 17th century. Imagine the scene, in the days > before electricity, of a village or even a small rural community, its > windows all aglow with flickering candles welcoming not only the birthday > of Christ but, in a practical way, the footsore weary traveller or > homecomer. When the Famine led to mass emigration this custom was taken to > America where it became very popular. > > > Customs connected with the candle varied from place to place but generally > it was not extinguished until dawn. It was thought to bring great luck to > have breakfast on Christmas Day by its light. In some places the candle > was lit each evening over the 12 days of Christmas. On the night of 6 > January a tin lid was filled with sand and 12 small candles arranged in a > circle. They were lit before the evening meal and allowed to burn out. > When they did, Christmas was over and everyone said, "May we all be alive > and well this time next year". > The crib > Another surviving custom is the placing in homes and churches of figures > representing Mary, Joseph, the infant Jesus, and the shepherds and animals > in the stable at Bethlehem. The first crib in the 13th century was the > idea of St Francis of Assisi when he used real people and animals to > represent the scene. Since then, the crib, with its figures made from > china, plaster, wood or even cardboardis frequently displayed. The figures > of the three Kings or Wise Men are added to the others on the Feast of the > Epiphany on 6 January. This is also known as Old Christmas Day as this was > the day on which Christmas was held before the calendar was changed. It > was also called in Gaelic Nolisig na mBan as it was a special day for > women. The woman of the house was waited on by the family as a reward for > all the hard work she had done before and during Christmas. > Christmas boxes, cards, trees and decorations > Until the 1950s and before the advent of the supermarket, it was customary > for family grocers to reward their customers with a 'Christmas box'. This > was sometimes a small hamper containing a large candle, an iced cake or > biscuits. Most businesses routinely gave customers a calendar; this > usually had a pouch on the front in which to keep letters. If the picture > on the calendar was a pretty one, as it very often was, it would be kept > safely and put in a simple frame to adorn the wall. > Christmas cards were first published in 1843 by an artist called Horseley. > However, they were rarely sent or received, except by wealthy families, > until well into the present century as they were much too expensive for > common use. They were very often in the form of postcards. > The Christmas tree is a relatively new custom which was imported from > Germany and Scandinavia. Yet it is said that, as far back as 900 AD, a > group of Irish monks on a bleak mountainside in Alsace, feeling homesick > and lonely one Christmas time, decorated a tree underneath which they sang > hymns. > Great superstitions by pagans in ancient times were attached to both holly > and ivy but these were later adopted by Christians for use at Christmas - > the prickly holly as a symbol of Christ's suffering and the red berries as > a reminder of the blood he shed. It was also said that to hang up > mistletoe brought happiness and good fortune - provided it did not touch > the ground. > Animals > It was believed that the donkey and oxen knelt in their stables at > midnight on Christmas Eve. This was thought to originate from the fact > that it was a donkey that carried Mary to Bethlehem and the breath of the > ox and donkey that kept the Infant warm. It was also believed that the > cock crowed each night for three weeks before Christmas. This must have > been believed centuries ago as Shakespeare writes in Hamlet "Wherein our > Saviour's birth is celebrated, The bird of dawning singeth all night > long'. > If the cock crowed at midnight on Christmas Eve it was thought to be a > very good omen. Bees are also believed to wake from hibernation at > Christmas and hum or sing in celebration. > Old sayings and beliefs > A very old custom more common in Antrim and Kerry was of playing hurley > with improvised sticks, barefoot on the sand. > The day on which Christmas falls was deemed to be of significance. If it > fell on a Sunday it signified a windy winter and a good summer with peace > throughout the land. Monday and especially Tuesday were not considered > good days for it to fall. Wednesday meant a hard winter and good summer, > but a bad year for ships. Thursday and Friday also foretold hard and windy > winters but good summers and harvests. Saturday signified a severe winter > and wet summer. Frost and snow at Christmas were welcomed as they were > thought to be the sign of a mild spring. A new moon on Christmas Eve was > also considered lucky. Old sayings include: > . A green Christmas fills the Churchyard. > . When the blackbird sings before Christmas, she will cry at Candlemas. > . If ducks can swim at Halloween, at Christmas they will slide. > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NIR-DOWN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > -- > Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.17/1176 - Release Date: > 6/12/2007 11:15 p.m. > >