Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Our Christmas traditions

we have quite a few of them in our house...

Christmas Eve we panic like crazy as my Dad tries to finish the decorating he started the day before, while my Mum rants and raves about getting everything ready on time. THe young kids hang stockings and leave a carrot, some milk and a mince pie for Santa and then those kids who are old enough to go to the pub meet up with our cousins in the local pub, Then we have to be home by midnight so Santy can come!

Next morning we are not allowed to get up to see what Santy brought us until 7.30. We go downstairs and Dad has to be the first one to open the dining room door and he won't do this until every one of us is downstairs. Then we file into the dining room and go through our Christmas stockings. Santa still comes to all of us, even though we are 28,26,22,28,13 and 11. Then we fight over whose turn it is to shower and we go to 11 o clock mass. We meet the same families every Christmas day and when we were little we used to be allowed to bring one toy to Mass with us. We go to the crib after mass and light a candle. Next we drive to the next village after mass and visit my Dad's parents' grave and usually put a holly wreath on it. We used to always call in to Granny and Grandad after mass so this was the natural progression as we had them both for Christmas 1990 and neither for Christmas 1991.

When we get home from Mass we give each other presents in the sitting room. We all sit around a huge fire and the youngest gives their presents first to everyone in order of age. Usually Mam decides she needs a cup of tea and everyone goes crazy as she is holding up the whole show!

We have dinner (starter: corn on the cob, prawn cocktail or melon, main: turkey, ham, Mam's homemade stuffing, brussel sprouts, cauliflower with whitesauce and cheese,carrots and parsnips, mashed potato, potato croquettes, cranberry sauce dessert: pudding and brandy butter or pavlova

After dinner we play with whatever toys the kids got and sometimes go for a walk on the beach, then we laze for the rest of the day and usually watch a movie together about 6pm. After that we often play a board game, last year it was Trivial Pursuits, the longest game EVER!

On St Stephens Day (26th) we call to my Dad's brother's place 5 mins drive away around lunchtime and then head to my Gran's an hour's drive away. There we visit and swap presents with an unmarried aunt, and the aunt and cousins who live next door to Gran.

St Stephens night is the biggest night out over Christmas and usually all the locals will be around. The four of us who are old enough to go out usually go our separate ways but I always go out with my cousins Aileen and Aine.

That is pretty much my Christmas for the last 25 years or so! This year will be a little different as I am working Christmas Eve and my brother is going to collect me, usually I go home 23rd.

Padhraig and I are invited to the evening reception of a wedding near home on 27th so he will drive down the 5 hours to my place to come to that. I am working 30th and 31st (work is closed 25,26,27,28,29 and I work for a bank!)

OK, think that should do you! If anyone has any questions about an Irish Christmas just ask!

--------------------
S.

Print Remind Me Notify Moderator