Christmas

St. Stephen's Day

St. Stephen's Day honors the first Christian martyr, stoned to death shortly after the Crucifixion. St. Stephen's Day is a national holiday in Ireland, but the celebrations have little connection to the Saint.In Ireland, St. Stephen's Day is the day for "Hunting the Wren" or "Going on the Wren." Originally, groups of small boys would hunt for a wren, and then chase the bird...
 
 

Irish Christmas Traditions

Christmas in Ireland (An Nollaig) starts very early, with cards and decorations in the shops from October.Plum Pudding which is the traditional Christmas Day desert is made early as it takes a few weeks to mature. Christmas fruit cake is made and iced just before Christmas. Children often use advent calendars to count down the days to Christmas. Christmas trees are brought in anytime in Decembe...