Celtic Christmas
Searching for the roots of today’s Christmas, I found my way back to the ancient Celtic festival of Alban Arthuan, a Druid fire festival. Alban Arthuan is held during the Winter Soltice on December 21. Alban Arthuan is also know as Yule, and marks the celebration of both the shortest day of the year and the re-birth of the sun.The custom of burning the Yule Log is a tradition that is familiar to most people today. On the eve of the solstice the log is lit using the remains of the log from the previous year for 12 hours and is believed to bring good luck.
Another Pagan custom was decorating the Yule tree, usually pine. Brightly colored decorations would be hung to symbolize the various stellar objects which were of significance to the Pagans. This is where the practice of gift giving also originated, Pagans would put gifts on the Yule tree as offerings to the various Pagan Gods and Goddesses.
Some other Irish traditions include the candle in the window. A lit candle would be put in the window on Christmas eve and was a symbol of welcome to Mary and Joseph as they traveled looking for shelter, it also represented a safe place for priests to perform mass at times it was not allowed.
The Laden table, after the meal on Christmas eve the table would be reset and placed on it were a loaf of bread filled with caraway seeds and raisins, a pitcher of milk and a large lit candle. The door was left unlocked so that Mary and Joseph or any other traveler could avail of the welcome.
A ring of Holly being places on doors also originated in Ireland, as it was one of the main abundant plants at Christmas time and the poor means to decorate their houses.
Decorations are taken down on January 6th (Little Christmas) as it is considered to be bad luck to tae them down beforehand.
The Gaelic greeting for ‘Merry Christmas’ is:
‘Nollaig Shona Duit’ pronounced ‘null-ig hun-a dit’
If you have a Christmas Tradition that you would like to share, I would love to hear it.
posted by Michelle at 4:22 PM
4 Comments:
Morning Michelle,
Thanks for the continuing saga. :)
We don't have any traditions as such, Christmas was such a traumatic time growing up, that we got rid of every thing.
It is always such a breath of fresh air at your place. And I feel so cultured when I leave.
Traditions? My dysfunctional family? It our tradition to have a metal detector installed at the front door, security guards posted around, and lots of food and gifts.
This was fascinating, Michelle. I've often heard that many of our traditions came from long ago cultures, it seems that the cultures of the British Isles were quite influential. I enjoyed reading this.
Other than our cuisine from a different country on Christmas Eve, my family's traditions are pretty mainstream.
**Happy Holidays**
♥ CeeCi
Our Christmas tradition is going to a movie. lol Very unconventional. But our main tradition used to be a HUGE party.
One tradition we've kept since moving to LA is chasing The Magical Christmas Truck. There's a link to its website on a post of mine a day or so ago. But it's a flatbed semi that has a Christmas village and choir on it, followed by lots of elves and snowmen and Santa in a Choo-Choo. :) You can see it on certain weekends in a certain neighborhood, or try to find it on Christmas Eve somewhere along it's 6 hour route. :) Both are fun. It's covered in a bazillion lights, and the caroling is nice.
~S
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