Recalling Christmas in the 1950’s and 1960’s with James Reddiough
The Christmas of 50 – 55 years ago was a simple yet happy affair. We would go to the lanes and fields and collect ivy and holly and cut a Christmas tree too. The candles were taken out in preparation for Christmas Eve also. The trip to the shops and the market would be planned for the Monday before Christmas.
The holly and the ivy would be placed on the holy pictures and they would add a good deal of colour to the house. The tree was placed in the corner and white paint was added to give a snow effect for the season. Cards were placed on the tree. Candles were placed on the tree using special clips on the candle holders. On Christmas Eve candles were placed in the windows. These lighted the way for the Holy Family and this candle lit tradition is a time honoured one. The room was well decorated in green and red.
A visit to the shops to buy the Christmas meant collecting the Christmas box this would be a brack or madeira cake and bottle of Sandman Port that used to have a man with a hat and cloak on the front. There would be drawings of holly and ivy on the wrapper of the brack and Madeira cake. They would put caraway seed in the tea to add flavour for the visitors to the house over the Christmas.
A goose was served with vegetables and potatoes for Christmas day after the household had attended mass that morning. There would be jelly and custard and as a treat for the evening beef sandwiches – happy times indeed.
There were rambling houses and visiting as well as dances in the local hall during the Christmas season. The older people would refer to celebrating Big Christmas and small Christmas Big Christmas was on the 25th December and the small Christmas night was the twelfth night on the 6th January. The 6th was also called small Christmas night for the women or OIche Nolliag na mBan.
Then there was Big Market Monday or Luan an Mhargaidh Mhoir on the Monday before the Christmas day when the people would gather at Hill Street in the town and sell the turkeys and other fowl for the big day they used to sell holly and ivy too. They travelled to town mainly in donkeys and carts in those days and there would be line of them on the Street with the tress, holly and fowl in them. The shops were all brightly lit for the day and there was a festive atmosphere all around the town.
The areas were always filled with expectation awaiting the arrival back of the emigrants from England and Scotland many of whom had not been home for many years. Their visits were tinged with happiness to see everyone and with sadness when they learned of the passing of relations and neighbours. A house dance or party would be held to welcome them home once again. Go mbeire beo ar an am seo aris was the old Gaelic blessing each Christmas and New Year. Nollaig Shona!
Written by James Reddiough (Copyright 2017)
