Some of the customs which many people associate with Christmas are of fairly recent origin. Christmas cards, for example, were first printed in 1843 and the Christmas Tree was popularised around the same time by Prince Albert, the German-born husband of Queen Victoria. However, before the introduction of these customs in the 1840's, people in Ireland had their own ideas on how to celebrate Christmas.

Preparations began some time beforehand. During the week before Christmas, houses were generally whitewashed and cleaned, and often painted and repaired. On Christmas Eve, the inside of the houses were decorated. However, decorations were limited to a few sprigs of holly, especially if it had red berries.

The giving of presents was limited to the richer classes. Wealthier farmers gave presents such as milk, butter and meat to their workmen and to their poorer neighbours. In the towns, shopkeepers gave presents such as tea, sugar, raisins or a bottle of whiskey to their customers, the value of the gift being determined according to the importance of the individual customer.

But these were the material or worldly aspects of Christmas. For most people, the spiritual elements of the Christmas season were more important. The family Rosary, which was recited each night of the year, became specially important during the Christmas Season, because members of the family who might be away during the year were generally present in the family home at this time.

An even more important spiritual duty for each family was to attend Mass. An old proverb shows how much the Christmas Mass was loved and appreciated 'Aifreann na Geine, Aifreann agus fiche!' (which means that the Mass of the Birth of Christ is worth twenty-one Masses).

There was a traditional belief that midnight was the exact hour of Christ's birth, and for that reason, midnight Mass was the highlight of the Christmas celebrations. In the early 1800s, there was a tradition of attending midnight Mass in the open air by torchlight in the grounds of the parish chapel, rather than inside. It is not certain what the origin of this custom was. There may have been a practical reason: hardly anyone went to bed without first attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, and the ceremony was probably held out of doors to cope with the large number of people who turned up. On the other hand, it is possible that its origin lay in the pre Christian celebrations of the mid Winter festival, when fires and lights were important symbols of warmth and lasting life. (Many pre-Christian Pagan customs, mingled with Christianity, survived until the Great Famine of the 1840's).

Did You Know? In December, outside the warmth and light of church or home it is often very dark and bitterly cold. There may be travellers out there. Joseph and Mary, themselves, must have travelled with great weariness at night. So, in Ireland it was traditional to place a lighted candle in the window to guide any such wanderers. The table too was set with bread and milk and the door left unlatched, in case Mary and Joseph wanted to come in and rest. Here in Donegal, this lovely, old tradition is making a popular come-back.

After attending Mass, people returned to their homes, walking through a countryside where each house had a lighted candle at the principal window or sometimes at each window.

Having completed their spiritual duties at midnight, people spent Christmas Day in merrymaking. It was a matter of honour in Ireland that the whole family should be gathered together at Christmas. As it was a family celebration, the privacy of the household was strictly observed.

On any other day of the year, a neighbour - or a stranger - would be warmly welcomed if he happened to enter even the poorest household. But on Christmas Day a strict, unwritten rule prohibited anyone from calling to the home of another in case the family's privacy was interrupted.

For the Christmas dinner, no expense was spared...even in the poorest homes. The menu hardly ever varied - roast goose, stuffed with potatoes and onions, a pig's head garlanded with curly cabbage, salt beef and of course, a plentiful supply of potatoes. In houses where there was more money to spare, this was followed by a rice pudding, plentifully sprinkled with currants, or a plum pudding. This in turn was followed by a great Christmas cake, black with raisins, washed down by jugs of punch. Because of the day that was in it, a rare, special treat was also indulged in - tea drinking. The family then relaxed around a glowing fire of turf and logs for an evening of innocent mirth. Stories and legends were told and retold, and those family members who had been away for most of the year brought the rest of the family up to date on any news which they had.

Christmas was not only surrounded by customs but also by many traditional beliefs. Many people believed that a sick person had a better chance to recover at Christmas than at any other time of the year. It was also believed that 'Christmas snow brings autumn plenty!' But, on the other hand, a snow-free Christmas meant disaster...'A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard!' Another traditional belief had it that 'If Christmas comes in with a new moon, it is a good sign; if not, the following year will be bad!'

Many modern people - especially children - are unable to imagine Christmas without Santa Claus, Christmas cards or Christmas trees. But our forbears enjoyed Christmas without them, and many of their traditions remain, such as attending Mass and re-uniting the family from far and wide.