Irish Christmas
Lighted candles are placed in windows on
Christmas Eve, as a guide that Joseph and Mary might be looking for shelter. The candles are usually red in color,
and decorated with sprigs of holly. Irish women bake a seed cake for each person in the house. They also make three
puddings, one for each day of the Epiphany such as Christmas, New Year's Day and the Twelfth Night. After the
Christmas evening meal, bread and milk are left out and the door unlatched as a symbol of hospitality. St Stephen's
Day, the day after Christmas, is almost as important, with football matches and meetings going on. For children, the
Wren Boys Procession is their big event. Boys go from door to door with a fake wren on a stick, singing, with
violins, accordions, harmonicas and horns to accompany them. The reason for the ceremony is to ask for money 'for
the starving wren', that is, for their own pockets. Children often put out Christmas sacks instead of stockings
annaabi.ee 
