Europäische Weihnacht – in Vielfalt geeint - Sutter GmbH & Co. KG

(2) Dreoilin, dreoilin where is your nest?
It’s in the bush that I love best,
Behind the holly and ivy tree,
Where all the birds shall follow me.
(3) As I was goin’ down to Youghal,
I saw a wran upon a wall,
I up with my stick and I knocked him down,
Then brought him back to Mitchelstown.
(4) Mister_______ is a very fine man,
It was to him we brought the Wren,
You’ll have luck throughout the year
If ya give us the price of a gallon o’ beer.
(5) Raise up your glasses, your bottles and cans
We toast your subscription to bury the Wren,
Up with the kettle and down with the pot,
Give us your money and let us be off!
Natürlich bringt es Glück und Segen, wenn man
die Wren Boys möglichst großzügig mit Geschenken
bedenkt.
Christmas and New Year’s Greeting:
“Nollaig faoi shean agus faoi
shonas duit!”
“Agus bliain nua faoi mhaise
dhuit!”
In the most western country of the European Union
the Catholic form of Christian faith runs through all
areas of everyday life – especially so on Church holidays.
Giving gifts at Christmas is considered improper
in many families, because it distracts from the
actual idea of the festivities. Although houses are traditionally
decorated with ivy, holly, paper garlands
and candles, too much glamour is cause for offence.
This, however, does not apply to churches, which on all
holidays are filled to the very last seat and are glamorously
decorated for mass with flowers and candles.
However, not even children in Ireland are quite
happy about giving Christmas a miss without receiving
any presents whatsoever. Often the gifts of Fat-
Irland/Ireland
her Christmas are left in a stocking. The Irish Father
Christmas throws them through the kitchen window,
which is why this left slightly ajar on Christmas
Eve. Some small provisions, usually mince pie and a
bottle of Whiskey or Guinness, are left out on the
window for Father Christmas to enjoy on his journey.
The Advent wreath carries five candles in Ireland, a
pink one for the first and three purple ones for the
second to fourth Advent as well as a white one for
Christmas. Candles are also placed in every window
on Christmas Eve, to guide the way for Maria and
Joseph to their accommodation. The candles also
serve as a quiet invitation to the homeless, that they
will be offered a free roof over their heads on Christmas
Eve. The candles are lit by the youngest member
of the family, and if possible extinguished by a
woman named Mary.
The Christmas tree only found its way to Ireland in
the 60s of the 20th century. Before that, holly adorned
the home, a rather old custom which until today
is maintained by many traditional Irish. Even
giving the gift of small or even larger sums of money
to the servants is a good old tradition – and since
most families in Ireland do not have personal servants
any more, hairdressers, postmen, street sweepers
and similar “service providers” take their place,
receiving the occasional Euro note.
Of particular importance in Ireland is Saint Stephen’s
Day. Saint Stephen was the first martyr to be
stoned following a dispute with Diaspora Jews in
Jerusalem (†35 AD.). In Christianity, he is the patron
saint of horses and coachmen. Adults enjoy themselves
on Saint Stephen’s Day by watching small
drama plays, sketches or pantomime plays where men
take on the role of women and vice versa. The young
boys simultaneously slip into the role of Wren Boys
and pass from house to house during the Wren Boys
Procession, singing and lamenting. This custom has
Celtic origins. In the past, a wren was beaten and
hung to a holly branch leading the procession; (today,
the picture of the bird is painted onto cardboard and
stuck to a rod instead.)
Naturally, it brings good fortune and many blessings
if gifts are generously bestowed on the Wren Boys.
39