Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Follow us on Twitter History Journal Podcasts Feed
   
Text Size
image image image
Christmas Food - Where Our Christmas Dinner Comes From In our podcast for this topic we spoke with Regina Sexton, food and culinary historian from University College Cork She is also the author of A Little History of Irish Food. The discussion was wide ranging
Read the Full Story
Christmas Traditions - An Overview Where did the traditions of our Christmas tables come from, or the now rural based customs of the Wren Boys? Who is responsible for Holly and Ivy bedecking our homes or the pudding you eat after dinner? This series of articles will try and get to the bottom of these questions and open us to the often pagan
Read the Full Story
The Holly And The Ivy "From every hedge is plucked by eager hands, The holly-branch with prickly leaves replete,
 And fraught with berries of a crimson hue; Which torn asunder from its parent trunk, Is straightway taken to the neighbouring towns; Where windows, mantles, candlesticks, and shelves, Quarts, pints, decanters, pipkins, basins, jugs,
Read the Full Story

Michael Collins

Christmas Traditions - Short Notesarticle thumbnail

The Christmas Candle
These are the only customs peculiar to Cork, if we except that of "the Christmas candle". A tallow candle is formed, as in the annexed print, without question to commemorate "the Trinity"; it is lit a [ ... ]

+ Full Story
Christmas Food - Roast Turkey Carvingarticle thumbnail

A noble dish is a turkey, roast or boiled. A Christmas dinner, with the middle classes of this empire, would scarcely be a Christmas dinner without its turkey; and we can hardly imagine an object of greater envy than is  [ ... ]

+ Full Story
The Wren Boys In Corkarticle thumbnail

For some weeks preceding Christmas, crowds of village boys may be seen peering into the hedges, in search of the "tiny wren" and when one is discovered, the whole assemble and give eager chase to, until they have slain,  [ ... ]

+ Full Story

Book Reviews - Christmas Traditions

Review
Other Reviews

The Christmas book

The Christmas book

The Christmas book: Christmas in the olden time, its customs and their origin : the holly and ivy, sports of the eve, Yule log, boar's head, the dinner, mummers, Lord of Misrule, Saturnalia, carols, mysteries and plays, boxes, &c. &c Free on Google Books (to stream of download) A really wonderful book...

Read More...

Dickens' Christmas

Dickens' Christmas

Dickens' Christmas Simall Callow €14.99 (circa) 9780711230316 Published by Frances Lincoln It seems appropriate that we consider Dickens in the context of Christmas traditions considering how pervasive his vision and that of his peers is in our own experience of the food, atmosphere and values...

Read More...

Latest HJ News

  • National Archives Irish Maps The UK's national archive now has a wonderful set of 60 searchable maps of Ireland dating from the 1500s onward. Drawn on parchment,...
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

Notable dates in Irish History

  • 1
  • 2

Women in Irish History

Anna Haslam

Anna HaslamAnna Haslam was the founding member of numerous social, suffrage and union associations in Ireland and England. She promoted women's education and successfully campaigned for the rights of women to stand as county councillors.

Read More

Site Sponsored By

Liberties Press