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 origins of many of the traditions we think of as Christian at their heart.

Our podcast deals with the traditions of food in Ireland thanks to the expertise of Regina Sexton of UCC. Many of our articles feature the writings of the past which help to bring ti life the traditions of the present. One of our videos of the Wren Boys in full flow is with thanks to the wonderful people of Murphy's Ice Cream in Dingle.

We hope it goes someway to addressing a few of the types of questions raised by this passage:

who is devoid of curiosity upon the subject. When they enter a decorated room, especially one in which the old fashion of dressing with holly, ivy, and mistletoe, has been attended to they naturally desire to know how such a custom came into existence; and should it be that the worthy host burns his Yule log, lights his Yule candle, has a soused head placed upon the table: and – when the plum porridge has been consumed, the mince pies sacrificed – should he call for the carol singers, the mummers, and the gleemen, as did the knights and squires of old, they must of necessity desire to learn something of the origin and meaning of such strange and seemingly outlandish customs.

FROM: 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

Image courtesy of Flickr user allerleirau and cc.