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 at three ends on Christmas eve, and burned until midnight. It is then extinguished and carefully preserved during the year as a protection against the visits of all evil spirits – except whiskey.

Text and Image FROM: Ireland: Its Scerey & Character by Mr & Mrs C. Hall

The Origin of the Christmas Tree
In Germany, Christmas Eve is for children the most joyous night in the year, as they then feast their eyes on the magnificence of the Christmas tree, and rejoice in the presents which have been provided for them on its branches by their parents and friends. The tree is arranged by the senior members of the family, in the principal room of the house, and with the arrival of evening the children are assembled in an adjoining apartment. At a given signal, the door of the great room is thrown open, and in rush the juveniles eager and happy. There, on a long table in the centre of the room, stands the Christmas tree, every branch glittering with little lighted tapers, while all sorts of gifts and ornaments are suspended from the branches, and possibly also numerous other presents are deposited separately on the table, all properly labelled with the names of the respective recipients. The Christmas tree seems to be a very ancient custom in Germany, and is probably a remnant of the splendid and fanciful pageants of the middle ages. Within the last forty years and apparently since the marriage of Queen Victoria with Prince Albert, previous to which time it was almost unknown in this country [Great Britain], the custom has been introduced into England with the greatest success, and must be familiar to most of our readers. Though thoroughly an innovation on our old Christmas customs, and partaking indeed somewhat of a prosaic character, rather at variance with the beautiful poetry of many of our Christmas usages, he would be a cynic indeed who could derive no pleasure from contemplating the group of young and happy faces who cluster round the Christmas tree.

FROM: The Book of Days: A Miscellany of popular Antiquities in Connection with the Calendar, including anecdote, biography and history, curiosities of literature, and oddities of human life and character by Robert Chambers

Three Masses At Christmas
Among Roman Catholics a mass is always celebrated at midnight on Christmas Eve another at daybreak on Christmas Day and a third at a subsequent hour in the morning. A beautiful phase in popular superstition is that which represents a thorough prostration of the Powers of Darkness as taking place at this season and that no evil influence can then be exerted by them on mankind. The cock is then supposed to crow all night long and by his vigilance to scare away all malignant spirits. The idea is beautifully expressed by Shakspeare who puts it in the mouth of Marcellus in Hamlet:

It faded on the crowing of the cock.
Some say, that ever 'gainst that season comes
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated
The bird of dawning singeth all night long
And then they say no spirit can walk abroad
The nights are wholesome then no planets strike
No fairy takes nor witch hath power to charm
So hallow d and so gracious is the time

FROM: The Book of Days: A Miscellany of popular Antiquities in Connection with the Calendar, including anecdote, biography and history, curiosities of literature, and oddities of human life and character by Robert Chambers

Mrs. Beeton's Christmas Cake
INGREDIENTS.
5 teacupfuls of flour, 1 teacupful of melted butter, 1 teacupful of cream, 1 teacupful of treacle, 1 teacupful of moist sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 oz of powdered ginger, 1/2 lb of raisins, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda 1 tablespoonfol of vinegar.
Mode.
Make the butter sufficiently warm to melt it, but do not allow it to oil; put the flour into a basin; add to it the sugar, ginger and raisins, which should be stoned and cut into small pieces. When these dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed stir in the butter, cream treacle and well-whisked eggs, and beat the mixture for a few minutes. Dissolve the soda in the vinegar, add it to the dough, and be particular that these latter ingredients are well incorporated with the others; put the cake into a buttered mould or tin place, it in a moderate oven immediately and bake it from 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours .
Time - 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours Average cost, 1s. 6d.

FROM: The Book of Household Management by Isabella Mary Beeton