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Christmas Around the World

In: Religion Topics

Submitted By midmar
Words 1770
Pages 8
Christmas in Ireland
Christmas in Ireland is the largest celebration of the year and lasts from 24 December to 6 January.
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Relevance of religion to Christmas
Ireland is a predominantly Catholic island with small communions of other Christian denominations. As such, Christmas plays an extremely important role in both religious and secular aspects of Irish life. There are huge attendances at religious services for Christmas Day and Christmas Eve, with Midnight Mass a popular choice for Roman Catholics. It is also a time for remembering the dead in Ireland with prayers being offered for deceased at Masses. It is traditional to decorate graves at Christmas with a wreath made of holly and ivy.
In most homes in Ireland the traditional crib, along with the Christmas tree are part of a family's decorations. Family and friends also give each other gifts at Christmas. Some people light candles to signify symbolic hospitality for Maryand Joseph. The candle was a way of saying there was room for Jesus's parents in these homes even if there was none in Bethlehem.
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Christmas tree
Christmas trees officially go up on 8 December because according to Christian tradition the immaculate conception was on this date. Trees in towns and cities are erected in central locations every year along with lights.
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Santa Claus
Santa Claus, Daidí na Nollag (lit. Daddy of Christmas) in Irish, is known in Ireland as Santy or Santa. He brings presents to children in Ireland, which are opened on Christmas morning. It is traditional to leave a mince pie and a bottle or a glass of Guinness along with a carrot for Rudolph, although in recent years Guinness has been replaced with milk and mince pies with cookies due to Americanisation.

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