Nollaig Shona Duit! In other words, Happy Christmas to you! In Irish, that's pronounced "NO-lihg HO-nuh ghwich." As in the United States, Christmas is a major holiday in Ireland. In fact, Christmas is the biggest celebration of the year here. Technically, Christmas in Ireland begins on December 8, weeks before Christmas Day. Even before the end of Halloween, though, I started noticing Christmas decorations around Dublin. From twinkling lights to Christmas shopping, people are already gearing up for the holiday season. But how is the Irish tradition different from Christmas in the United States?
In many ways, Christmas in Ireland is similar to Christmas back home. Around November and December, Ireland glows with Christmas lights hanging across major shopping areas like Dublin's Grafton Street. Irish people also like to put candles in their windows at home as a symbol for welcoming strangers. And like many people in America, Irish people decorate their houses with holly wreaths and Christmas trees, which typically go up on December 8 and don't come down until January 6. Walking down the streets, you can also hear people singing Christmas carols, adding to the holiday cheer. On Christmas Day, Irish people eat turkey and sometimes spiced beef, along with pudding and Christmas cake.
