Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1908-12-19
HOLY NIGHT.
Venerable Lady Recalls the Customs
of Christmas i'm Old
Ireland.
Preparations For the Feast DO Not
Interfere With the
Mass.
She Describes Some of the Good
Things TO Eat and
Drink.
DAY OF PEACE and SERENITY


"Tel me, mother, how you pre-
nared for and celebrated Christmas
there in the old days. fancy 1t was
different from the manner in which
we do it here"
Yes. Mary" resumed Mrs. Casey,
eff / were there now / would be dec
Grating the dresser with holly and
ivy and laurel, instead of the way
am fixing this up with daub of
yellow paper. And then, of course,
we young girls had to have the mistle-
toe handy If the occasion should call
for its use. We had no chandeliers in
the houses in the part of Ireland |
came from, but we could always sub
stitute one. Oh, it makes me sad to
think of it," and Mrs. Casey paused
in meditation.
60 on, mother Surely you do not
intend to stop so soon."
"Ah. / will go on, ashore! In the
old days all the members of family
we're busy as busy could be on Christ
mas eve. Some went to the woods for
holly and laurel to use in the house
decorations; some were preparing the
Christmas log for it's place in the
hearth, while the father and mother
were busy with the list of wants
and in trying to make the cost Of
purchases tally with the contents of
the purse.
EARLY in the forenoon am
speaking of Christmas eve-your
grandmother-God be good to heri-
would get into the jaunting car with
the bill of fare and the money tucked
safely in her bosom and start for
town. In the evening. after her re-
turn, the outside work being done,
the family congregated to contem-
plate the decorations and the con-
tents of mothers basket. And indeed
we were usually delighted with our
surroundings. The house was literally
hidden In evergreens, both within and
without The hamper had been un-
packed and it's contents set before us
Mother was busy putting up gifts for
our poorer neighbors. BY and by,
one of us must take some butter here,
chicken there, and a goose to a
third, the distribution being made ac-
cording to the needs of the family.
This is a custom with our people that
has come down the ages, and Is but
a reflection of the divine passage.
Behold | bring you tidings of great
joy.
And, .ah would not glimpse of
those Irish Christmas firesides incite
anyone to happiness and good deeds!
There the oak log. that had been
carefully laid aside for months, was
cracking and blazing in keeping with
its cheerful surroundings; the ovens
4
pastries for the morrow; the kettle
was singing family song prophetic
of some good cheer before retiring.
Gas soon as our household duties
ceased the Christmas candles were
lighted, and all knelt about and said
the Rosary. This being over, we
hurried to bed to seek slumber for
a few hours. The one on whom the
'drowsy god had the least effect was
selected to sit up and watch for the
morning-watch rather for the chin
ing of the church bells that signaled
the early mass.
Christmas mass in a country
chapel before dawn is picturesquely
beautiful. The brilliancy of the altar
has a heavenly aspect from the dimly
lighted aisles and galleries. Here and
there you may see some venerable
and pious attendant holding a lighted
candle, by the light of which he reads
his prayerbook, for on this day he
would not forget the sacred privilege
for a world. You look out, through
the unstained windows, and see the
stars glittering in the heavens
those stars that lighted the night of
the Saviour's birth in the stable at
Bethlehem.
And just to think that, for more
than thousand years-yes, and with
another half-thousand added on to
it. our people have thus knelt and
prayed at this Christmas mass cele-
brated in the darkness. If ever you
go to Ireland you can see on almost
every hill some ruin of an old church
or abbey of the ancient days. Now
they are blackened, and some mere
with broken columns peep
ing up. But in the long ago our an
cestors used to gather in them. Just
as they did at the time | am telling
of. They did that before the English
came. and they are doing it yet, and
| think they always will.
From all points throng worship
ers to this mass. Over the fields,
the highways, in car and afoot they
come. 1t is this mass that breathes
all the significance of the great fes-
tival, and the participants feel it's in
spiration and sanctity. 1t is over as
the dawn is breaking. and the home
ward journey in the crisp air creates
an appetite for the delicacies of the
breakfast table.
1.-The first meal of the day over, the
women begin to put all their
of the art of cooking into
effect. The Christmas dinner is the
most sumptuous and varied of the
year; 1t is sort of Thanksgiving
dinner with the Irish. Besides the
sundry meats and vegetables that
claim their attention, there is the in
evitable plum pudding, facetiously
called by the people the bag of
tricks All the members of the fam
Ily within visiting distance come to
the paternal roof for the Christmas
The good wishes are
again renewed and the ties of love
strengthened. The city clerk Is home
mixing with the companions of his |
n. =