Tag: Christmas

One Little Candle in the Window

The Candle in the Window otherwise in Gaelic Coinneal Mór na Nollag. On Christmas Eve a big candle was left to burn in the window, often lit by the youngest member of the family. The idea was to light the way of the Holy Family who was travelling the road. It was also lit as a welcome to visitors.

Christmas Cancelled for the first time since 1647

The Conservatives have announced that they have officially cancelled Christmas pantomimes, the switching on of Christmas lights and even the traditional Nativity school play. These are just a few of the festivities cancelled. They are even mandating how many of our friends and family members can share Christmas dinner in our own homes, even who we can and cannot hug.

Yule

While we observe the winter solstice around the world, Germanic cultures of northern and western Europe primarily celebrated Yule. At the midpoint of winter, they celebrated the rebirth of the sun and the light it would bring to the Earth.

Saturnalia – December 17

The Roman poet Catullus described Saturnalia as “the best of times” — he didn’t even have to offer a caveat, like the Christmas-obsessed Charles Dickens did in his novel Great Expectations. Saturnalia was just straight-up awesome.