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Two Irish Christmas Symbols Explained

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While many Christmas decorations are popular just about everywhere people celebrate the holiday, some have strong and specific cultural roots. Some of the decorations popular in Ireland aren’t seen everywhere, and like most Irish gifts, they are steeped in symbolism and meaning.

In December, the streets and homes of Ireland are festive with decorations modern and traditional. Among them are a couple of symbols with deep meaning here. You’ll see them on Christmas cards, windows and trees. Here’s the story and meaning behind some popular Irish Christmas decorations.

Candles in the Window

Hospitality is important in Irish culture. Guests are always offered tea and a snack. Decades ago, Irish law had a provision allowing pubs to serve drinks to guests who were ‘bona fide travellers’, ie a certain distance from their own home, outside of regular serving hours. And of course, at the heart of the Christmas story we have Mary and Joseph forced to sleep in a stables because there was no room at the inn.

Porcelain Starlight Celtic Tree of Life Dove Votive

Porcelain Starlight Celtic Tree of Life Dove Votive



The candles symbolise welcome and hospitality, and they are particularly aimed at Irish emigrants who return home for the holidays. People don’t appear at random doors demanding tea at all hours, but the candles remind us that some families are missing people who aren’t present while others are travelling over the holidays. They encourage us to extend the welcome that Mary and Joseph didn’t get in Bethlehem. Candleholders make excellent Irish gifts for young people or couples preparing for their first Christmas in a new home.

Porcelain Starlight Celtic Tree of Life Votive

Porcelain Starlight Celtic Tree of Life Votive

Robins

These cheery little birds with their bright red chests  are a common sight in December, but there is a little more to their popularity on Christmas decorations and cards. Some tales link these wee birds to Christianity. One story is that during the night when it was growing colder and the fire was dying down where Mary and the infant Jesus slept, a robin fluttered it’s wings to fan the flames and keep them warm. He burnt his chest in the process, turning it bright red. Another tale is that a robin moved by Jesus’s final suffering pulled a thorn from his flesh. A drop of blood splashed his chest, turning it red.

Belleek Robin with Holly Ornament - A ceramic ornament of a robin surrounded by fir trees standing on a wooden surface

A most easily documented angle is that Victorian postmen wore red uniforms, and the public dubbed them robins. So as Christmas cards took off in that era, the imagery became linked.

Another explanation is that in Irish folklore, robins are believed to be the souls of loved ones who have passed away. When someone wants to say hello from the afterlife, they visit in the form of a robin. And the holidays are when many of us feel those losses most painfully.

 

Decorative Belleek Robin ornament with a black background

Holidays are a prime time to celebrate the people who matter most in our lives, whether we can be together or whether we are separated by death or an ocean. Decorations featuring candles or robins are a beautiful way to include an expression of love for those who can’t be there. And they make lovely Irish gifts too!

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