Ritual of lighting the candle was a privilege for the child chosen

In the first of three articles, Mary McCarthy talks to West Cork locals about their memories of magical Christmas holidays of the past. This week May Collins talks about December in her native Drimoleague

‘MY first memory of Christmas was that it was magical,’ according to May Collins from Drimoleague, a child of the 1950s growing up on a farm.

‘I was the eldest of eight children and my mother and grandmother looked after us. My father was buried when I was nine years old.’

‘Christmas Eve was when the celebrations began,’ she said.

May Collins from Drimoleague.

‘At that time of year, we had hard, cold frosty weather that was a lot colder and harder than today. As children, we would be delighted to see a white Christmas. Despite it being a time of hardship for my mother trying to keep us warm, it was when we went out firing snowballs and making snowmen when the first snow arrived.’

‘On Christmas eve, my mother would go upstairs to say a thousand Hail Marys for all the food before Santy would come in the night,’ May said.

‘Downstairs, we were enjoying madeira and Christmas cake that would normally not be had during the rest of the year. After my mother returned to the kitchen, I remember her saying Santy must have arrived by now.’

‘Then eight of us would run upstairs, knocking each other over to see what Santy brought us; the excitement was unreal,’ she said.

'Presents were laid out at your side of the bed. I remember gifts like small dolls, Enid Blyton books, football, and handballs. A novelty was an orange. There would be disappointment and tears if you did not get what you wanted, but my mother would simply say Santy will bring that next year.’

‘When I was small, there was no electricity,’ she recalled. ‘During Christmas, a candle was put in every window for the night. There were no candlestick holders, but the candle was put in a 2lb marmalade pot filled with sand and covered with wrapping paper. The ritual of lighting it was a privilege for the child chosen.’

‘The story of Baby Jesus born in a stable in Bethlehem was told by my mother and grandmother,’ she said.

‘Mass was very important on Christmas Day. There was an extra mass at 8am for the women cooking the dinner. I remember the crib and the choir being special.’

‘In the kitchen, there was a small Sitka spruce tree in the corner of the room,’ May recollected.

‘This was dressed with baubles, paper decorations, stars, angels, and Santy. More paper decorations were seen attached by thumb-tacks to the ceiling boards. Christmas cards were displayed on a string. The religious ones were beside the candle in the window.’

‘Christmas dinner was cooked on a solid fuel Stanley range,’ May said. ‘The goose or turkey was stuffed the night before with potato stuffing that had garlic, onion, butter, pepper, and salt added.

‘An egg was used to bind it. On Christmas morning, it took four or five hours to cook. Vegetable soup was served consisting of carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, and onions with chicken stock as a base. Carrots and turnips for dinner were mashed with plenty of butter. We also had cabbage, but did not eat all the cabbage. Afterwards, trifle with custard and cream was a lovely treat.’

‘The Christmas block heated the open fire,’ she added. ‘After dinner, we would sit around the fire playing cards. Games like twenty-five, thirty- five, little casino or donkey and snap were enjoyed. Ludo, snakes and ladders and blind man’s buff were how we made our own fun.’

‘On St Stephen’s Day, there was the tradition of the wren boys,’ she said. ‘Sweets like Bulls Eyes were given to the ten-year-olds that called in groups of two or three. This was a leisurely time of year. And relatives called to the house. A Christmas drink was offered to callers. A half pint bottle of Guinness and a small glass of whiskey for punch would get them well merry!’

‘Christmas was a special time,’ May concluded, ‘because you got madeira and Christmas cake. What was lovely to see was the candlelight, the house decorated and extra visitors calling. I remember the frost and the moon, and being outside playing hide and seek under the moonlight. The magic in every child’s Christmas has got to be Santy and what he would bring us.’