An Nollaig / Christmas
An Nollaig
Trí lá saoire a bhíodh i bhféile na Nollag – Lá Nollag ar an 25ú, Lá Fhéile Stiofáin/Lá an Dreoilín ar an 26ú agus Lá Fhéile Eoin, Aspal agus Soiscéalaí ar an 27ú.
Tagann an focal ‘Nollaig’ ó ‘Natalica’ sa Laidin, focal a chiallaíonn ‘breith’. Breith an Linbh Íosa atá i gceist anseo agus tagann an fhéile an-ghar do ghrianstad an gheimhridh. Tá sí ar an fhéile is mó sa bhliain mórthimpeall an domhain anois. Tá sean-ráiteas ann a deir ‘Bia agus deoch na Nollag agus éadach úr na Cásca’. Bhíodh bia agus deoch flúirseach aimsir na Nollag agus ba nós é freisin neart bia a thabhairt do na hainmhithe an oíche sin.
Bhí sé de nós ag daoine an teach a ghlanadh agus a mhaisiú le cuileann i gcomhair na Nollag. Lastaí coinnle agus chuirtí iad i ngach fuinneog sa teach le linn na Nollag. Ba cuireadh é seo don strainséir a bheadh gan dídean teacht chun an oíche a chaitheamh sa teach. Ba é an duine ba óige sa teach a lasfadh coinnle na Nollag. Is minic a bhíodh éisc ag daoine mar bhéile Oíche Nollag, iasc buí ach go háirithe. Théadh daoine ar Aifreann meánoíche chun breith Íosa a chomóradh.
Ba é dinnéar na Nollag an béile ba mhó sa bhliain agus thagadh an teaghlach ar fad le chéile chun é a chaitheamh. Is minic a bhíodh gé ag daoine do dhinnéar na Nollag. Is as Meiriceá an turcaí ó dhúchas agus cé go raigb sé ar fáil mar bhia san Eoraip ón gcúigiú haois déag ar aghaidh, bhí sé róchostasach do na gnáthdhaoine go dtí lár an chéid seo caite. Chuirtí bágún leis mar go raibh sé i bhfad ní ba shaoire.
Sa lá atá inniu ann, crochann páistí stocaí nó málaí ag bun na leapa, le hais na tine, nó faoin gcrann Nollag le haghaidh bhronntanais Dhaidí na Nollag. Chomh maith leis sin, fágann siad bia agus deoch amach do Dhaidí na Nollag agus dá réinfhianna. Blianta fada ó shin, píosa guail nó práta an t-aon bhronntanas a thugadh Daidí na Nollag do pháistí dána!
Christmas
Three holidays were associated with Christmas – Christmas Day on the 25th, Stephen’s Day/Wren’s Day on the 26th and John the Apostle and Evangelist’s Day on the 27th.
The word ‘Christmas’ comes from ‘Natalica’ in Latin, a word meaning ‘birth’. This refers to the birth of the Child Jesus and the festival comes very close to the winter solstice. It is now the biggest festival of the year around the world. There is an old saying that says ‘For Christmas, food and drink; for Easter, new clothes‘. There was plenty of food and drink at Christmas time and it was also customary to give plenty of food to the animals that night.
People used to clean the house and decorate it with holly for Christmas. Loads of candles were placed in every window in the house during Christmas. This was an invitation to the homeless stranger to come spend the night in the house. It was the youngest person in the house who would light the Christmas candles. People often had fish as a Christmas Eve meal, yellow fish in particular. People attended midnight Mass to commemorate the birth of Jesus.
Christmas dinner was the biggest meal of the year and the whole family came together to spend it. People often had goose for Christmas dinner. The turkey is originally from America and although it was available as food in Europe from the fifteenth century onwards, it was too expensive for ordinary people until the middle of the last century. Bacon was added because it was much cheaper.
In the present day, children hang stockings or bags at the foot of the bed, by the fire, or under the Christmas tree for Santa Claus’ gifts. They also leave food and drink out for Santa and his reindeer. Many years ago, a piece of coal or a potato was the only gift Santa gave to naughty children!
Bígí páirteach!
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