Blogmas - Day 1 - My Favourite Christmas Tradition

Hello dearies,

Well it's that time again.... Blogmas. The season where I publish a festive blog post every day up until Christmas Day.... (technically as I am posting them the day after it'll be Boxing Day (or if you're Irish, that St. Stevens Day for us.)

I had been pondering whether to do Blogmas this year, considering as I am busier than I was last year.... with Uni work such as assignments & exams, then there's placement, my commitments to the Gospel Choir and also my job.  But hey to me this is kinda like a countdown till I go back to Ireland for Christmas, when I will get to see my family and friends and have great long catch ups with them.

So day one I wanted to tell you all what my top most favourite Christmas tradition is. Now there's just so many to pick from so I'll give you a countdown list to my top favourite. Of course they've changed since my Gran passed away but I'm adjusting to new changes.

- Going to our main town Roscommon to see the turning on of the lights. Sadly I'll most likely miss this particular tradition this year. Usually me and my family see our friends and neighbours in the square of the town. So it's an exciting atmosphere to be around, seeing the town so busy... and trust me Roscommon is such a quiet town!

- Visiting the neighbours and family the week before Christmas.

- Christmas Eve, my family and I ALWAYS go to a pub. It's nice really. Like it's the only special time of year really that mum and dad don't get hammered heehee. If there isn't a fire we don't dare step foot inside the pub. My mother and I detest the cold!! We really should be living somewhere like Egypt!! Going to pubs really is where we have a lot of family time.

- Opening one present on Christmas Eve. My brother and I did this usually because we could never contain our excitement as children. I usually either went of for a gift from my grandparents. I'm a sentimental little thing you see.

- Another Christmas Eve tradition is me usually going out to my Godmothers house to spend time with her kids. I wait for my Godfather to arrive dressed as Santa, telling the kids they better be in bed early as he'll be back later on in the night with their gifts.

- Going to Midnight mass in my main Parish church with my Aunt and Grand-aunt. Sadly my Grand-aunt passed away this year, so it will be very different this year. But it really is such a beautiful site to see. Candles lit everywhere and the two huge Christmas trees. Not forgetting the well crafted manger in the corner of the church. I find that it's such a peaceful place to be, with the lovely choir singing my favourites Christmas hymns.

- I also go to Christmas Day mass with my Mam, Dad and brother, all dressed in our best clothing. I usually do the reading and sing in the choir with my Mam. Dad only comes to hear us sing and say hello to the neighbours.

- Christmas Dinner but not what you think. I don't get excited over the food. I just love to see Dads work. He really is my favourite cook in the world. So I just pretend to show my enthusiasm just to show him how grateful I am. I dread the washing up though.

Viennetta and sherry trifle is always our Christmas desserts.

My Top Tradition

So my favourite thing really is on Christmas Day, where it's the whole family sitting together in the sitting room after our meal... granted we spend ages in our dining room eating our desserts, with our backs to the fire and listening to Christmas music. But it's afterwards when we go into the sitting room and we open our gifts. We usually go in order... sad I know!! And then with the blazing fire on we get comfy for Downton Abbey.

Happy Decmember huns... (thinkin' of Mulan!)