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Bereaved and Xmas Cards

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  • 12-12-2007 7:01pm
    #1
    IncredibleHulk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 633 ✭✭✭


    Has anyone heard of the tradition of any family who had a death in family during the year not sending out any Xmas cards the Xmas following death? What is this tradition based on?


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    #2
    Silverfish
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,696 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    Yep, it's the norm as far as I know, not sure what it's based on exactly but it's a pretty old tradition.
    Apparently when you're in mourning you shouldn't really be celebrating, so sending Xmas cards would be part of that.


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    #3
    Lollipops23
    Registered Users Posts: 5,420 ✭✭✭Lollipops23


    yeah we did that the year my grandad died.i think it only really applies if the individual passes in the months near to Xmas.


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    #4
    squishywishy
    Registered Users Posts: 400 ✭✭squishywishy


    pretty well known tradition, mainly an irish tradition and usaully observed ny people bron outside of Dublin. Observed for the first Christmas after the person passes away


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    #5
    elbee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 240 ✭✭elbee


    This isn't unusual, I'm not sure where it comes from. My dad died in April a few years ago and we still sent out cards because he died so early in the year. Also, I've known some families with children who didn't observe this because they wanted the children to have a normal Christmas. It depends on the family but yeah, not sending cards the year of a death is fairly usual.


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    #6
    IncredibleHulk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 633 ✭✭✭IncredibleHulk


    Thanks for the info everyone


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    #7
    McArmalite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭McArmalite


    Never heard of this practise I must say. Funny enough, where I'm from ( and I'm remaining annoynmous !! ) at the removal of a dead person it's customary for people to touch the coffin. A bit of a morbid thread, maybe we should discuss other ' lively ' topics :)


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    #8
    Mrs. MacGyver
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,294 ✭✭✭Mrs. MacGyver


    IncredibleHulk wrote: »
    Has anyone heard of the tradition of any family who had a death in family during the year not sending out any Xmas cards the Xmas following death? What is this tradition based on?

    I though it was a gaeltach tradition, my uncle died in June and my mother refuses to send Christmas Cards, eventhough he loved Christmas and made it a magical experience each year. I think it's an outdated custom after all our mourning period is over and he would have wanted us to get on with our lives.
    I had no idea whatsoever that this customer existed outside of the Muscrai gaeltacht!


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    #9
    Dummy
    Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭Dummy


    Can I ask a question on the same topic please?

    My mother passed away a short while ago. One of the things I remember was that the mirrors were covered in the room where she was laid out.

    Out of curiousity, I asked at the time why this was done but no-one could tell me. I have seen this done at similar wakes since.

    Does anyone know why this is done?



    D


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