Twelve (unexpected) days of Xmas in Ireland

southsiderosie · 21-12-2010 12:42AM #1

So thanks to the lazy cheap fcukers lovely people that run Heathrow Airport, I've unexpectedly found myself trapped! FCUK! in Ireland for Christmas. So after crying for three hours deciding to make the best of it, I need to make a plan. What do the Irish do for Christmas? What's the deal with St Stephen's Day? Is there a big 'going out because the family is making me crazy' night? Is there something that people do here that is a particularly Irish holiday tradition?

Help!

fedor.2. · 21-12-2010 12:46AM

Bit of a moan aint ya

cocoshovel · 21-12-2010 12:46AM

Drink......

scientific1982 · 21-12-2010 12:46AM

Laughing at people stuck in airports is a fun tradition.

Einhard · 21-12-2010 12:49AM

southsiderosie wrote: »

So thanks to the lazy cheap fcukers lovely people that run Heathrow Airport, I've unexpectedly found myself trapped! FCUK! in Ireland for Christmas. So after crying for three hours deciding to make the best of it, I need to make a plan. What do the Irish do for Christmas? What's the deal with St Stephen's Day? Is there a big 'going out because the family is making me crazy' night? Is there something that people do here that is a particularly Irish holiday tradition?

Help!

It's called Boxing Day in Ireland. Make sure to call it that. Especially when speaking to people in Celtic jerseys. And remember to mention how much you enjoyed the Queen's address too.

kincsem · 21-12-2010 12:50AM

Wren boys on St Stephens Day. You have to catch a wren (small bird) early in the morning, then dress up in a straw suit, and go around to the neighbours and sing to them.

fedor.2. · 21-12-2010 12:51AM

What exactly do you imagine us Irish do for xmas eh?

Giselle · 21-12-2010 12:51AM

southsiderosie wrote: »

So thanks to the lazy cheap fcukers lovely people that run Heathrow Airport, I've unexpectedly found myself trapped! FCUK! in Ireland for Christmas.

Did they control the weather or find some other way to make you stay here?

southsiderosie · 21-12-2010 12:51AM

Einhard wrote: »

It's called Boxing Day in Ireland. Make sure to call it that. Especially when speaking to people in Celtic jerseys. And remember to mention how much you enjoyed the Queen's address too.

Yes and while I'm at it, I will be sure to say lots of nice things about Bertie Ahern.

(I have lived here before. Just not over Christmas.)

kincsem · 21-12-2010 12:52AM

One verse will do

The wren, the wren, the king of all birds
Saint Stephen's day was caught in the furze,
We got him there as you can see,
And pasted him up on a holly tree.
Hurrah, my boys, hurrah,
Hurrah, my boys, hurrah.
Knock at the knocker and ring at the bell,
What will you give us for singing so well?
Singing so well, singing so well,
Give us a copper for singing so well.

I have a little box under my arm,
A penny or two will do it no harm,
Up with the kettle and down with the pot,
Give us a copper and let us be off.

On Christmas day I turned the spit,
I burned my finger, I feel it yet,
Between my finger and my thumb
There's a blister as big as a plum.

God bless the mistress and the man,
Unto your house we bring the wren,
Though he's little his family's great,
Come out, come out, and give us a treat.

Bajingo · 21-12-2010 12:52AM

Same ****e different country...

clikityclak · 21-12-2010 12:52AM

You're in for a treat, you can expect the same festive goodness that you are used to in wherever it is you are from. Loads of food, family time etc. Oh and the best news?

The pub is closed.:eek:

Einhard · 21-12-2010 12:53AM

southsiderosie wrote: »

Yes and while I'm at it, I will be sure to say lots of nice things about Bertie Ahern.

(I have lived here before. Just not over Christmas.)

Yeah, I know. I couldn't help myself!!

If you want an Irish Christmas, try and get yourself a lock in. Preferably on the day itself. Def on Stephen's Day otherwise. I can't really think of anything really traditional about an Irish Cristmas. Go to midnight mass at 10pm maybe? The wren boys are traditional alright, but the lustre kinda wears off when its just a bunch of tinkers hounding people for money. Really, when I think about it, the irish are sh*t at Christamas and New Years.

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 21-12-2010 12:53AM

ooooh Id love to spend Christmas with you

orourkeda · 21-12-2010 12:54AM

On the first day of christmas some gerry sent to me:

a snowstorm in heathrow airport

Pete M. · 21-12-2010 12:54AM

Get yourself a decent sized bag of glue and away ya go...

southsiderosie · 21-12-2010 12:56AM

Giselle wrote: »

Did they control the weather or find some other way to make you stay here?

Four inches of snow should not shut down an international airport for three days if the people running it are remotely competent.

OPENROAD · 21-12-2010 12:57AM

fedor.2. wrote: »

What exactly do you imagine us Irish do for xmas eh?

drink

southsiderosie · 21-12-2010 01:17AM

clikityclak wrote: »

Oh and the best news?
The pub is closed.:eek:

****! When? Is it like the night before Good Friday where everyone goes crazy?

fedor.2. wrote: »

What exactly do you imagine us Irish do for xmas eh?

I dunno...at home, on Christmas Day we get up late, watch 'A Christmas Story' on repeat, and eat lots of cookies. By evening, everyone is sick of 'family time', and heads out to the cinema. The morning afterwards, hoards of women go shopping for 75% off Christmas deals.

CrazyBiscuit · 21-12-2010 01:27AM

southsiderosie wrote: »

By evening, everyone is sick of 'family time', and heads out to the cinema.

Where is it that somewhere is open on Christmas? Nevermind a cinema.

Einhard · 21-12-2010 01:30AM

southsiderosie wrote: »

I dunno...at home, on Christmas Day we get up late, watch 'A Christmas Story' on repeat, and eat lots of cookies. By evening, everyone is sick of 'family time', and heads out to the cinema. The morning afterwards, hoards of women go shopping for 75% off Christmas deals.

The cinema is open on Christmas Day?!:eek:

But...but that's not what little baby Jesus was borned for!!

CrazyRabbit · 21-12-2010 02:39AM

What do the Irish do for Christmas?

Tell your family/relatives how much you cherish them.
Drink alcohol whilst the wife cooks the meal.
Eat overcooked meal of tasteless turkey, vegetables & dry ham.
Drink more alcohol whilst the wife cleans up.
Discuss the meal and lie about how 'good' it was.
Drink more alcohol.
Tell your relatives what you **really** think about them.
Explain your side of the story to the 5 Gardai who were called by a concerned neighbour.
Wake up next day in cell and try to remember what the hell happened.

Well, that's my recollection of an average Christmas Day.

southsiderosie · 21-12-2010 02:43AM

CrazyBiscuit wrote: »

Where is it that somewhere is open on Christmas? Nevermind a cinema.

Einhard wrote: »

The cinema is open on Christmas Day?!:eek:

But...but that's not what little baby Jesus was borned for!!

The U.S., where in most major cities there is not one single day out of the year where *everything* is closed. Going to 'the movies' is a big thing to do on the evening of Christmas Day, especially for people who don't have little kids.

But, seriously, when are all of the pubs closed? You mean to tell me NOTHING is open on Christmas Day? And is everything closed on Christmas Day AND St Stephen's Day?

OPENROAD · 21-12-2010 02:45AM

southsiderosie wrote: »

The U.S., where in most major cities there is not one single day out of the year where *everything* is closed. Going to 'the movies' is a big thing to do on the evening of Christmas Day, especially for people who don't have little kids.

But, seriously, when are all of the pubs closed? You mean to tell me NOTHING is open on Christmas Day? And is everything closed on Christmas Day AND St Stephen's Day?

Quite a few of the big shops are open here on the 26th this year.

scientific1982 · 21-12-2010 02:47AM

southsiderosie wrote: »

The U.S., where in most major cities there is not one single day out of the year where *everything* is closed. Going to 'the movies' is a big thing to do on the evening of Christmas Day, especially for people who don't have little kids.

But, seriously, when are all of the pubs closed? You mean to tell me NOTHING is open on Christmas Day? And is everything closed on Christmas Day AND St Stephen's Day?

Almost everything is closed on Christmas day. Most things are open on St Stephen's day.

Liam Byrne · 21-12-2010 02:54AM

Why do you want to celebrate something you don't even bother to spell fully?

"x" mas gets on my goat!

It was never called "exmas" or "crossmas", so that lazy abbreviation doesn't even make sense!

Gyalist · 21-12-2010 03:03AM

scientific1982 wrote: »

Almost everything is closed on Christmas day. Most things are open on St Stephen's day.

Untrue, and it will be even worse this year because the 26th is a Sunday. We normally reopen for business on the 27th and even then we are one of the few stores open in the city centre. Had to put up with moaning from the staff this year because we are opening on the 27th as usual, and they were expecting an extra day off in lieu of the 26th being on Sunday. The only main retailer that normally opens on the 26th is Urban Outfitters.

BTW, make sure that you don't have any urgent business at the bank as they will, except for the Dublin airport branches, be closed until Wednesday.

ballsymchugh · 21-12-2010 03:04AM

go to a nursing home and say hi to the elderly people who don't get any visitors. bring some murray mints and wherthers originals. and something to hide the smell of piss.

southsiderosie · 21-12-2010 03:04AM

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Why do you want to celebrate something you don't even bother to spell fully?

"x" mas gets on my goat!

It was never called "exmas" or "crossmas", so that lazy abbreviation doesn't even make sense!

Really? I would have thought that the Bertie comment would be what set you off.

Gyalist · 21-12-2010 03:11AM

southsiderosie wrote: »

Four inches of snow should not shut down an international airport for three days if the people running it are remotely competent.

The problem with Heathrow is that it is currently running at peak capacity and due to the rampant nimbyism in South-East England it is unlikely that any of the airports there will be allowed to expand anytime soon. They don't have the option of closing a runway to clear the snow as they have no others available.

scientific1982 · 21-12-2010 03:12AM

Gyalist wrote: »

Untrue, and it will be even worse this year because the 26th is a Sunday. We normally reopen for business on the 27th and even then we are one of the few stores open in the city centre. Had to put up with moaning from the staff this year because we are opening on the 27th as usual, and they were expecting an extra day off in lieu of the 26th being on Sunday. The only main retailer that normally opens on the 26th is Urban Outfitters.

BTW, make sure that you don't have any urgent business at the bank as they will, except for the Dublin airport branches, be closed until Wednesday.

Where I live all pubs and most shops open on the 26th.

Twelve (unexpected) days of Xmas in Ireland

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