December Ideas for Sharing Your Irish Side!

Creeping along the floor of the passage grave
To backstone and capstone, to hold its candle
Inside the cosmic hill. 
                                                            – Seamus Heaney, A Dream of Solstice

Newgrange Facade Original Best

A celebration of light, fire and feasting with family and friends. That’s Christmas, right? Well, yes, but it’s also a description of the ancient festival of Yule, from where so many of our Christmas traditions evolved.

Yule was a celebration of mid-winter and took place at the time of the solstice, December 21st, when the Holly King (representing darkness) and the Oak King (representing light) battled for dominance, with the Oak King emerging victorious to enable the return of light. 

From this day forward the days grow longer and nights shorter, ushering in new life and hope which would be celebrated with feasts, bonfires and merriment. 

The Magic of Newgrange

The winter solstice is a day of hope and joy, the day the sun begins to return, and there is no better place to celebrate this than at the ancient underground grave at Newgrange. This 5,000 year old structure, which pre-dates the Celts, is a powerful symbol of new life and hope and the perfect opening act to our winter festivities.

As the sun rises on the solstice a neolithic light show begins that continues for seventeen minutes as the sun enters the cairn, spreading light along the 62ft passage and into the chamber.

The ancient carvings at Newgrange have inspired many artists and craftspeople, particularly the distinctive decorative spirals which are said to symbolize birth, life and death.

Ireland in December

December is a wonderful time to visit Ireland, to experience Newgrange and Winder Solstice in person. But as a member of our Irish Expressions community, you know it is possible to express your 'Irish side' wherever you are in the world!

One way to share your love of Ireland, particularly this time of year, is through Irish-themed holiday gifts.  Our friends at Real Irish have many options to choose from.  As always, Irish Expressions members receive a 10% discount throughout the store.

Click the image below for more information:


Real Irish Logo

Your Most Personal Irish Expression

One way to share your love of Ireland is by displaying your family coat of arms (family crest).  A very personal symbol of the stories and accomplishments of your ancestors can adorn clothing, kitchenware, wall art, personal accessories and so much more. 

Want to have a look?  Our friends at House of Names can help! 

Tap the button below and see your family crest for free!

Search for Family Name Button

Want to Feel More Connected to Ireland?

At Irish Expressions we believe everybody – well almost everybody! - has an "Irish side."  So how nice would it be to have access to a fun, free Irish experience, on demand, wherever in the world you happen to be?

Over the years we have compiled many free, downloadable resources including lyrics, recipes, games, jokes, blessings and much, much more.  Would you like to receive them ALL for FREE?  Simply share your email for instant access!

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A Note from Bruce

If you would like to see more from Irish Expressions, you can find us on Facebook and Pinterest. You can also communicate with us using our contact form here. 

And of course you can always reach out to me directly at bruce@irish-expressions.com. 

However you choose to connect, we would love to hear from you!  Meanwhile, thanks for visiting!  I hope that we will meet someday, in person or online, and you can tell me about your own connection to the Emerald Isle.

Until then, best wishes -

Bruce Grady, and the team at Irish-Expressions.com


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