IN THIS ISSUE
THIS FRIDAY IN LOCKPORT!
Andy Cooney's Irish Country Christmas
Dec. 17th | 7pm

    Featuring Andy Cooney, with special guests Dee Reilly and World Class Irish Dancers plus Bugs Moran and the Andy Cooney Band. Benefits Challenger Sports League. Tickets $20pp

Historic Palace Theatre
2 East Ave.
Lockport, NY 14094

Tickets for the event are $20, available at: The Palace Theatre Box Office, Scirto's Awards & Gifts, and Mills Jewelers. Doors open at 6:30 for general seating.
The Celtic Tenors

Dec. 20th | 8pm
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre
440 Locust Street,
Burlington ON, CA L7S 1T7
5th Annual  
Burns Supper
presented by Tom Keefer
and Celtic Cross

Jan. 23rd | 6pm
Brookside Banquets
2990 Lockport-Olcott Rd.
Newfane, New York 14108

Tickets: $30 (includes tax & gratuity; cash bar)
Order: 716-778-8500
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DECEMBER 2015
Because we know everyone is very busy this time of year, we decided our monthly newsletter would have only one article, the next in our newest series, "How Celts Have Influenced the World". We hope you enjoy a deeper look into Christmas traditions we all share. Merry  Christmas, Happy New Year...and we'll see you in 2016!

Vicki Banks 
Associate Director 
Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival
An Archaeology of Christmas
Christmas is one of the most fascinating holidays in history. It has remained a treasured tradition for centuries, evolving to suit various cultures all over the world. Just think of how many different customs we participate in each year at Christmastime! Would it surprise you to know that many began with the ancient Celts? That's right; the holiday so many Christians (and others) cherish and celebrate today would be very different without the inclusion of Celtic traditions.
 
Christianity spread very rapidly throughout Europe during the first millennium. During this time many Christian leaders saw the benefit in blending the rituals, beliefs and customs of other religions to their own, helping to more easily convert communities. The most common and easily assimilated were various Celts: Druids, Wiccans and Pagans. Whether by force or choice, the new Celtic Christians held tightly onto some traditions, and so evolving them to better fit their new religion ensured they wouldn't completely lose their heritage. This blending of customs is also why Christmas continues to be split between the celebration of Christ's birth and Santa Claus' arrival.
 
Here's a list of just a few current traditions in America (& beyond) which are connected to the Celts. Some you may already honor each year, while others you may want to include from now on!
  1. Leaving a candle in the window. Known as a beacon for weary travelers or as a light to guide Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, the true origins lie in an old Celtic ritual of lighting a way for spirits to pass peacefully to the next life.
     
  2. Mince pies. Mince pies were a common food for Celts, filled with shredded meat and spices. At Christmastime they came to be shaped in small oblong cases to represent Jesus' crib. Three spices, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg were added to symbolize the three gifts given by the Wise Men). It was considered good luck to eat a mince pie on each of the twelve days of Christmas (Dec. 25-Jan. 6). Today mince pies are not as common in America as in Europe, but they remain a tradition in many homes.
     
  3. Mistletoe. The plant's name is Celtic for "All Heal". Ancient Celts believed the miracle bush could heal diseases, give fertility, protect from evil and nullify poisons. Druid priests would hold special ceremonies during the winter solstice, preparing and blessing the plant  so it could be hung in doorways as protection against thunder, lightning and other evils. Early on it was an ornament of peace for any enemies who passed under it. This evolved into an assertion of male fertility- giving men the right to kiss any girl that stood under it. Mistletoe was forbidden in early Christian celebrations, as many saw it as a Pagan evil. The tradition returned with Victorians who restored the kissing ritual, reconnecting it to peace, love, and now good luck. Fun Fact: An early Victorian tradition stated a kiss under the Mistletoe cost one berry. When the berries were gone, that ornament's value ended.
     
  4. Hanging Holly & Ivy. Both plants were known for protection, warding off evil spirits, while also welcoming friendly spirits such as fairies. They became common household decorations during the cold, winter months. Holly and Ivy were so popular that their use couldn't be stopped, and so Christian leaders connected their symbolism to the life and death of Jesus.
     
  5. Yule Log. Ancient Celts honored the Mother Goddess by lighting a special log on the Eve of the Winter Solstice. They would use remains of Yule log from the previous year to light the new one, and it would remain lit for twelve hours for good luck. This evolved into the  Christmas Eve tradition that is still known today. Typically made of Ash wood, it must come from your land or given as a gift; it can never be purchased. After being placed in the fireplace it is decorated with seasonal greenery, doused with cider or ale, and then dusted with flour. It is then set on fire using a piece of last year's Yule Log, and it burns all night and then left smoldering for twelve days before ceremonially being put out. In recent decades a special cake decorated to resemble a Yule log has also become a popular holiday dessert.
     
  6. The Legends Surrounding Santa Claus. Father Christmas, St. Nicholas, St. Nick...his origins come from all over Europe. Yet many traditions held by Santa Claus himself have Celtic influence. His elves are the modernization of the "Nature folk" believed to live among the pagans. Tales of God Thor, soaring the skies in his sleigh pulled by two large, horned goats likely influenced the creation of Santa's sleigh and flying, antlered reindeer (an animal revered for its likeness to the Horned God Cernunnos). Ancient Celts also exchanged gifts during the winter solstice, as a means of renewing ties and friendship between clans and chieftains.