It’s nearly festive time! And no bah humbugs will be allowed. If you celebrate dongzhi (21st December) you’ll be eating rice balls or dumplings and drinking jiuniang. During Pancha Ganapati (21st-25th December) small gifts will be given to children to place in front of a bronze five-faced statue of Lord Pancha Ganapati. At the end of the five days the children will get to open them. Scandinavians and Italians will be observing Saint Lucy’s Day (13th December) with sweets and candles. If you’re an old-style Saxon Pagan the 24th is Mōdraniht, or Mother’s Night, and you can make a sacrifice of your choosing whilst praising the wonders of mums. Of course if you’re an ancient Roman then it’ll be Saturnalia and there’ll be another sacrifice followed by feasting and the masters have to serve the slaves. I’m sure we could do something along those lines using bankers. There is also Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Yalda, Soyal, Christmas and Shoptilyoudrop. So what is West Cork providing to assist you in your celebrations?
Baltimore Christmas Bazaar is on the 1st December in the Community Hall. The last sale I went to there I bought a wonderful bivvy bag and some chocolate brownies, a perfect combination if you add a starry night and a thermos of cocoa.
The Ballydehob Community Christmas fair is on 24th December in the Community Hall. Perfect timing for those of you who do a bit of feeding and giving on the 25th.
The Annual Goleen Christmas Craft & Food Fair will be held on Sunday 1 December at Goleen Community Centre. There’s 70 stalls already booked.
The Sheep’s Head Producers Christmas Market in Kilcrohane is on Sunday 8th.
Obviously the celebration of Christmas figures most strongly around here! All of these fairs, and many others not listed, should be supported as they are local people with local produce and you can get wonderful things like wooden carved wands, odd shaped leeks, soaps in knitted covers and chickens. If you’re very lucky the stall from Kalbos cafe, Skibbereen, will be there doing the best bacon rolls and coffee you can get. They’ve just won the Good Food Ireland Award for the best cafe and they deserve it. ooo my mouth is watering just thinking of their breakfast roll. And now a little poem for any of you who might be bah humbuggers:
A Christmas Lullaby by Shane MacGowan
It seems like a freeze out
It seems like a freize
Stumbling I fell down
And prayed on my knees
The ice wagon’s coming
To pick up the stiffs
Had a chat with an old one
He was gone in a jiff
And Santa and his reindeer
Jumped over the moon
So hush little child
Santa’s coming here soon
Tura lura luray
Tura lura lie
Tura lura luray
It’s a Christmas lullaby
Tura lura luray
Tura lura lie
Tura lura luray
It’s a Christmas lullaby
I hope you grow up angry
Just like your dear old dad
I hope you grow up brave and strong
Not like me – all weak and sad
You said “Daddy, daddy,
You’re stinking of booze”
I kissed him and said, “Kid,
I was born to lose.
But you have a future
And a big one to save
And I hope you’ll remember
All the love that I gave.”
Here’s to all the little kids
Who haven’t got no clothes
Here’s to all the little kids
Who haven’t got no homes
It’s Christmas time in Palestine
It’s Christmas in Beirut
They’re scrapping ’round for rice
Not for tutti fruits
And the Christmas lights, they blew up
Now the ‘lecky’s all gone dead –
I look like a coal miner
And I’ve a pain inside my head.