Celtic Christmas traditions

Christmas is a time for many traditions - both old and new.

Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, Wales, Isle of Man and Brittany are six Celtic places that share and have their own Christmas customs.

BBC Bitesize looks into how each of these regions celebrate this festive period.

Scotland

Yuletide

We now associate the word "Yule" with all things Christmas but the word comes from the Old Norse for a feast. Before they became Christians Norse people commemorated the longest night of the year (winter solstice) and looked forward to brighter days.

Some Scottish festive traditions still go back to the Vikings and Yule, like the Hogmanay tradition of First Footing, where the first guest to enter the household on New Year’s Day is a bringer of good luck.

The Yule log was traditionally an entire tree, that was specially chosen and brought into the house with great ceremony. It was then placed on the fire and lit with a torch made from a piece of wood left over from last year's Yule log.

It was believed that, for 12 days at the end of December, the sun stood still (which is why the days grew shorter and shorter). If people could keep yule logs burning bright for those 12 days, then the sun would be persuaded to move again, and make the days grow longer. If a Yule log went out it would be terrible luck.

Ireland

Lighting a candle

In the past, Christmas Eve held as much significance as Christmas Day in a lot of rural homes. This is possibly because it was rooted in feast days in the Irish calendar.

Once everything was prepared and darkness fell on Christmas Eve, it was tradition to have Christmas cake after supper, have a drink and light candles which acted as a symbol to help guide the Virgin Mary and Joseph on their journey to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus Christ.

This time is usually associated as a moment of remembrance of those who had recently passed away. In some areas, families would leave their doors unlocked on Christmas Eve so that dead relatives could return.

Cornwall

Montol solstice festival

This a Cornish tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, which is based on Guise dancing where people came together wearing masks and costumes, they played music and danced throughout the 12 days is Christmas.

In 2007, Penzance started an annual festival that brought together different Cornish traditions as a mid-winter celebration to bring festive joy to neighbours and friends.

Isle of Man

Kissing Bush

The Kissing Bush, a wreath-shaped ornament hung from the ceiling and decorated with ivy and holly. Although it's now making a comeback, it was phased out of most Manx homes in the past when Christmas trees became more popular.

However, before Victorian influences, this festive season was influenced by Kegeesh Ommidjagh, or the Foolish Fortnight a time of carefree celebration where work was set aside, and two weeks of music, dancing, and laughter could begin.

The bush played an important part the Kegeesh Ommidjagh, as it was placed in the home that allowed people to act differently and have fun.

Brittany

Angel of the Sea

One famous Breton legend is that on Christmas Eve, an angel appears on the sea.

When the sun goes down, an angel stands tall and clear on the sea to guide sailors and ships to shore safely, to ensure every sailor has a safe and joyous night.

A story that has been passed on throughout the generations.

Wales

Mari Lwyd

A Welsh tradition that is still alive and well is the parading of a Mari Lwyd around town. The Mari is a horse’s skull which is carried on a long pole by a person hidden under a cloak, alongside a group of people.

This group knock on doors in their village between Christmas Day and Twelfth Night, and take part in a rhyming ritual called pwnco, in exchange for food and beer.

You can often see the Maris at local festivals through December and January, they may appear spooky and a tad mischievous, but it's said to bring good luck for the new year.

This article was published December 2025