By Fern Allen
For many of us, Christmas is steeped in tradition, and at Ballymaloe House, it’s no different.
Some of my fondest memories, likely shared by many, are the delightful aromas that filled the house in the weeks before Christmas, as puddings were steamed and cakes baked.
Our decorations always went up a little later, as my mother insisted on fresh greenery. Someone would be sent out to gather ivy and Christmas holly from the woods on the grounds, filling the house with the scent of fresh foliage. In the week leading up to Christmas, a grand tree would be brought into the Drawing Room, taking pride of place.
If Christmas Day happened to be on a Sunday, we would begin the day by attending a Quaker meeting in Cork. Later, the family would gather for a traditional meal of turkey, ham with stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, Brussels sprouts, and roast potatoes - a spread we still enjoy to this day. For those with a bit of room left, the meal concluded with a Christmas pudding brought to the table aflame, thanks to a generous splash of whiskey!
After dinner, we always play games, with Post Offices being a long-standing favourite. Around the house, we hide “post boxes,” each labelled with an exotic destination like Bangkok, Paris, or Azerbaijan. A stack of “letters,” each addressed to a post box, is placed on a hall table. Each player takes a letter, signs their name on the blank side, and then races to find the corresponding post box to “deliver” it. They dash back for another letter, continuing until every letter is posted - or everyone is happily exhausted. The one who posts the most letters wins, making it a perfect way to entertain children (and adults alike) brimming with holiday excitement.
From all of us at Ballymaloe House, I would like to wish you a happy, healthy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
