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Christmas mummers at the door...

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  • 08-12-2009 9:54pm
    #1
    LadyMayBelle
    Registered Users Posts: 5,095 ✭✭✭


    Right, I posted last week about dodgy charity collections, and maybe these visits are unique to my area but I think not (east side of the city FTR)

    Tonight, for the second time this week we have had young people at the door, dressed as Santy. By young people I mean between the ages of 13-16, approximately. It's hard to tell sometimes, they are dressed as the man himself. They get dropped off into the estate by a car, knock on all the doors and sing some sort of Christmas tune and hold out a tin. They are, looking for money. Then they get into the car, and I assume, get driven to the next estate.

    Anyone else have this experience? I find it rather odd....


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    #2
    MayoForSam
    Registered Users Posts: 2,277 ✭✭✭MayoForSam


    Time to get my Grinch costume out............


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    #3
    afatbollix
    Registered Users Posts: 4,063 ✭✭✭afatbollix


    just had them at my door in dublin... they werent Irish, looked from Romania.. gave them a few sweets that was left over from holleween and said your sapost to be out on st stephens day.. but by the sound of them they had no idea what I was on about...


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    #4
    leninbenjamin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,983 ✭✭✭leninbenjamin


    LadyPennyworth wrote: »
    Anyone else have this experience? I find it rather odd....

    Tis a fairly ancient tradition in Ireland (like many other places). And like anything in Ireland you always find it will be abused a lot (a particular ethnic minority comes to mind for things like these)...


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    #5
    inisboffin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,390 ✭✭✭inisboffin


    leninbenjamin wrote: »
    Tis a fairly ancient tradition in Ireland (like many other places). And like anything in Ireland you always find it will be abused a lot (a particular ethnic minority comes to mind for things like these)...

    But for Stephen's day right, not before? Make 'em work for it, get at least 3 songs (pop, sean nós, or an ethnic variety, and that's worth a quid in gold coins imo!) Although I tend to keep late hours so morning singers might get the withering frown!


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    #6
    fend
    Registered Users Posts: 661 ✭✭✭fend


    I do believe they're called carolers? :rolleyes:


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    #7
    inisboffin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,390 ✭✭✭inisboffin


    Yeah, probably carolers - mummers are usually drunker and more yee-haw!


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    #8
    LadyMayBelle
    Registered Users Posts: 5,095 ✭✭✭LadyMayBelle


    They were of a particular ethnic minority (being extra careful here!).
    Bit like Halloween when they turn with with pound shop mask and a killeen black bag over their torsos...I was less than impressed. Maybe I am a bit grinch like :)


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    #9
    leninbenjamin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,983 ✭✭✭leninbenjamin


    inisboffin wrote: »
    But for Stephen's day right, not before?

    Hence the bit about it being abused.


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    #10
    fend
    Registered Users Posts: 661 ✭✭✭fend


    Carolers come before Christmas, Stephen's Day is more 'The Ren'


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    #11
    skelliser
    Registered Users Posts: 2,985 ✭✭✭skelliser


    the wrenboys are on stephans day
    there is no real tradition of carolers in ireland and they would be collecting for charity anyway. This is just a scam.


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    #12
    LadyMayBelle
    Registered Users Posts: 5,095 ✭✭✭LadyMayBelle


    Chancing their arm is what they are. As I said before, I have no problem giving to charity but it's the craic of shoving kids/teens out to collect money dressed in silly costumes and who haven't a tune in their head. For all I know another of of them was checking my back garden for bikes while I was distracted......it has happened....


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    #13
    cooperguy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,650 ✭✭✭cooperguy


    Slightly off topic but I had people call to my door the weekend before halloween dressed in black bags, jumped up and down singing for 10 seconds and then out came the hand. They were Irish but of a certain minority! I was slightly confused for the first half of it since they were 7 days early.


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    #14
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,965 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    inisboffin wrote: »
    But for Stephen's day right, not before? Make 'em work for it, get at least 3 songs (pop, sean nós, or an ethnic variety, and that's worth a quid in gold coins imo!) Although I tend to keep late hours so morning singers might get the withering frown!

    I think you're referring to Wrenboys, who are mummers who perform on St Stephen's day. Mummers can perform at various times.

    Wassallers (spelling!), who sing carols, are a different thing again, without the date restriction. 'Tis another ancient tradition, see
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassailing and TBH, not that different from choir members singing carols in a shopping centre to raise money for whatever good cause (which wouldn't surprise anyone). In fact, reading the description above, "collecting" for yourself sound like it is more traditional than collecting for others!


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    #15
    LadyMayBelle
    Registered Users Posts: 5,095 ✭✭✭LadyMayBelle


    cooperguy wrote: »
    Slightly off topic but I had people call to my door the weekend before halloween dressed in black bags, jumped up and down singing for 10 seconds and then out came the hand. They were Irish but of a certain minority! I was slightly confused for the first half of it since they were 7 days early.

    Off topic too, but it reminds me of a funny story up our way this year..young lad calls to the door in a black bag and mask and a bucket for sweets on November 1st...we told him Hallowe'en was the day before and the poor divil said "yeah i know but I was grounded!'


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    #16
    doubleglaze
    Registered Users Posts: 405 ✭✭doubleglaze


    Ná déan nós is ná bris nós.


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    #17
    inisboffin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,390 ✭✭✭inisboffin


    JustMary wrote: »
    I think you're referring to Wrenboys, who are mummers who perform on St Stephen's day. Mummers can perform at various times.

    Wassallers (spelling!), who sing carols, are a different thing again, without the date restriction. 'Tis another ancient tradition, see
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassailing and TBH, not that different from choir members singing carols in a shopping centre to raise money for whatever good cause (which wouldn't surprise anyone). In fact, reading the description above, "collecting" for yourself sound like it is more traditional than collecting for others!

    Yeah, Wrenboys, and they are essentially Mummers too. It Hunting The Wren is a Stephen's Day thing. It's unusual to get mummers here on other days, maybe the odd time at Beáltaine or Lúnasagh. Strawboys are for weddings. Here's a Sligo linky


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