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Original Podcast with clickable words
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The Red Man.
An Fear Dearg.
Isn’t it strange how habits are established and spread?
Nach ait mar a bhunaítear agus mar a scaiptear nósanna?
It is now accepted that it was the Irish who brought the festival of November to the United States and that it was made into Halloween with its pumpkins and ghosts and colored skeletons.
Tá glacadh leis anois gurb iad Gaeil Éireann a thug féile na Samhna chun na Stát Aontaithe agus gur déanadh Halloween as lena puimcíní agus lena taibhsí agus lena cnámharlaigh dhaite.
Similarly it was the Dutch on their flight who brought Sinterklass across the sea to New York and it has expanded throughout the world since then, with the help of Coca Cola and the power of money.
Ar an gcuma chéanna b’iad na Dúitsigh ar a dteitheadh dóibh a thug Sinterklass trasna na farraige go dtí Nua Eabhrac agus tá leathnaithe ar fud an tsaoil ó shin, le cabhair ó Choca Cola agus cumhacht an airgid.
It was not that there were not many traditions around the world associated with some old crocodiles distributing goodies and gifts at the turn of the year, but he was not a fat man fed in his Cork attire wandering around an air chariot powered by reindeer speaking ho- it was a hose.
Ní hé nach raibh traidisiúin éagsúla ar fud críocha fairsinge an domhain a bhain le seanchrúnca éigin a dháil maitheas agus bronntanais tráth chasadh na bliana, ach níorbh aon fhear ramhar beathaithe é ina fheisteas Chorcaí ag gabháil timpeall ar charbad aeir faoi chumhacht réinfhianna ag labhairt hó-hó-hóis a bhí ann.
In some countries it was about someone from a horror comic, and deliberately.
I dtíortha áirithe ba gheall le duine as greannán uafáis é, agus d’aon ghnó.
That terrifying song that warns young children that he is watching them be ‘naughty or nice’ was a real threat. In Hungary there was a danger that the dumb child would get a wooden spoon, and who knows what harm could be done to the same chattels afterwards.
Ba mhó de bhagairt a bhí ann a réalaigh an t-amhrán sceimhliúil sin a thugann foláireamh do pháistí beaga go bhfuil sé ag faire ar iad a bheith ‘naughty or nice.’ San Ungáir ba bhaol gurb é spúnóg adhmaid a gheobhadh an leanbh dalba, agus cá bhfios cén t-aimhleas ab fhéidir a bhaint as an airnéis chéanna ina dhiaidh sin.
A lump of coal was threatened here, but now kids would hardly know what would be there if they found it.
Bhagraítí cnap guail anseo, ach ar éigean go n-aithneodh páistí anois cad a bheadh ansin dá bhfaigheadh siad é.
Something polished with a toy in the middle, probably.
Rud éigin snasmhar a bhfuil bréagán istigh ina lár, is dócha.
But that has changed beyond recognition now.
Ach tá sin athraithe thar aitheantas anois.
Joulupukki of Finland was a big ugly old man, and although he still bears that name he has become very kind in recent years, especially because he is worth a lot of money to the country’s economy.
Bodach mór gránna ba ea Joulupukki na Fionlainne, agus cé go bhfuil an t-ainm sin fós air tá sé éirithe an-chineálta le blianta beaga anuas, go háirithe toisc gur fiú airgead mór é d’eacnamaíocht na tíre.
Greenland tried to claim Shanta for themselves, but for some reason I don’t imagine thousands of planes overflowing with magical girls and boys landing in Nuuk or Kranni, let alone Uummannaqq itself.
Dhein an Ghraonlainn iarracht ar Shanta a éileamh dóibh féin, ach ar chúis éigin ní shamhlaím na mílte eitleán ag cur thar maoil le cailíní agus le buachaillí draíochtshúileacha ag tuirlingt in Nuuk nó Kranni, gan trácht ar Uummannaqq féin.
And for a whole other reason, the imagination fails to think of the local ox flying through the sky on Christmas night.
Agus ar chúis eile ar fad, teipeann ar an tsamhlaíocht smaoineamh ar an damh áitiúil ag eitilt tríd an spéir oíche Nollag.
The innovativeness of some of these traditions is remarkable.
Is suaithinseach a nuálaí is atá cuid de na traidisiúin seo.
Although Christmas trees were common in medieval Germany, the abhus fashion did not begin until the British, Irish and Empress of Victoria was photographed standing in front of a Christmas tree to show her Teutonic origins.
Bíodh go mbíodh crainn Nollag coitianta sa Ghearmáin sna meánaoiseanna níor tosnaíodh ar an bhfaisean abhus go dtí gur tógadh grianghraf de ríon Victoria na Breataine, na hÉireann agus Banimpire na hIndia agus í ina seasamh os comhair crann Nollag d’fhonn a dúchais Teotanaich a léiriú.
A habit was established for some time of throwing a twig of the tree on a coat or hat but it was found that the splinter fell into the body which would require itching, a business that was not overly prudent.
Bunaíodh nós ar feadh tamaill craobhóg den chrann a chaitheamh ar chóta nó ar hata ach fuarthas amach go dtiteadh an spíonlach isteach ar fud na colainne a d’éileodh tochas, gnó nach raibh róbhanríonúil.
That would be far better than Cromwell ‘s mind, as long as he runs.
B’fhearr é sin go mór is go fada ná aigne Chromail, fad a ritheann.
He put an end to all kinds of music and celebrations at Christmas time, apart from attending the temple.
Chuir sé siúd deireadh le gach saghas ceoil agus ceiliúrtha am na Nollag, seachas freastal ar an teampall.
The sheep were not allowed near the place either, for fear that a small heat would spread a flower inside.
Ní ligtí ba na caoirigh i ngar don áit ach oiread, ar eagla go ndáilfeadh teas beag bláth ar a raibh istigh.
This custom spread to America during his time, as a law was passed in Massachusetts in 1659 that forbade any form of talk or melancholy in memory of the savior’s arrival.
Leathnaigh an nós sin go Meiriceá lena linn, óir ritheadh dlí in Massachusetts in 1659 a choisc aon sórt pléaráca ná meidhréise mar chuimhne ar theacht an tslánaitheora.
If Santa were there at that time his grave would have to be shown to the children of the land, for it would not be appropriate for them to expect anything other than stick dolls with pins and a black Bible.
Dá mbeadh Santa ann an t-am sin chaithfí a uaigh a thaispeáint do leanaí na críche, óir ní oirfeadh go mbeadh siad ag súil le rud ar bith seachas bábóg mhaide le bioráin agus Bíobla dubh.
Those puritans may have had no objection to today’s saturnalia.
Ní móide go mbeadh aon choinne ag na piúratánaigh sin le saturnalia an lae inniu.
In the orthodox tradition, gifts are given out on the 6th or 7th of January, while in other countries it is celebrated on New Year’s Day.
Sa traidisiún ortadocsach is ar an 6ú nó an 7ú d’Eanáir a thugtar amach na bronntanais, agus i dtíortha eile fós is ar Lá Caille a dhéantar sin.
But those are a long way from the big festival of shopping, consumerism, raisins and sugary movies that we have today.
Ach is fada iad sin ó fhéile mhór na siopadóireachta, na tomhaltóireachta, na ráistéireachta is na scannán siúcrúla atá againn inniu.