Are you Irish? I am one-quarter Irish, which means that quite a few of my relatives have Irish heritage, too. Every Christmas, we search for gifts to give each other that reflect, and celebrate, our Irish roots. Sometimes, we even start our Christmas shopping in March, around St. Patrick’s Day, when it’s easy to find a lot of Irish stuff. If you happen to be searching for gifts to give to your Irish relatives this year, I have some excellent suggestions.
If you are searching for something fancy, you cannot possibly go wrong with a gift of Waterford crystal. Their factory is located in Waterford City in Ireland, and I have been there with my family to take a tour of the factory itself. Waterford is the company that made the giant glass ball that is used every New Year’s Eve in Times Square, New York, when the countdown begins.
If you are opening gifts before Christmas, you may want to select one of their beautiful, etched, 2010 Christmas ornaments to give as a gift. Or, choose from the selection of delicate, colorful, blown glass “heirloom” ornaments. These don’t have a date on them, so they can be opened up as gifts this Christmas, and used to decorate the tree next year. If you would rather give a gift of Waterford crystal that can be enjoyed all year round, you might want to choose from their selection of vases, perfume bottles, ring holders, and picture frames.
If you are looking for a lovely Irish gift with a lower price, you might want to see what your local Irish import store has to offer. They should have a selection of lower priced Irish Christmas ornaments. Look for an Irish Santa (with a green robe and hat), or a celtic cross. Relatives who have traveled to Ireland will enjoy a 2011 Irish calendar, filled with lovely photos that show the beauty of Ireland. Music lovers will enjoy a CD of Irish music. I recommend The Irish Tenors, The Chieftains, and The Fenians, but there are plenty of other artists that make Irish music to choose from. Gifts that celebrate the heritage of your family are very special, and a great way to connect with your relatives.
Image by Philip Milne on Flickr