9 Christmas Traditions from Newfoundland and Labrador
Published November 23rd, 2024
Christmas has its long-standing traditions and some unique ones around the world across various cultures.
Whether it’s Kentucky Fried Chicken in Japan on December 25th, placing a tall candle in front of a window on Christmas Eve in Ireland or creating a lobster trap Christmas tree in Nova Scotia, there are several Christmas traditions around the world.
Here are nine Christmas traditions from Newfoundland and Labrador, with contributions from two lifelong locals.
The Mummer's Parade and Festival
This Christmas custom traces back to England and Ireland, and was brought to Newfoundland and Labrador over 200 years ago.
Lifelong local Alicia O’Leary describes it this way:
Sometime during Christmas (December 23rd, known as Tibb’s Eve, to January 6th, Old Christmas Day), a few friends of mine will come over mid-afternoon and we’ll dress up as mummers using random materials and props. We may use wigs, lace curtains, pillows—anything that will help disguise who you are. It’s a good bit of fun just getting ready for mummering and we’ll likely have a glass of slush as we do.
Once our identities are properly concealed, we’ll head out and visit friends and neighbours. You knock on a door, or open it a crack, and yell out, “Any mummers ‘llowed in?” If we’re welcome, we go on into the kitchen and joke around with the hosts, as they offer us a drink and Christmas cake or sweets. They then try to guess who is behind the disguise.
You’d never go in without being invited after the traditional “Any mummers ‘llowed in?” You would just go on your merry way.
Sometimes someone will come along who plays the fiddle or the tin whistle and that makes it all the better.
Fast forward to 2009 with the launch of “The Mummers Festival.”
Their website describes it as “a participant-focused, community-based festival that encourages the celebration of mummering traditions. Each year, the Mummers Festival hosts events over the last week of November, and the first two weeks of December leading up to its crowning event, the Mummers Parade.
For this one day, everyone is a mummer with the freedom to act out in fun and surprising ways.”
The Port De Grave Boat Lighting
It’s exactly what it sounds like and based on the plethora of pictures, it’s remarkable. Dozens of boats in Port de Grave get decked out in lights and Christmas decorations. There’s also a crab pot tree, which is multiple crab pots stacked in the shape of a Christmas tree, star and all. The opening ceremony sees live entertainment, treats, hot chocolate and of course, boatloads of people, all there to celebrate this over 25-year event.
The Star on Signal Hill
Photo by Parks Canada
Commemorating the start of the holiday season is the lighting of the Signal Hill Star.
It debuted in the 1970’s, a structurally stronger design appeared in the 1980’s and In 2015, Kevin LaFleur, a local engineering student adjusted the design by incorporating a compass into the star.
The star is situated on the Cabot Tower at the Signal Hill National Historic Site and is lit at the same time as the Confederation Building and the Parkway is.
Tibb’s Eve
Celebrated on December 23rd, it’s one of, if not the, biggest party days of the year. You get together with friends, have fun, some may consume alcohol aplenty, and overall, have a great time.
Hang on, though; this day, historically speaking, doesn’t quite exist. The Product of Newfoundland site says “Dr. George Storey wrote an article titled the Dialect of Newfoundland in which he referenced Tibb’s Eve. “We have,” he wrote “such Anglo-Irish terms as … Tibbs’ Eve.” He defined the phrase as meaning “neither before nor after Christmas.“
Neither before nor after Christmas’ didn’t mean December 23, obviously. It meant never. If something was said to be happening on Tibb’s Eve, it was a way of saying it would not happen at all.
There’s more. The ICH Blog says “Originally, St. Tibb was a character in English plays of the 17th century. A "tibb" in those times was a woman of loose morals, so Saint Tibb was a comedic character, intended to represent an impossible contradiction. Since St. Tibb couldn't exist, St. Tibb's Eve was a day that would never come. Owe someone money? Promise to pay them back on Tibb's Eve, and no problem!”
So it’s a day that doesn’t happen but it clearly does and it’s full of fun.
Newfoundland Christmas Slush
Photo by Gayle St. Croix - destinationstjohns.com
Back to Alicia for this one:
Slush is a beloved beverage familiar to every Newfoundlander and Labradorian, and chances are, most have indulged in it at some point. Yet, there’s no definitive recipe for this delightful treat. Much like the cherished Jiggs Dinner, everyone swears by their family’s unique version.
Some families craft their slush with vodka, others with amber rum. Many enjoy the creamy touch of Cool Whip, while others prefer a sharp, citrusy kick. There are as many variations of slush as there are crab pots in Port de Grave’s Christmas tree—and every one of them is just right.
Despite the variety, most recipes share the same foundation: orange juice, frozen lemonade, and your spirit of choice. These essentials, along with any special additions your family tradition dictates, are mixed in a clean salt beef bucket—a key part of the ritual—and frozen. After a couple of days in the freezer, the result is an irresistible icy concoction. Scoop some into a glass, top it with 7-Up, and even the most discerning palate won’t be able to resist.
Bowring Park Festival of Lights and Music
Photo by newfoundlandlabrador.com
The largest park in St. John’s, Bowring Park puts on quite the show for the holidays, specifically at the Duck Pond. There’s live music, layers upon layers of lights, a festive atmosphere and it truly is a community event. This year, they’re collecting items for the local food bank and there’ll be an American Sign Language interpretation area. Plus, it’s wheelchair accessible.
The NTV New Year's Community Crawl
Photo by Memorial University of Newfoundland - Digital Archives Initiative
I’m going to let another lifelong local, Andrew Hiscock, take this one, and here’s how he explains it:
“So by time zone, we're the first in Canada to ring in the New Year in North America, and we make a fuss about that. On New Year's Eve once the countdown happens, NTV (an independent television station,) runs a crawl of every community name in the province - the names of many resettled communities are also included. Everyone watches and you have to make a big fuss when your hometown shows up.”
Good work, Andrew; an extra mug of slush for you!
The Wren
Similar to mummering, this is a tradition where people go door to door but this time, they carry an effigy of a wren and share a song, joke or recitation. The reward? Food, drink or money. No costumes or disguises here, however.
Nalujuk Night
This centuries-old tradition, Nalujuk Night, takes place on January 6th for Inuit communities throughout Labrador. Also known as Old Christmas Day, this ritual involves the Nalujuit (plural for Nalujuk; also called Nalujuks,) who are visually intimidating characters that are believed to emerge from ice in the Eastern sea. These characters reward good children with treats and sometimes go into houses (with implied permission for this yearly event) to visit families with children. If you’ve misbehaved, you’ll get chased and hit (tapped, really,) with a staff. Overall, despite ghoulish appearances and using fear to entice good behaviour, this end-of-season tradition does consist of fun and games as it continues its long-standing cultural legacy.