Home sweet home.
You can take the man out of the county but you can’t take the county out of the man, and when it comes to home traditions we all have a few favourites that stay close to the heart to no matter how far we drift from our origins.
A few of these probably sound familiar and bring back a rake of good memories.
1. Mammy’s Cooking
Whether it’s Shepherd’s Pie, Spaghetti Bolognese or Chicken Casserole, nothing ever tastes as good as the home cooked version from your mother. There is something so comforting about the cooking you grew up with that you probably prefer it to restaurant grub, even if it was terrible.
2. Ironed shirts
When you leave home you learn to iron your own shirts, but no matter how much you try (and let’s be honest you don’t try that hard) you can never match the crisp smooth shirts your mother leaves out for you on special occasions.
There must be a special way to get them wrinkle free – or maybe it just requires effort.
3. Gossip about the neighbours
You don’t want to listen but unfortunately you have to. A basic run down on who died recently along with who moved where, who’s dating who and, the big one, who got a job. You will find after a while you will learn to respond without actually listening. It’s a fine talent that will serve you well in life.
4. Clean clothes
As in REALLY clean clothes. It’s like the ironed shirts, you know how to do it, but for some reason they never smell as fresh or end up stain-free unless your mammy runs them through the machine. One of life’s great mysteries.
5. Career talks
You come home for a relaxing weekend and you are hit with the hard questions the minute you sit down. Where are you going with your life? Whats your five-year plan? What are your career goals? You have no answers for any of these questions, all you know is a cup of tea (or several shots of whiskey) should not be out of the question.
6. Monopoly and cards
Home is probably one of the only places (apart from college) where it is perfectly acceptable to pull out a game of monopoly and waste away a few hours bartering over tiny plastic hotels or playing rummy and 45.
Of course most families have someone who gets irrationally angry over the price of his rent or goes bankrupt almost immediately. Either way the games are never too long.
7. Chats over tea and biscuits
Serious conversations including career talks and gossip about the neighbours will be had over tae and biscuits that can go on for hours. It’s a blast from the past and every time you revert back to being a child and forget about your trivial worries. You even pick up that old accent you have worked so hard at perfecting.
8. Visits from your old school friends
Back home is where your old school friends still drop round unexpected for a puck around the GAA pitch or a quick pint down the local and it’s refreshing to have your friends round that know your family as well as they know you. It’s something that you miss with your college friends.