Have a Proper Manx Christmas

While the British Isles adopted many German traditions around Christmas and many of them spread to the Isle of Man, it is still possible to enjoy a few things that are distinctly Manx.

From the White Boys to Cammag, there is plenty to do and see all across the island. Find out about all of them by going to Culture Vannin.

Starting with the White Boys, rather than being a racist tribute band, they are in fact a group of people doing a play in public.

Ny Guillyn Baney forms a key part of a traditional Manx Christmas. Rather than having a set script, the show always has a few key elements, namely saints, a fight, a death, a resurrection thanks to ‘the Doctor’ and a happy ending.

This year’s performances will be on December 17 at:

10am Kirk Michael, outside Cannan Court (Peel White Boys)
10am Port St. Mary, by the Coop (Southern White Boys)
10.30am Port Erin, by the Railway Station (Southern White Boys)
11am Ramsey, outside the Courthouse (Peel White Boys)
11am Castletown Square (Southern White Boys)
12pm Douglas, Noa Bakehouse (Southern White Boys)
1pm Douglas, Strand Centre (Southern White Boys)
1.30pm Douglas, Noa Bakehouse (Southern White Boys)
2pm Peel, Michael Street (Peel White Boys)
3pm Douglas, Regent Street (Southern White Boys)
4.30pm Douglas, TBC (Southern White Boys)
5pm Peel, the Dog’s Nollick, East Quay (Peel White Boys)

Hunt The Wren

What could be better on Boxing Day than to go on a hunt? Before you go get the horses and dogs, it’s not like that.

In fact, it’s so interest, we’re going to defer to Culture Vannin to explain this one.

CV: ‘Hunt the Wren is one of the most interesting Manx traditions still practised on the Isle of Man today.

‘On St. Stephen’s Day (December 26) communities come together across the Isle of Man to dance and sing around the streets. The practice, dating back to pre-Christian times, is centred on a wren, “the king of all birds,” which is hunted and then danced through the streets on a special pole (in case it needs stating, the bird in the wren pole today is just a replica).’

You can see the Hunt on Boxing Day at:

PORT St. MARY: 10am meet in the Scoill Phurt-le-Moirrey car park
DOUGLAS: 10.15am meet (for 10.30am start) outside the Woodbourne Hotel
RAMSEY: 10.30am meet outside St Paul’s Church
St. JOHN’S: 10.30am meet in the Arboretum car park
WILLASTON: 10.45am meet in Willaston School Car Park (opp. Manor Pub) [TBC]
KIRK MICHAEL: 11am outside the Mitre pub (going on to Ballaugh)
BALLAUGH: 11.20am outside The Raven (going on to Sulby)
SULBY: 11.40am at the Sulby Glen Pub

Cammag

The traditional sport of the Isle of Man, predating football, the game is played every Boxing Day after Hunt the Wren at St John’s where North play South.

We also haven’t covered the Mollag Bands, they were just something else entirely, give it a look here. An essential part of the tradition was the mollag (an inflated sheep’s bladder, traditionally used as a buoy), with which they would hit people on the street as a part of the fun.

Give Cammag a look: