The most vibrant memories of Christmas are not always connected with present giving, eating or partying. In the lumber room of childhood there exists a glow of nostalgia which continues to warm our adult lives. Memories of Christmas walks along country roads or by frozen canals with parents and loved ones remain ever green. The simple things were always the best. The solidity of blackthorn. The casual human touching. A developing child/adult relationship under a wide clear sky reflections in still, iced over water and the untidy land rucked up in its brown overcoat.
Most successful holidays involve making space for other people and damping down the frenzy of modern living. And we are blessed in this country with a human scale landscape that can take people to its heart. It's what brings foreign tourists here in ever increasing numbers during the summer months. And, at Christmas, it is available as an exclusively Irish playground. These days the high hills are bare and bleak, with the odd rowan tree - now stripped of its berries huddled in rocky clefts.
The grouse and the deer have moved down slope ahead of the snow. But the clarity of winter light dissolves distances and makes the hike to a mountain summit a memorable experience. Down below, setters and pointers accompany their masters where the woodcock has infiltrated the woodland and the snipe has lain low in the cutaway bog. And far away in the soft, green counties of pasture and tillage, pigeons and fat pheasants are feeding on the sprouting winter wheat. By wide and icy waters, groups of men, encumbered with rods and bait, hunt the large and hungry pike as she comes inshore to spawn, accompanied by jackeen admirers. By the seashore, winter birdlife is spectacularly diverse. And the chatter and whirl of a myriad denizens of the littoral draw "twitchers" from warm firesides. Where the waves turn green, hardy souls in wetsuits enjoy surfing and wind sailing. And, in the evenings, wrapped up families brave the distance of empty, spume blown beaches.
It's all there. A winter wonderland that can be enjoyed by all age groups and in a huge variety of ways. Because of our moderate dim ate, there is great scope for the growth of domestic winter tourism. From the deck of a hoar frosted cruiser on the Shannon, the world relaxes into flat planes. Enjoyment is always within reach from an afternoon excursion by car, to the exhilaration of mountain walking or a gentle stroll down a sheltered, country lane. Abandon the television and the pub. Slow down. Invest a few hours in the outdoor company of loved ones. Rediscover a winter sunset. Enjoy the Christmas.