where they clubbed together to pay for food and drink, celebrating at any time in the 10 days of Christmas. Decorations In the period of the mid 19th to mid 20th century, it was common for Irish households to clean and prepare the house for the Christmas period. This would include a cleaning and whitewashing the home, with decorating taking place after this. All parts of the house were cleaned, from the furniture and utensils, to sweeping the chimney. The use of evergreen foliage such as holly was seen to represent Christ and his everlasting life, but also has pagan roots. Travelling people would sell paper decorations and "mottoes" door-to-door and at town markets from the late 19th century on. In Munster, it was traditional to fashion a decoration out of holly sprigs on to a simple wooden cross. In rural homes, the byre or cow-shed, stables and other buildings for animals would be decorated to honour the role of animals in the nativity story. In parts of Ireland, it was believed that at midnight on Christmas Eve, animals such as cows and donkeys could be heard to speak devotions in human speech. To hear a cockerel crow at midnight on Christmas Even was considered a good omen. Irish rural homes would also procure a large log, similar to a Yule log, called bloc na Nollaig. Mistletoe was not part of traditional Irish Christmas decoration as it is not commonly found in Ireland, but has become a feature in modern times. Some areas, such as County Armagh did have the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. Along with Great Britain, Ireland saw the introduction of Christmas trees during the reign of Queen Victoria, with their prevalence increasing from the 1840s. Before this, a large branch or the top of a tree was used instead. Christmas trees officially go up on 8 December because according to Christian tradition the immaculate conception was on this date. Trees in towns and cities are erected in central locations every year along with lights. In many homes in Ireland the traditional crib, along with the Christmas tree are part of a family's decorations, typically made of wood or plaster. Traditionally the figure of the baby Jesus would not be added to the crib until Christmas morning, and the three wise men would be placed in the nativity scene on Little Christmas. Leaving decorations up after