The little red candle

Red candles had a very important job in my house when I was growing up.

My mum spent all year picking the 'perfect' Christmas Candle. Sometimes she bought it in the summer holidays and put it away for Christmas. Cheap ones burnt too quickly and made her windows smokey. And she would NEVER buy an expensive anything !

The Christmas candle was lit on Christmas Eve. It sat in the front window and burned all Christmas Day. It was finally lit on Hogmanay...and had to be burnt out by midnight.

She said it was the 'Peace' candle. We lived in a lively village...and after a few years - lots of her friends burned the Christmas Peace Candle too.

It had another important function. When the candle was lit, No 132 was open to visitors. When Phil (my mum) blew out the candle - everyone had to go home - the party was over whether they liked it or not.

I thought it was a tradition she made up, but when we moved to Edinburgh, the lovely old Irish lady next door always put her red candle beside her open front door all Christmas Eve.

There's been no red candle in 132 for two years now. My eldest daughter bought me this one, and I was very touched. I didn't realise she was listening to stories of my childhood.

I know my sisters still burn theirs at Christmas. This year, my candle was big enough that it's still lit on weekends when we are chillin'.

I look at it - and it makes me smile.

Go on Phil....give us Carrickfergus.