EscapingtoIrelandforChristmas 　　TOescapethecommercialandfamilialhooplaoftheholidays,myhusbandandIliketotakeourchildrentofarawayplacesforadifferentkindofcelebration-onethatwecreatefromthebitsofexperienceandtraditionwevaluemost.TravelingatChristmasispartofourgeneralinclinationtosetoutagainsttheseasonaltides.Wegonorthinthewinter(butnottoski),southinthesummer;westayhometoworkonweekendsandslipoutoftownonaTuesday;andwhenitbeginstopour,wedonlayersofraingearandheadforthemostmist-enshroudedbeachesorforforesttrails,glowingwithcolorstherainunfurls. 　　Iconfessthatavoidinggridlockandextortionateratesaretherealmotivesbehindthisbehavior,butourcontrarinessstemsnotsomuchfromwhatwedon'tfindattheendoftheseoddjourneysasfromwhatwedofind:Mont-St.-MichelsparklinganddesertedundersteelyJanuaryskies;aspontaneouscandlelitdinnerwiththeownersatasnowboundVermontinnonewinterweekday;twoturnsonanyrideandafront-rowspotfortheChristmasparadeatDisneyWorldtheweekafterThanksgiving;theelegantgardensatSissinghurstinEngland,tangledandfadingonanautumnafternoon;thebeachalltoourselvesandsomegreatblueheronsduringthehotlullsbetweenthunderstormsonCaptivaIslandinSeptember. 　　Theingenuitytomakesucharrangements,thestaminatoendurethem,andthesenseofhumortofendofftheinevitableskepticism-''IrelandinDecember?''-arelearnedthroughlonganddifficultexperience.CaughtinthemiddleofafiercegaleontheAtlanticDriveofIreland'sAchillIsland,Ineededallofmyimaginativepowerstograspthepositivequalitiesoftheexperience;anhourlater,sippingwhisky-lacedcoffeebythefireataguesthousewillingtoopenespeciallyforus,Iknewwehaddonetherightthing. 　　Ourchildrenarenotalwayslittletroupersaboutplansthatdisturbfamiliarpatternsorrequirethattheywearheavyclothing.OurrecentfascinationwithwinteringinIreland-especiallyatChristmastime-haseventheirbacking,however.ThefashioningofourownportabletraditionsandthedelightofdiscoveringanotherculturetogetherenableustorecastourimageofChristmas,aprocessthatbeganevenontheflightfromAtlantatoShannononeyear.TheplanewasfullnotwithtouristsbutwithmerrymakingIrishemigrantscelebratingtheirchancetoreturnhomefortheholidays.Theirfestivemoodwasinfectious.Throughoutourvisit,wesawsuchrevelrybubblingupwhereverfriendsorrelatives,youngandold,happenedtomeet,butespeciallyinpubs,whicheveninthemostremotewesternvillagesoverflowedwithmusic,conversationandnoisycrowdswellintotheNewYear.PopularsongsontheradioandeveryIrishnewspapertoldtheothersideofthisstory:emigration,ontheriseagaininrecentyears,hasbeenIreland'snationalsorrowforacenturyormore. 　　Inrestaurants,shopsandeverywherewewent,wewerecelebritiesbecausewehadcomenottovisitrelativesortraceourheritagebutsimplytobeinIrelandduringtheholidays.Atthebutcher'scounterinacrowdedsupermarketonChristmasEve,myChicagoaccentstirredfriendlycuriosityamongsomecustomersasIjokedaboutourbeingtheonlyAmericansinMayo.Infact,weroamedthenarrow,twistingroadsallthroughMayo,Galway,Clare,KerryandTipperaryandvisitedsuchnormallybustlingattractionsastheRockofCashel,BunrattyCa