Forget The Milk: Santa Gets A Pint Of This Iconic Beer When He Lands In Ireland

In the United States, it's an established holiday tradition that children leave out milk and cookies for Santa. However, the rest of the world takes a different approach to the intricacies of leaving food for St. Nick. In the Netherlands, Santa is less of a priority, and children leave out carrots for his horses, while Swedish little ones leave out rice porridge and sometimes a cup of coffee. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom and Italy, steer away from kid-friendly snacks in favor of wine and liquor. And in Ireland, wee ones leave out Guinness beer to help Father Christmas, or Daidí na Nollag, as he's called in the Irish language, get through his long night.

Thick, bready, and flavorful, Guinness has made beer in Ireland for more than 250 years, and has been part of the festive holiday season for ages. The company has celebrated Christmas in its promotional material throughout the 20th century; several of artist John Gilroy's iconic advertising illustrations for Guinness are holiday-themed, and one of the most enduring TV advertisements in Ireland is a 2003 Christmas spot for Guinness. The company has succeeded in forging a connection to Christmas, one that's carried forward by leaving a pint of Guinness for Santa.

Although there's not much info out there about how the tradition started, many recall the joy they got from leaving out a pint as youngsters. One Irish Reddit user wrote, "Santy gets a Guinness and a small drop of whisky because he'll be working hard all night and deserves a treat. Rudolph gets a carrot from everyone so we'll randomly pick a different reindeer so it's fair." It's worth noting that this is largely regional and not all Irish kids leave out beer, but the Guinness tradition is certainly unique to Ireland.

The Emerald Isle has numerous other Christmas traditions that have a totally different holiday vibe compared to other countries. As with the United States, a roast is often on the table for Christmas dinner, but in Ireland, families often have goose or duck instead of beef, though today, turkey is sometimes on the menu, or a spiced beef joint, a true Irish delicacy served with gravy and bread sauce. It should go without saying that all of these foods pair well with a traditional pint of Guinness.

Beer isn't the only thing left out for St. Nick on Christmas Eve. Families often place a candle in their window to show the world that they welcome travelers, including those from the North Pole. This is meant as a sign of céad míle fáilte, which roughly translates as "a hundred thousand welcomes." The concept is a tenet of hospitality during the holidays and beyond.

Kids also sometimes leave a fresh mince pie to warm Santa's soul during the cold December night. Holiday mince pies in Ireland consist of sweet fruits like apples and raisins mixed with spice and suet, all in a shortbread pastry. These are treats that some would probably rather leave out for Santa rather than milk and cookies, so perhaps it's time for your family to start a new tradition? After all, maybe Dad and Santa Claus have similar tastes in Irish beer.