1. You’re up at the crack of dawn Christmas Eve – You wake to the sound of mam frantically preparing everything for tomorrow. You are expected to get up right away and start to help before the younger "goody two shoes" sibling makes you out to be a monster for having a lie-in.

2. Listening to the local station all day – You’ll never believe who has popped into the local radio station, only Santa himself! You listen all day for any children you might know and to "aw" at their requests.

3. Dad has new lightbulbs – Dad has cracked out the new lightbulbs ready for the candles on the window. He will not have old shoddy bulbs on a night like tonight.

4. Mass debate – What mass you go to and at what time is a big issue. Dad announces a time to all be ready for and to start having the showers early so there’s no panic. He will not have it that we arrive to church and our seats are taken. Then there is the after-mass catch-ups. You meet everyone back for Christmas from abroad and college and it’s only lovely to see them all. “Hasn’t John only turned out to be a handsome young lad”, your mum insists.

5. RTÉ Santa – If you don’t tune into RTÉ news to see Santa setting off who even are you?

6. Biscuit tin opening – Dad’s been collecting for a while now and it’s the annual gathering to watch the biscuit tins being opened. The family reminisce about how they miss the “one with the jelly on” from the USA biscuit tin.

7. Christmas lights creeping – The biscuits have been eaten and you know everyone around is home from mass so the only logical thing to do is to drive around and have a look at how everyone did with the lights this year.

8. Dad heads to the farm – You have all opened your presents and now it’s time for dad to check on the cow that only calved last night and clean out while everyone else is left to prepare for dinner.

9. Club orange with dinner – Who drinks wine with their dinner anyway? It’s all about the Club orange with the Christmas dinner and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

10. Primary School catch-ups on St Stephen's Night – It seems like everyone has chosen the same place and you and your friends. You meet everyone from the girl you didn’t like in junior infants for stealing your Frube to the lad you fancied back in second year.

Kerrywoman Rachel Hussey is currently in exile in the UK where she has secured a good steady job as a primary school teacher. The geography enthusiast knows a good soil sample and can tell her Limousins from her Belgian Blues.