For many Irish families, that sense of 'bringing home Christmas' is very much alive: welcoming loved ones back to the family homestead, gathering gifts beneath the tree and fresh food in the fridge, filling your home with the sounds of family and friends having the craic, and your kitchen smelling of mince pies and mulled wine.

Christmas is a magical time of year for the women of the ICA - a time of tradition and celebration. But there's plenty to be done! It's time to start making lists, so that when the time comes to check them twice you know you've got everything covered.

The ICA Book of Christmas lets you in on secrets and tips that have been passed down and perfected through generations of Irish families. Find traditional recipes for festive feasts, advice for 'the big shop' and buying the tree, techniques for homemade cards and gifts, and shortcuts to get your home ready for the festive season. Not forgetting the little touches that make an Irish Christmas complete, like the wreath on the door, the candle in the window and stirring a wish into the Christmas pudding.

In the whirlwind of eating, drinking and merry-making, the women of the ICA ensure there's still time to reflect on the importance of blessings and memories with heart-warming lines from poems, short stories and carols.