What's the deal with Women's Little Christmas?
It’s January 6th. The day the tree comes down, all the decorations go back to the attic and you are forced to accept that, yes, Christmas is well and truly over for another year.
But for the women of Ireland, January 6th also marks a very unique Irish celebration - Nollaig na mBan or Women's Little Christmas.
Held every year on the Feast of the Epiphany, Women's Little Christmas is traditionally when the nation’s womenfolk, absolutely exhausted after all the festive cooking and housework, were given their annual day off. The men would do a bit around the house so their other halves could go out for a bite to eat, a few drinks and generally be able to let loose without worrying that everything would go to ruin in their brief absence from the homestead.
#NollaignamBan Enjoy. Xx pic.twitter.com/Dpx06P5yex
— Barbara Scully (@barbarascully) January 6, 2018
Hats off to all the amazing women in all our lives..... Today and every day!!!#NollaignamBan #WomensChristmas#Dublin @ireland pic.twitter.com/1QZBOTMb20
— ⚖ Regan Solicitors (@Regansolicitors) January 6, 2018
Nollaig na mBan Shona daoibh go léir! Nollaig nBan celebration with our harpist @unaniharpist at Blackrock in #Galway #NollaigNamBan #repealth8th pic.twitter.com/zv3FDuihnJ
— #ICantKeepQuiet IRL (@IcantkeepquietI) January 6, 2018
Today, the practice is largely dying out around the country but the tradition is still going strong in Kerry and Cork where anecdotal evidence suggests that there will be many ladies packed into restaurants and pubs this evening.
#NollaigNaMBan #amazingdinner pic.twitter.com/p0zUeZfBoU
— Lisa Clancy #TeamIreland 🇮🇪 (@clancylisa) January 6, 2018
And there are attempts to update and expand the tradition onto the modern era with events planned further up the country.
Meanwhile in Twitterland, good wishes are aplenty.
Happy Little Women/Women's Little Christmas, everyone! Will you be celebrating?
