- Little Christmas
:"For the Tasmanian island, see:
Little Christmas Island "Infobox Holiday
holiday_name=Little Christmas
nickname=Women's Christmas
Women's Little Christmas
Nollaig na mBan
Epiphany
observedby=Christians in Ireland, and the Irish diaspora around the world, particularly women
date=January 6
observances=religious services, gift giving, family gatherings, meeting friends
type=Christian, Irish
significance=visit of the Three Kings to Jesus, former date of Christmas
relatedto=Christmas , EpiphanyLittle Christmas, or Nollaig Bheag in Irish, is one of the traditional names in Ireland for January 6, more commonly known in the rest of the world as the Epiphany. It is so called because it was, until the adoption of the
Gregorian calendar , the day on whichChristmas Day was celebrated. It is also called Ukrainian Christmas. It is the traditional end of the Christmas season and the last day of the Christmas holidays for both primary and secondary schools in Ireland. [ [http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/education/primary-and-post-primary-education/attendance-and-discipline-in-schools/school_terms_in_primary_and_postprimary School terms in primary and post-primary schools] ] The name "Little Christmas" is also found other languages, including Slovenian, where it is known as Mali Božič, and Galician, which refers to it as Nadalinho.Women's Christmas
Little Christmas is also referred to as Women's Christmas (Nollaig na mBan in Irish), or sometimes even Women's Little Christmas. It is so called because of the tradition, which is still very strong in Cork, of Irish men taking on all the household duties for the day and giving their spouses a day off. [ [http://www.ireland-fun-facts.com/little-womens-christmas.html little womens christmas] ] Most women will either hold parties or go out to celebrate the day with their friends, sisters, mothers, aunts etc. Bars and restaurants usually have a majorty female clientele on this night. Children often buy presents for their mothers and grandmothers, and it closely resembles
Mother's Day in this respect.While originally a rural tradition, in recent years, Women's Christmas is enjoying something of a revival, both in Ireland and abroad. It is becoming popular in the Irish emmigrant communities in Britain, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. For the Irish Women's Network of British Columbia, Canada, for example, this event is the highlight of their social calendar. [ [http://www.irishwomenbc.net Irish Women's Netword BC] ]
The tradition is not well-documented, but one article from "The Irish Times" in January 1998, entitled "On the woman's day of Christmas" [ [http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/features/1998/0106/98010600081.html ireland.com -
The Irish Times ,January 6 1998 - "On the women's day of Christmas"] ] , informally describes both some sources of information and the spirit of this unique occasion.References
External links
* [http://www.ireland-fun-facts.com/little-womens-christmas.html Sheila Flitton, an Irish actress and playwright, speaks about Little Christmas, its origins, and how it is celebrated today.]
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