Arcadia Ireland

January 6th marks the religious Feast of the Epiphany and in Ireland, it is also frequently referred to as Nollaig na mBan, Women’s Christmas or Little Christmas, the celebration of which has seen a revival in this country over the last number of years. 

Little Christmas is one of the traditional names in Ireland for January 6, more commonly known in the rest of the world as the Feast of the Epiphany. It is so called because under the older Julian calendar, Christmas Day celebrations fell on that day whereas under the Gregorian calendar it falls on December 25. 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. In the Scottish Highlands the term Little Christmas is applied to New Year's Day, also known as Là Challuinn, or Là na Bliadhna Ùire, while Epiphany is known as Là Féill nan Rìgh, the feast-day of the Kings.

It is the traditional day to take down your Christmas tree and decorations, but many who have studied ancient traditions say that “some of the customs associated with it are similar to those practiced at the festival of Samhain or Halloween. This includes the eating of barmbrack with the customary additions of a ring, a coin, a stick, a pea and a rag.”  In an article in Image Magazine they outlined that "According to Dr Marion McGarry, lecturer at Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, some used the celebration as an opportunity to perform traditions to do with death. One such tradition was that a 'cake' made of clay or mud would be made, and a candle for each member of the family would be lit. The order in which the candles burned out was said to be the order that the family members would pass away"

Nowadays, Nollaig na mBan isn't as widely celebrated as it once was, and is mainly confined to the southwest of Ireland. But it is experiencing somewhat of a revival, with many restaurants and cafés offering Nollaig na mBan specials for groups of women celebrating the day. This year, through lockdown many are offering alternatives to traditional practices (such as afternoon tea in Cork)....

To all the women out there, Happy Little Christmas...take a rest!