Little Christmas/Women's Christmas

JuliusCaesar

This seems to have had a revival recently, but I haven't heard of it in a good few years now.

Women's Christmas

Little Christmas is also called Women's Christmas (Irish: Nollaig na mBan), and sometimes Women's Little Christmas. The tradition, still very strong in Cork and Kerry is so called because of the Irish men taking on all the household duties for the day.[11] Most women hold parties or go out to celebrate the day with their friends, sisters, mothers, and aunts. Bars and restaurants serve mostly women and girls on this night. Children often buy presents for their mothers and grandmothers.

does anyone still celebrate this, and is it only in Cork/Kerry?

Sir Arthur Daley

If it falls on the weekend celebrate it, if not then dont.

Femme_Fatale

It turns Cork into a big hen night. Women of all ages going to see male strip shows especially for it, etc.

GLaDOS

I'd never heard of this until my girlfriend mentioned it earlier. But no, feck that :pac:

Amirani

Never heard of it.

Zaph

Never heard of it until I met my wife, who's from Cork. I assume it's a Cork/Munster thing. It definitely doesn't exist in Dublin anyway.

Links234

We've always celebrated Little Christmas in my family, thought it was something everyone did

shruikan2553

Ive heard about this before. Only from people on the internet. Still its good to know that I should always avoid cork but especially for that day. Anything like a hen party is my idea of hell.

Holsten

I've never even heard of this so nope.

Gremlinertia

A few of my friends in Galway celebrate it, just a gathering of women for a few quiet drinks, not the hen party described above, much calmer type effort..

Karl Stein

Shurewaharm?

Mint Aero

It's really sad when sh*t like this pops up on AH and so many posters say "I've never heard of it" It's like witnessing a lost generation of Mrs. Browns Boys lovin'I dunno am I Brit or Oi'rish people so sad

WilyCoyote

Celebrated big time in Kerry. All the farmers' wives go out on the lash. The menfolk don't mind once they're home in time for milking

AndonHandon

I've never heard this and I'm from Dublin. Not exactly a whippersnapper either at 25.

I have work that day.

Zaph

Mint Aero wrote: »

It's really sad when sh*t like this pops up on AH and so many posters say "I've never heard of it" It's like witnessing a lost generation of Mrs. Browns Boys lovin'I dunno am I Brit or Oi'rish people so sad

Why is it sad? If it doesn't exist in certain parts of the country then why should people there have heard of it?

Frank Lee Midere

It is pretty amazing that one part of the island doesn't know a significant festival in the rest of it.

Miss Lockhart

Can't believe so many haven't heard of it. We don't celebrate it but have always been aware of it.

poundapunnet

Frank Lee Midere wrote: »

It is pretty amazing that one part of the island doesn't know a significant festival in the rest of it.

Erra it's only Cork
edit: and its inbred cousin

Daqster

I was at three different houses this year and without exclusion, it was the men who were doing all the cooking and preparing on the day.

eeeee

Not just a Cork thing I'm from the midlands and it's there too. Not in Dublin though, and not raucous but very definitely there.

Mint Aero

Zaph wrote: »

Why is it sad? If it doesn't exist in certain parts of the country then why should people there have heard of it?

Oer meh gawd the commander of the internets speaks to me!

Tradition and sh*t innit. Seriously?! does it not exist outside Munster? Does that mean we're inbred?

Anyway, yeah it's sad if such traditions die out so quick once entering the pale. It's not exactly a big country so how would one not know about it from past Christmases....from literature or from film/television even?

Interrobang

Never heard of it before I moved to Cork. Avoid it like the plague.

shruikan2553

Mint Aero wrote: »

Oer meh gawd the commander of the internets speaks to me!

Tradition and sh*t innit. Seriously?! does it not exist outside Munster? Does that mean we're inbred?

Anyway, yeah it's sad if such traditions die out so quick once entering the pale. It's not exactly a big country so how would one not know about it from past Christmases....from literature or from film/television even?

I have never seen it mentioned anywhere outside of people asking does anyone else know about it on boards and have never seen anyone celebrating it. For a tradition to die out it needs to have existed and from what I can tell it hasnt in Donegal for a long time. (And its hardly the pale)

LordSutch

Little Christmas/Epiphany yes, but I'd never ever heard of women's christmas until about five years ago.

whatdoicare

Never heard of it but as a woman I am now keen to start it up amongst my family and friends. I always thought it was the day you took down the tree and decorations, stupid me could've been on the lash and getting extra presents!!

Fr_Dougal

whatdoicare wrote: »

Never heard of it but as a woman I am now keen to start it up amongst my family and friends. I always thought it was the day you took down the tree and decorations, stupid me could've been on the lash and getting extra presents!!

What about this cup?

oldyouth

Is it the same day that all the Christmas shlte is taken down from around the house? If it is then, then yes, I celebrate that BIG time

Clonmel1000

6th Jan always the day that Christmas officially ended and the tree etc came down. On a slightly different but related note I have neighbours who had decorations visible from outer space up in mid November who for some bizarre reason now have them down or off. note mid November is not Christmas 30th December is Christmas.....

suicide_circus

They'll be asking for the vote next!

bee06

I'm from Cork so have heard of it but don't celebrate it. It wouldn't be a huge deal in my area … mostly just older women meeting for a few drinks / night out. Definitely no hen party shenanigans.

GalwayGuy2

It turns Cork into a big hen night. Women of all ages going to see male strip shows especially for it, etc.

Were you being sarcastic?