Little Christmas

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Little Christmas, or Nollaig Bheag in the Irish language, is one of the traditional names in Ireland and Italy for January 6, more commonly known as the Epiphany. It is so called because it was, until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, the day on which Christmas Day was celebrated. It is the traditional end of the Christmas season and the last day of the Christmas holidays for both Primary and Secondary schools.

It is also known as Nollaig na mBan (Women's Christmas), so called because of the tradition (still very strong in Cork, though only just surviving in the rest of the country) of Irish men taking on all the household duties on that day and giving their spouses a day off. Most Corkonian women will either hold parties or go out to celebrate the day with their friends, sisters, mothers, aunts etc. Bars and restaurants across Cork have a near 100% female clientele on this night. Children often buy presents for their mothers and grandmothers and it closely resembles Mother's Day in this respect.