January 6th in Irish tradition is celebrated as Nollaig na Mban, or Women’s Christmas. Not usually listed as a holiday for this date outside of Ireland, Nollaig Na Mban is a humble recognition of work women do throughout the year, and particularly over the Christmas holiday, and a day they are released from it. As a vestige of the ancient Roman pagan holiday Saturnalia that allowed slaves and servants to be masters, Nollaig Na Mban, also known as “Little Christmas”, is time for Irish women to spend as they like. In the Gaeltacht where the holiday has persisted for ages, women will gather in the pubs and chat over stout, or arrange potluck brunches with lots of tea and cakes. Modern Ireland has seen a resurgence of the holiday in the urban areas where women are reinterpreting it as a celebration of female strength and solidarity. Nollaig na mban faoi mhaise dhaoibh!
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