Nollaig na mBan, or Women’s Christmas, is celebrated on 6 January in Ireland. Traditionally, men took over the household duties on this day while women relaxed and socialized. The day was also marked by various folk practices and matchmaking rituals. Although the observance of Nollaig na mBan faded as the 20th century progressed, it is now experiencing a resurgence.
Christmas concludes with the Feast of the Epiphany on 6 January, a day that commemorates the visit of the Three Wise Men to the infant Jesus, his baptism in the Jordan River and his first miracle at the wedding at Cana. In Ireland, this date is known by various other names too, including Nollaig na mBan / Women’s Christmas, Nollaig Bheag / Little Christmas or Small Christmas, and Old Christmas Day (though the latter is sometimes equated with 5 January).
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The practice of celebrating Nollaig na mBan has remained particularly strong in rural parts of Counties Cork and Kerry, where it has continued largely uninterrupted for decades.
Role reversal
In the past, Nollaig na mBan was a day when the traditional roles in Irish households were reversed. Men undertook household chores such as cooking and cleaning, giving women, who had worked tirelessly throughout the Christmas season, a rare chance to rest and socialize. According to an account in the Schools’ Folklore Collection (1937–39), recorded in Corravoley, Co. Cork, men strove to create a peaceful atmosphere for women to acknowledge the great work they did in the home over Christmas.
In some households, particularly in Kerry, the men had a saying: “Nollaig na mBan, Nollaig gan mhaith” (“Women’s Christmas, no good Christmas”). This expression may have reflected their reluctance to take on extra chores or it could have been because much of the fine Christmas fare had already been consumed by that point. To counter this, in Valleymount, Co. Wicklow, women would respond with, “Nollaig na mBan, Nollaig go maith” (“Women’s Christmas, a good Christmas”).
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Feasting
On 6 January, some households held a scaled-down Christmas feast, often consisting of a traditional roast goose or turkey dinner, followed by sweet treats like currant cakes, sweet loaves, jam, apples and oranges. In keeping with the spirit of Nollaig na mBan, the men served the women during the meal. Many families set aside a portion of their Christmas plum pudding to enjoy on this day, while others had prepared a special one just for the occasion.
>>> READ MORE: A look back at an Irish Christmas dinner table in 1913
Socializing
On Nollaig na mBan, women gathered in each other’s homes to chat, drink tea and enjoy the last of the Christmas cake, sometimes accompanied by glasses of wine, whiskey or porter. Singing, dancing, card-playing and other amusements sometimes followed. While visits to pubs were once rare on Nollaig na mBan, the local pub has become a popular spot for groups of women celebrating the day in more recent years.
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Rituals and beliefs
The Epiphany, celebrated on 6 January – coinciding with Nollaig na mBan – was a holy day of obligation in the Roman Catholic Church, meaning all were required to attend Mass on that day. People would visit the large crib in their local church to leave offerings, while at home, three candles were lit to represent the Three Kings or Magi.
>>> READ MORE: Irish Christmas customs, traditions and beliefs
The night before Nollaig na mBan, often referred to as Oíche chinn an dá lá dhéag or Twelfth Night, is associated with several superstitions and rituals, one of which involved lighting 12 rushes.
Days before, the rushes were gathered from the bog, peeled and soaked in melted fat or goat’s tallow (with some adding cow dung and ashes). On the night before Nollaig na mBan, the rushes were set alight. In some areas, such as Carrowreagh, Co. Sligo, they were then embedded in a turnip, which had been cut to create a flat surface. Each member of the household then selected a rush; if fewer than 12 people were present, neighbours would be asked to participate. The order in which the flames extinguished was believed to predict the sequence of deaths: the person holding the rush that went out first would die first, while the one whose rush burned the longest would live the longest. Variations of this practice included using straw or turf in place of rushes, and by the 1930s, these had largely been replaced by 12 wax candles.
In some homes, this practice was less about superstition and more about devotion, with the Rosary recited as the rushes or candles burned.
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Another tradition, particularly strong in West Cork, involved bringing a bucket of water into the house the night before Nollaig na mBan in memory of the wedding feast at Cana. It was believed that at midnight, the water in the bucket – along with all well water – temporarily turned to wine. The water from the bucket, however, was never to be used following this event. In addition, witnessing this transformation was thought to bring great misfortune upon the observer, so all were warned to refrain from staying up late on that night.
Folklore from Drumnatread, Co. Cavan, warned against turning a mattress on 6 January, as it was believed that doing so would lead to death within the year.
There was also a sense of optimism associated with this date: people used to remark that the day lengthened by a “cock’s step” from 6 January onwards.
Matchmaking and marriage predictions
The 6 January was also linked to matchmaking traditions, with no marriages taking place before this date. For example, in Banteer, Co. Cork, the year’s matchmaking season traditionally began on this day.
>>> READ MORE: Understanding marriage settlements for Irish family history research
In Ardeevin, Co. Galway, a tradition on “small Christmas night” involved eating boxty cakes baked with a hidden ring inside. The person who found the ring was believed to be the next to wed.
Young single women and girls also engaged in other playful rituals on this night. One custom involved a girl taking a mouthful of water from a cup and carrying it in her mouth as she approached a neighbour’s house to listen outside the door. The first man’s name uttered from inside was believed to be her future husband. Another girl would then take the cup, fill her mouth with water and visit a different neighbour’s house, repeating the same process until every house in the village had been visited. This often led to mischievous antics, as the occupants inside tried to trick the participants outside.
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Taking down the Christmas decorations
In most parts of Ireland, it is considered unlucky to take down the Christmas decorations before the 12th day of Christmastide has passed. The 12th day of Christmas is typically taken as 5 January, though some take it as 6 January, depending on whether the counting starts on Christmas Day or 26 December. It is also thought to bring bad luck to leave decorations up after 6 January, so, consequently, they are usually taken down on that day.
However, in areas where Nollaig na mBan traditions have remained strong, such as in Cork and Kerry, decorations stay up for that celebration, with the custom being to take them down on 7 January.
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Once removed, homes were thoroughly cleaned. The paper decorations were stored for the following year while the holly and ivy were burned. In some places, the Christmas holly was saved for Shrove Tuesday to fuel the fires used to cook pancakes.
Revival of Nollaig na mBan
While the traditions associated with Nollaig na mBan faded from living memory in many parts of Ireland during the 20th century, they have resurfaced across much of the country in recent years, mainly due to increased awareness through social media. Women now celebrate by dining out or gathering for drinks, and these practices remain particularly strong in West Cork and Kerry, where Nollaig na mBan never fully died out. Hotels and restaurants have embraced the revival, offering afternoon teas and special deals for the occasion.
What’s your favourite Nollaig na mBan tradition? Let us know in the comment section below.
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