TRP Advent Calendar 23 - Women's Christmas

23

Women's Christmas is also known as "Little Christmas", or "Old Christmas". The term refers to the traditional name for January 6 among both Irish and Amish Christians. The day itself, is the official end of the Christmas season.

The origin

Originally, Christmas was celebrated on two different days. It depended on whether one went according to the calendar of the Eastern or Western Roman Empire. While in the Western Empire, Christmas was celebrated on December 25, in the Eastern Empire the festivities started on January 6.

The reason for this was the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. As a correction to the Julian calendar, which had too many leap years, harmony with the solar year was to be restored. This has mainly liturgical significance, since the calculation of the date of Easter assumes that the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere occurs on March 21. To correct the error that had arisen, he ordered that the date be moved forward by ten days.

Most Roman Catholic countries adopted the new calendar immediately, while Protestant countries did not follow suit for another 200 years. In particular, the British Empire - including the American colonies - did so starting in 1752 with the Calendar (New Style) Act. By that time, the divergence had grown to eleven days. With Christmas Day on December 25, the feast thus occurred 11 days earlier than the "old Christmas."

The Christmas of women

In Ireland, Little Christmas is also called Women's Christmas (Irish: Nollaig na mBan). The tradition, which is still strong in Cork and Kerry, is so called because Irish men take over household duties on this day. A goose is traditionally served on this day.

Some women host parties or go out to celebrate the day with their girlfriends, sisters, mothers and aunts.