The 6th of January is the day those who celebrate Christmas often take down their decorations, removing the greenery from their homes. In Ireland, Nollaig na Mbán or Woman’s Christmas is also celebrated on this day.
Traditionally, it was a day when women were recognised and celebrated for all their hard work in the home over the festive season. A day when the men folk would take over the household duties and the childcare. It was a day to mother the mother. These days, when the workload is more equally shared, it has become more of a general celebration of women’s role in society.
This year, the end of the cosy distractions of our annual winter rituals and celebrations seems more stark than before. We return to the dark cold of a reality that is not a comfortable one. The news is filled with the pandemic, with social fragmentation and the ever approaching ecological breakdown.
Normal routines are floating in the air with all the many questions that have become familiar and repetitive: “will the kids go back to school?” “ when can we see our friends and family again?” “will I be able to earn my living?” “am I safe?” “am I dangerous?” “when will this end?”
More than ever this is a time to lean into community. Not just the humans around us but the more than human community that we live amongst. The plants, trees, birds, animals and insects, the very soil under our feet. We are a part of an interdependent network of life. We are constantly supported and we, in turn, must also support.
This day of recognising women feels like an especially good day to celebrate and thank our great Mother Earth. Look out your window, go for a walk, spend a few minutes with a tree. Close your eyes and feel the cold air on your face. Know you are alive, you are a part of this beauty. Take a moment to register your gratitude and to consider how, as this year unfolds, we can mother Earth as she mothers us.
