Gatherings and events took place across the country yesterday to mark Nollaig na mBan, or Women's Little Christmas.
Celebrated in Cork and Kerry for over 100 years, it has become increasingly popular in other counties in recent times for women to gather to celebrate the end of the busy Christmas season.
It is also traditionally the day the Christmas decorations are supposed to come down.
In Dublin, the Nollaig na mBan Festival celebrated the women of Dublin's north inner-city, while the IFI showed the film 'The Dead', set on the evening of 6 January, the Feast of the Epiphany and Nollaig na mBan.
Meanwhile, some 2,400 women braved the country's cold sea, river and lake waters to raise awareness of the work of Women's Aid and to fundraise for the charity that supports women escaping domestic violence.
One such cold dip was organised by Ruth Bruton who was among ten women who went swimming yesterday at Robert's Cove in Co Cork.
She said she was celebrating her 'friend anniversary' with Annett Homan whom she met last year at the same fundraising event.
"The fact that we can use it (the day) for good to help others that are in need, and it also gives us an excuse to finally meet up (with friends) after a whole year, that's the spirit of the day," she said.
Serving up the teas and sandwiches at Trillick St Macartan's GAA club in Omagh in Co Tyrone were the club's senior football team - a Nollaig na mBan thank you to all the women in their lives.
Captain Rory Brennan said it has been one of the club's most successful seasons bringing home the double and they wanted to acknowledge the work the women did in the club, from cleaning to feeding them throughout the year.
Kathy McCann said it was their very own Nollaig na mBan.
"We have heard of a few clubs in Tyrone that have done it in the past. It is not something widely done in the North but it is something we would like to bring maybe the old traditions back again.
"We decided as a Health & Wellbeing theme to bring people together, start the New Year with a healthy walk and the men to serve us our tea!"
The Twomey family have been trading on Cork's famous Coal Quay (Cornmarket Street) for over 100 years.
In Cork city, it is very popular for women to go out together to local hotels and venues to celebrate the end of Christmas.
Sisters Breda and Teresa said they were really looking forward to going out for a meal and then on to their local pub for a singsong.
Teresa said they always go out with a few friends and really enjoy themselves.
"Well, 'tis nice. You have to be good to yourself, don't you? We are giving all the time, so it is a time to give back to women, isn't it?," she laughed.
