St Distaff's Day

January 7 using to be called, jokingly, St Distaff's Day as it was the first day back to work after Christmas and the village women returned to their spinning wheels. Robert Herrick wrote this ditty about it:

Partly work and partly play

You must on St. Distaff's Day:

From the plough soon free your team;

Then cane home and fother them:

If the maids a-spinning go,

Burn the flax and fire the tow.

Bring in pails of water then,

Let the maids bewash the men.

Give St. Distaff' all the right:

Then bid Christmas sport good night,

And next morrow every one

To his own vocation.