Holy Innocents' Day

American  

noun

1. December 28, a day of religious observance commemorating the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem by Herod's order.

---

Holy Innocents' Day British  

noun

1. Dec 28, a day commemorating the massacre of male children at Bethlehem by Herod's order (Matthew 2:16); Childermas

---

Example Sentences

And when I said: "What do you mean, it seems to me you must have gone dotty this morning," she laughed like anything and said: "Don't you see, December 27th, Holy Innocents' Day!"

From A Young Girl's Diary by Paul, Eden

The Confessor's Church as you will remember was consecrated on Childermas, the Holy Innocents' Day.

From The Children of Westminster Abbey Studies in English History by Kingsley, Rose Georgina

The most important of the three feasts was that of the boys on Holy Innocents’ Day, a theoretically appropriate date.

From Christmas in Ritual and Tradition, Christian and Pagan by Miles, Clement A.

The collect for Holy Innocents' Day in our Prayer-book formed part of the service.

From Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs by Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)

The devil's passing-bell tolls on Christmas Eve from the church tower at Dewsbury, and a muffled peal bewails the slaughter of the children on Holy Innocents' Day.

From Vanishing England by Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)