For the majority of the world Christmas is over for another year, but for those living in one tiny UK island the festivities are still another 12 days away.
Those living on the Scottish island of Foula in Shetland, one of the UK’s most remote permanently inhabited islands, will follow Russia’s lead and celebrate the festive period in two weeks.
This is because folk follow the ancient Julian calendar, meaning that Yule, which we know as Christmas, will be on January 7 and Newerday, the Foula version of New Year, will be a week later. The island, which has a population of around 30, has a strong Norse tradition and celebrates with folklore, music and special festivities.
All islanders usually gather in one house for the festivities, where they will exchange gifts.
One islander told MailOnline that it was not them who had changed, but the majority of the world. He said: “It is not just part of our tradition but the world’s. It is everybody else who changed, not us.
“We are not unique. Other parts of the world, such as areas of Russia, still celebrate the old calendar.”
Those living in Foula were among the last to speak Norn, a form of old Norse which died out at the start of the 19th Century.
Ukraine also traditionally uses the Julian calendar, but this year was the first that Ukrainian Orthodox Christians celebrated Christmas on December 25, in a shift away from Russia.
Foula is located 16 miles west of mainland Shetland and 100 miles north of mainland Scotland. It is three and a half miles long by two and a half miles wide and at one point had 287 people living there.
Foula is so remote that attempts by a previous visiting Church of Scotland minister, reverand Tom Macintyre, to reach it for one Christmas service had to be abandoned after three attempts.
