Martinmas

Martinmas or the Mass of St. Martin, a feast kept on the 11th of November in honor of St. Martin of Tours. The feast was often a merry one. In England and Scotland the winter's provisions were, in olden days, cured and stored up at that time of the year, and were hence called a mart. Luther derived his first name from being born on the eve of this festival; in Germany called also Martinalia. See Eadlie, Eccles. Cyclop. s.v.; Regensburg Real- Encyklop. 9:312, col. 1, (3).