Halcyon Days

Halcyon Days, a name given by the ancients to the seven days which precede and the seven which follow the shortest day of the year, on account of a fable that during this time, while the halcyon bird or Kingfisher (q.v.) was brooding, there always prevailed calms at sea. From this the phrase 'halcyon days' has come to signify times of happiness and tranquillity.