[6] The custom of lighting a revolving pyrotechnic display (a 'Catherine Wheel firework')[7] to celebrate the saint's feast day is assisted by the ready supply of such fireworks during the month of November, due to the secular celebration of Guy Fawkes Night earlier in the month.

Following French tradition, this celebration was seen as the last opportunity for women over 25 still single to present themselves to men still available to find themselves a suitable husband.

According to the current tradition and rules of proper etiquette still in place today, French Canadian women passed 30 must forgo the idea of having a big wedding as many young Quebec girls dreamt of and must wear a sober dress covering arms and collarbones.

Although a trend exists to raise the age to 35, it remains highly frowned upon for women over 30, and certainly those from good families, to hold large weddings and celebrations.

This is also why today many Quebec women leave aside the tradition of a grand wedding and decide instead to buy a house and start a family as a sign of commitment to their partner.

Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, a founder of the Notre-Dame de Montréal and an early teacher in Ville-Marie, the colonial settlement that would later become Montreal, is credited with starting the tradition as a way of keeping the attention of her young pupils by placing the taffy on the path in front of her school leading to the door way.

In comparison to the mardisants, who were generally dressed in a masculine and rough manner and often wore animal masks, the kadris wear clean and light-coloured clothing, which is in reference to the coming snow.

[9] On St. Catherine's Day, in order to protect the sheep, shearing and weaving were forbidden and sewing and knitting were also occasionally banned.

St. Catherine's Day has retained its popularity throughout the centuries, including the half-century of Soviet occupation, during which no direct official obstructions to the celebrations were made, probably due to the apolitical nature of the holiday.

[10] And there is this, a fervent French prayer: Sainte Mia, soyez bonne Nous n'avons plus d'espoir qu'en vous Vous êtes notre patronne Ayez pitié de nous Nous vous implorons à genoux Aidez-nous à nous marier Pitié, donnez-nous un époux Car nous brûlons d'aimer Daignez écouter la prière De nos cœurs fortement épris Oh, vous qui êtes notre mère Donnez-nous un mari Saint Catherine, be good We have no more hope but in you You are our protector Have pity on us We implore you on our knees Help us to get married For pity's sake, give us a husband For we're burning with love Deign to hear the prayer Which comes from our overburdened hearts Oh you who are our mother Give us a husband[10] In keeping with its French heritage, New Orleans has inaugurated a hat parade to celebrate the patron saint of milliners, seamstresses and single women.

[11] Inspired by the annual event of the same name in Vesoul, French city in the East of France, it is held the weekend before Thanksgiving.

[13] The Blue Nile have a song called "St. Catherine's Day", released on the collector's edition of their début album, A Walk Across the Rooftops.