St Stephen’s Day
And what is St Stephen’s Day? people in Kansas City keep asking me.
As you know, Christmas was invented in Ireland, and the Robin in Ireland is a different bird than the American Robin, and a very popular symbol of Christmas. But let me tell you why.
A long time ago, late one Christmas Day, a robin found itself trapped in the chimney of an Irish house. It was stuck there for twelve Irish country hours until a small girl named Stephen freed the little bird.
Blackened completely, the robin flew to a lone pole at the front of the house where it chirped a thank you to a watching Stephen. A group of wrens were also watching and mistook the robin for a baby crow, whereupon immediately they set upon and killed it.
And so every year Irish people hunt wrens on the day after Christmas, St Stephen’s Day, placing the first bird they kill on the top of a pole that they carry around to remind other wrens of the cherished place in the home that robins hold over Christmas.
Ireland has since mostly switched to smokeless fuels. Plastic robins, covered with real robin feathers, are now placed on Irish Christmas Trees on Christmas morning. And crows are still shot at any time of the year.
See Other True Irish Sentiments:
• All Christmas Links
• Saying Happy Christmas
• Irish Inventions
• The Nativity by Langerland
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