St. Stephen's Day
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December 26, the day following Christmas Day, is called St. Stephen's Day in the Roman Catholic Church, and is a public holiday in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Catalonia, Croatia and Romania. It commemorates St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr or protomartyr. In Irish it is called Lá Fhéile Stiofán or Lá an Dreoilín — the latter translates literally as another English name used, the "Day of the Wren" or Wren's Day. When used in this context, 'wren' is oftened pronounced 'ran'. This name alludes to several legends, including those found in Ireland linking episodes in the life of Jesus to the wren. In parts of Ireland persons carrying either an effigy of a wren, or an actual caged wren, travel from house to house playing music, singing and dancing. Depending on which region of the country, they are called Wrenboys, Mummers or Strawboys. A Mummer's Festival is held at this time every year in the village of New Inn, Co. Galway. In Catalonia it is called "Sant Esteve" and is a bank holiday, but not in the whole country of Spain.
St Stephen's Day is also a popular day for visiting family members. A popular rhyme, known to many Irish children and sung at each house visited by the mummers goes as follows:
- The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
- On St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze,
- Up with the penny and down with the pan,
- Give us a penny to bury the wren.
St. Stephen's Day is also the "feast of Stephen" referred to in the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas.
In Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, St. Stephen's Day is more usually known as Boxing Day.
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