St Stephens Day buying guide

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St. Stephen's Day Buying Guide

Contents [Hide]
1 Sing Holly, Sing Ivy
2 Toothsome Treats
3 Related Guides
4 External Links

St. Stephen's Day is an official public holiday in Ireland. While the feast day on 26 December commemorates Stephen, the first Christian martyr, the Irish celebrations have little connection to the saint, and are better known as Lá Fhéile Stiofán or Lá an Dreoilín: Wren Day.

Wren Day was celebrated throughout the ancient empires (though its actual origins are disputed) and was Christianised with the rise of the Catholic church, but the traditions have lived on. Groups of small boys would typically hunt for a wren until they caught it or killed it. Once the bird was captured, the Wrenboys would tie it to the top of a decorated pole or holly bush and parade it around the town. The boys, faces blackened by burnt cork or dressed in straw masks, would carry the wren from house to house, singing, giving out feathers as symbols of good luck, and asking for donations, which would then be used to host a dance that same evening.

Nowadays, the live bird has been replaced with a fake one. It is hidden from the Wrenboys and girls, and they "hunt" it in this fashion. Once found, the wren is still carried from house to house, and the customary song is still sung:

The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
On St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze,
Up with the kettle and down with the pan,
Give us some money to bury the wren.

Sing Holly, Sing Ivy

If you're not in Ireland, you can still recreate Wren Day with some holiday-themed music.

On Bells of Dublin, the Chieftains team up with Marianne Faithfull, Elvis Costello and more to share a collection of Wrenboy tunes.

Steeleye Span recorded two versions of Wren Day songs: "The King" on Please To See the King, and "The Cutty Wren" on Time.

"Hunting the Wren", by John Kirkpatrick, can be found on Wassail: Traditional Celebration of Midwinter.

Liam Clancy recorded "The Wran Song" in 1955. It can be found on The Lark in the Morning.

Toothsome Treats

Put the feast in Feast Day with some of these classic recipes from CatholicCulture.org, or check out Darina Allen's Festive Food of Ireland cookbook for more ideas.

Whiskey punch or hot mulled wine is perfect for keeping you warm on this frosty day.

Put those leftover Christmas turkeys and ham to good use with a St. Stephen's Day Stew.

Nothing is better than a savoury pie. BBC.co.uk and FabulousFoods.com both have tempting recipes.

Though a French tradition, St. Stephen's Scrambled Eggs are appropriate any time of day.

Looking for dessert ideas? Try Podkovy, horns of St. Stephen, found in Poland and other Slavic countries.

External Links

Wikipedia.org: A general article on St. Stephen's Day.
Wikipedia.org: An article about Wren Day.
NobleNet.org: A fairly detailed guide to Wren Day celebrations in Ireland.
Dingle-Peninsula.ie: Hunting the wren on Dingle Peninsula.


Holiday Guide	Winter Decorating	Boxing Day	Women's Guide to Holiday Dressing	Men's Guide To Holiday Dressing


On Bells of Dublin, the Chieftains team up with Marianne Faithfull, Elvis Costello and more to share a collection of Wrenboy tunes.	Steeleye Span recorded two versions of Wren Day songs: "The King" on Please To See the King, and "The Cutty Wren" on Time.	"Hunting the Wren", by John Kirkpatrick, can be found on Wassail: Traditional Celebration of Midwinter.	Liam Clancy recorded "The Wran Song" in 1955. It can be found on The Lark in the Morning.


Whiskey punch or hot mulled wine is perfect for keeping you warm on this frosty day.	Put those leftover Christmas turkeys and ham to good use with a St. Stephen's Day Stew.	Nothing is better than a savoury pie. BBC.co.uk and FabulousFoods.com both have tempting recipes.	Though a French tradition, St. Stephen's Scrambled Eggs are appropriate any time of day.	Looking for dessert ideas? Try Podkovy, horns of St. Stephen, found in Poland and other Slavic countries.