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Saint Stephen's Day
Saint Stephen's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Stephen, is a Christian saint's day to commemorate Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr or protomartyr, celebrated on 26 December in Western Christianity and 27 December in Eastern Christianity. The Eastern Orthodox churches that adhere to the Julian calendar mark Saint Stephen's Day on 27 December according to that calendar, which places it on 9 January of the Gregorian calendar used in civil contexts. In Western Christian denominations, Saint Stephen's Day marks the second day of Christmastide.
It is an official public holiday in Alsace-Moselle, Austria, the Balearic Islands, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Catalonia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Madeira, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, Switzerland and Newfoundland. The date is also a public holiday in those countries that celebrate Boxing Day on the day in addition to or instead of Saint Stephen's Day, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
In the Isle of Man and in parts of Ireland, it is also known as Wren Day. It was traditional to hunt a wren, which would be paraded around the neighbourhood on top of a staff decorated with holly, ivy and ribbons.
Saint Stephen's Day is the second day of Christmastide and is celebrated in honour of one of the first Christian martyrs, Saint Stephen, who was stoned to death in 36 AD.
In the Republic of Ireland, Saint Stephen's Day (Irish: Lá Fhéile Stiofáin) is one of ten official public holidays. Its name is sometimes shortened to "Stephen's Day" (Irish: Lá 'le Stiofáin), particularly in informal contexts.
Saint Stephen's Day is also called Wren Day (Irish: Lá an Dreoilín) in parts of Ireland. Traditionally, men and boys hunted a wren and placed it on top of a staff decorated with holly, ivy and ribbons. This was paraded around the neighbourhood by a group of 'Wrenboys'—typically dressed in straw masks and costumes—who sang songs and played music in exchange for donations. Today, the wren is no longer hunted, but Wren Day has survived or been revived in a few towns, where groups of Wrenboys hold small parades and carry around a stuffed or fake wren.
A Mummer's Festival is held at this time every year in the village of New Inn, County Galway, and Dingle in County Kerry. Mumming is also a big tradition in County Fermanagh. Saint Stephen's Day is a popular day for visiting family members and going to the theatre to see a pantomime.
In most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, the day is usually known as Boxing Day, especially in Northern Ireland and County Donegal.
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Saint Stephen's Day
Saint Stephen's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Stephen, is a Christian saint's day to commemorate Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr or protomartyr, celebrated on 26 December in Western Christianity and 27 December in Eastern Christianity. The Eastern Orthodox churches that adhere to the Julian calendar mark Saint Stephen's Day on 27 December according to that calendar, which places it on 9 January of the Gregorian calendar used in civil contexts. In Western Christian denominations, Saint Stephen's Day marks the second day of Christmastide.
It is an official public holiday in Alsace-Moselle, Austria, the Balearic Islands, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Catalonia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Madeira, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, Switzerland and Newfoundland. The date is also a public holiday in those countries that celebrate Boxing Day on the day in addition to or instead of Saint Stephen's Day, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
In the Isle of Man and in parts of Ireland, it is also known as Wren Day. It was traditional to hunt a wren, which would be paraded around the neighbourhood on top of a staff decorated with holly, ivy and ribbons.
Saint Stephen's Day is the second day of Christmastide and is celebrated in honour of one of the first Christian martyrs, Saint Stephen, who was stoned to death in 36 AD.
In the Republic of Ireland, Saint Stephen's Day (Irish: Lá Fhéile Stiofáin) is one of ten official public holidays. Its name is sometimes shortened to "Stephen's Day" (Irish: Lá 'le Stiofáin), particularly in informal contexts.
Saint Stephen's Day is also called Wren Day (Irish: Lá an Dreoilín) in parts of Ireland. Traditionally, men and boys hunted a wren and placed it on top of a staff decorated with holly, ivy and ribbons. This was paraded around the neighbourhood by a group of 'Wrenboys'—typically dressed in straw masks and costumes—who sang songs and played music in exchange for donations. Today, the wren is no longer hunted, but Wren Day has survived or been revived in a few towns, where groups of Wrenboys hold small parades and carry around a stuffed or fake wren.
A Mummer's Festival is held at this time every year in the village of New Inn, County Galway, and Dingle in County Kerry. Mumming is also a big tradition in County Fermanagh. Saint Stephen's Day is a popular day for visiting family members and going to the theatre to see a pantomime.
In most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, the day is usually known as Boxing Day, especially in Northern Ireland and County Donegal.