December 26, the day following Christmas Day, is called St. Stephen's Day in Ireland, Finland and Romania, and is a public holiday. 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 Irish legends 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. December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... Joseph and Mary with baby Jesus, at the first Christmas Christmas (literally, the Mass of Christ) is a holiday in the Christian calendar, usually observed on December 25, which celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... The word holiday has related but different meanings in English-speaking countries, with the exception of the United States where usage differs greatly. ... Saint Stephen, Protomartyr, depicted by Carlo Crivelli in 1476 with three stones and the martyrs palm. ... Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for his or her religious faith. ... Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for his or her religious faith. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branches of Celtic mythology. ... Jesus, also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity, in which context he is known as Jesus Christ (from Greek Ιησούς Χριστός) with Christ not being a name but rather a title meaning Anointed. He is also considered a very important prophet in Islam. ... Genera Donacobius Campylorhynchus Odontorchilus Salpinctes Catherpes Hylorchilus Cinnycerthia Thryomanes Ferminia Troglodytes Cistothorus Uropsila Thryorchilus Henicorhina Microcerculus Cyphorhinus The true wrens are members of a New World passerine bird family Troglodytidae containing 55 species. ... In various parts of Ireland on St. ... There are two major branches to the tradition of the Mummers Play: Firstly the folk tradition of troupes of mummers performing street theatre and secondly the more formal Christian Mystery Plays. ... In various parts of Ireland on St. ... New Inn is a suburb of Pontypool in Monmouthshire, South Wales. ... County Galway (Contae na Gaillimhe in Irish) is located on the west coast of Ireland. ... Capital Barcelona Official languages Spanish and Catalan In Val dAran, also Aranese. ... A Bank Holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom and also in the Republic of Ireland. ...

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. A Christmas carol is a carol (song or hymn) whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas, or the winter season in general. ... Good King Wenceslas is a popular Christmas carol, in which the king is blessed for giving alms to a poor peasant on St. ...

In Britain, St. Stephen's Day is known as Boxing Day. Boxing Day is a public holiday observed in many Commonwealth countries on 26 December. ...

External links

• St. Stephen's Day at IrishFestivals.net