Good King Wenceslas Looked Out

Have you ever felt this inexplicable urge to hunt down a small bird and tie it to the top of a pole? If so, you should go to Ireland on the 26th of December. That's how they (used to) celebrate there.

Like probably many people, I have never really given the 26th of December much thought. People don't have to go to work or school, but most of the Christmas fuzz is already over. Then I found this really lovely Christmas song (while watching The Big Bang Theory) called 'Good King Wenceslas' where in the very first verse it goes "good king Wenceslas looked out, on the feast of Stephen..." and I started to wonder; what is this feast of Stephen actually? Here are some answers. I focused on the tradition in Ireland, because it is the most extraordinary? weird? interesting? Decide for yourself.

What is so special about the 26th of December?
It is a bank holiday in many countries all over the world and known as St. Stephen's Day or Boxing Day (in the UK and some Commonwealth countries, taking the name from the custom of giving household servants small gifts; "Christmas boxes").

Who was this Stephen?
A deacon at the early church of Jerusalem who enraged many members of the synagogues with his teachings. After his trial, at which he held a speech denouncing the Jewish authorities, he was stoned (in c. 34). He is said to be the first Christian martyr.

And what is this to do with the Irish hunting small birds and tying them to poles?
Frankly speaking, nothing. Even though St. Stephen's Day is a national holiday in Ireland, the celebrations of the Day of the Wren (that's the poor bird) have little connection to the saint.
The wren, a very small bird, is considered the king of all birds in Ireland. You can find out more about how that came to be by reading this story. It's a very cute story.

Originally, groups of boys would go out and hunt for a wren. After finding one, they would chase it until they caught it or until it died from exhaustion. The poor bird was then tied to a holly bush or pole and carried from house to house where the boys would sing the wren song. They themselves wore straw masks or blackened their faces. The money that was collected during this creepy caroling was used to hold a dance for the village. If you were one of the donators you were given a feather for good luck.

There are a few stories about the origins this bird-murdering tradition. They always portray the wren indeliberately betraying people, leading to it being persecuted for centuries.

One legend that dates back to the 700's and the raids of the Vikings holds that a wren betrayed Irish soldiers sneaking up on a Viking camp in the middle of the night. The wren started to eat bread crumbs that were left on a (Viking's) drum, thus waking up the drummer who alarmed the camp. This lead to the defeat of the Irish who then started to hunt wrens.
Another story goes that a wren betrayed St. Stephen himself. He was hiding in a bush from his enemies when a chattering wren gave him away. The wren should be hunted down after that and stoned, just like St. Stephen.

If these legends are true, I don't know. The latter one kind of makes more sense as it describes a connection to St. Stephen explaining why wrens are tied to poles on this particular day.

How it is celebrated these days
In Irish, this day is called Lá Fhéile Stiofán (Day of the Wren) or Lá on Dreoilín (Wren's day)
Luckily for them, no real wrens are killed anymore during the festivities. People now tie fake ones to the end of poles and go from door to door wearing old clothes and straw hats. They play traditional music, sing and dance to collect money 'to bury the bird'. Depending on the region, they are called wren boys or mummers. Even though this tradition is less common than it was a few generations ago, a Mummer's or Wren Boy's Festival is held every year in New Inn (County Galway) and Dingle (County Kerry).

The Wren Boys now also include girls. Money that is collected during the festivities is often used for charity and school or community projects. 

In this video you can hear the wren song traditionally sung by the wren boys/mummers and also a short explanation about this tradition. I don't know if the song or the dancing children are cuter :D

the lyrics: 

The wren, the wren, the king of all birds, St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze, Although he was little his honour was great, Jump up me lads and give us a treat. / As I was going to Killenaule, I met a wren upon the wall. Up with me wattle and knocked him down, And brought him in to Carrick Town. / Droolin, Droolin, where's your nest? Tis in the bush that I love best. In the tree, the holly tree, Where all the boys do follow me. / Up with the kettle and down with the pan, And give us a penny to bury the wren. / I followed the wren three miles or more, Three miles or more three miles or more. I followed the wren three miles or more, At six o'clock in the morning. / I have a little box under me arm, Under me arm under me arm. I have a little box under me arm, A penny or tuppence would do it no harm. / Mrs. Clancy's a very good woman, a very good woman, a very good woman, Mrs. Clancy's a very good woman, She gave us a penny to bury the wren.