Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity who was accused of blasphemy and stoned to death. On this day, the wren boys, dressed in costumes of straw and colorful fabric, take a dead wren around to the houses in their neighborhood, and collect money, while reciting this incantation:
The wren, the wren, the king of all birds
St Stephen's Day he was caught in the furze!
Although he is small, his family is great
Rise up landlady and give us a treat!
Another holiday which isn’t commonly celebrated in the US is on the Eve of the Epiphany, or "Little Christmas", where 12 rush candles (a type of candle made from a plant) were traditionally lit to mark the end of the 12 days of Christmas. In Ireland this holiday had evolved into Women’s Christmas, or Nollaig na mBan. This has become a day for Irish men to do all of the housework and cooking, in honor of the women in their lives who labor to bring them a well lit and festive holiday season.
