Christmas Robin

The robin is traditionally associated with Christmas and is one of the birds which can be heard singing now. Its link with Christmas arose from the time when Victorian postmen delivered cards and were nicknamed Robins after their red uniforms and robins then became very popular on Christmas cards.

One of the legends about how the robin got its red breast was when the plain brown bird helped Mary at the first Christmas. The fire in the stable was almost out so Mary asked the animals to help fan the embers to keep baby Jesus warm on the very cold night. All the animals were fast asleep but the robin flew down and continued to flap his wings rapidly until the fire burned brightly and warmed the stable. Unfortunately his breast feathers got burnt red by the flames but from then on the robin has a red breast as a reminder of the help that he gave that first Christmas.