Hunt the Wren

Hunt the Wren (Manx: Shelg yn Dreean) is a traditional custom carried out on the Isle of Man on 26 December, Saint Stephen's Day. Traditionally, men and boys hunted a wren and placed it on top of a staff decorated with holly, ivy and ribbons, or displayed it in a decorated box on top of a pole. This was paraded around the neighbourhood by a group of 'wren boys'—typically dressed in straw masks, greenery and colourful motley clothing—who sang songs and played music in exchange for donations. The people afterwards held a funeral for the wren and danced around the 'wren pole' or 'wren bush'. The custom has been undergoing revival since the late 20th century, although the wren is no longer hunted and a stuffed wren is used instead. There is a very similar tradition on St Stephen's Day in Ireland, where it is known as Wren Day. It is speculated that the tradition derives from ancient Celtic paganism.