Wrenning Day
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
St. Stephen's Day (Dec. 26th) used to be so called, because it was a custom among villagers to stone a wren to death on that day in commemoration of the saint's martyrdom.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Wrenning Day” mean?
St. Stephen's Day (Dec. 26th) used to be so called, because it was a custom among villagers to stone a wren to death on that day in commemoration of the saint's martyrdom.
Is “Wrenning Day” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.