26 December – The Feast of St Stephen
The second day of Christmas in Tudor England was known as the Feast of St Stephen. St Stephen is remembered as the first Christian martyr—someone who was killed because of their faith—and for his kindness towards the poor.
Today, many people recognise his name from the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas:
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
In the song, King Wenceslas ventures out into the cold winter night with his servant to bring food and firewood to a poor man. Although the carol was written much later, in Victorian times, it reflects the true spirit of the day.
During the Tudor period, the Feast of St Stephen was an important time for charity and helping those in need. Churches would open their alms boxes, and the money collected was distributed to the poor, ensuring that even the less fortunate could share in the season’s celebrations.
Images are Pro Content included with Canva Teams. Article written by Chat GPT