Porthole

Saint Stephen's Day... painted in red... bury the wren

Tom's extended family of roaches gathered around one meagre crumb.

for week 5 "The Prompt Me Contest" 

Today is Saint Stephen's Day.

Would May you get stoned today? be appropriate?

Perhaps not.

Perhaps "Merry/Happy _____" is only a greeting, like nodding the head and carries no further significance; although, on the actual day it makes since to mention the day.

However... turning it into an entire season and then insisting that others use a particular greeting is aggressive. And... the religious warfare overtones is quite palpable to those who aren't of the majority religion.

I remember drunks at the bar insisting that I drink. They weren't happy if I wasn't happy and joined them. It's like that. I don't like being coerced, especially by toxic-positivity... even if you're sober.

I don't go around greeting people with "Happy Naw-Ruz" on the vernal equinox. I could. It just means Happy New Year and it's not like I'm cramming it down your throat. It's just one day, not a season, and is celebrated by more than one religion and more than one culture. However, intentions aside, it may be taken the wrong way.

From Wiki:

St. Stephen's Day (Lá Fhéile Stiofáin), or the Day of the Wren (Lá an Dreoilín), is an occasion to commemorate the life of St Stephen, a Christian martyr. Many people spend the day quietly with close friends or family.

Saint Stephen's Day is the second day of Christmastide and is celebrated in honour of one of the first Christian martyrs, Saint Stephen, who was stoned to death in 36 AD.

Wren Day, also known as Wren's Day, Day of the Wren, or Hunt the Wren Day (Irish: Lá an Dreoilín), is an Irish celebration held on 26 December, St. Stephen's Day in a number of countries across Europe. The tradition consists of "hunting" a wren (now a fake wren but previously a real one) and putting it on top of a decorated pole. Then the crowds of mummers, or strawboys, celebrate the wren (also pronounced wran) by dressing up in masks, straw suits, and colourful motley clothing. They form music bands and parade through towns and villages. These crowds are sometimes called the wrenboys.

Just the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ExaWsbuM34



And then there was King Wenceslas



Today's trinket gathered from Wickedfugitive

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