robin meaning | The Olde Christmas Shoppe

Merry Christmas everyone, from The Olde Christmas Shoppe! There are many iconic images that come to mind when we think of Christmas time – candy canes, Christmas trees and presents, to name a few! But one of the most loved symbols of the festive season can be found right on our doorstep: robins! While these birds are around all year long, they are much more noticeable in the winter time as they don’t migrate to warmer climates, choosing instead to move between their breeding grounds and foraging grounds at home – this is one reason among many why the robin has become synonymous with Christmas time, especially here in the UK.

Robins on a Christmas tree — Photo by laura adai on Unsplash

Seasonal migration isn’t the only reason that we associate these lovely creatures with the festive season in the UK – to find out why, we need to go all the way back to Victorian Britain in the 19th century. The centuries-old tradition of sending out Christmas cards, while it seems pretty old-school for many in today’s world of technology, fell into fashion under the rule of Queen Victoria who began the royal tradition of sending an official Christmas card – it then became more popular amongst the people as a way to spread cheer during the festive season. The nation’s lingering association of robins with Christmas comes from this tradition as the postmen who would deliver the season’s greetings wore red-breasted uniforms which gained them the nickname ‘robins’. This fun nickname then appears to have led to the featuring of robins on Christmas cards themselves, and now they are a well-established emblem of all things festive!

As well as this old British tradition, the robin also features in some interpretations of the traditional Nativity story, the Christian roots of everybody’s favourite holiday. After the birth of Jesus, some believe that Mary lit a fire to keep her child safe and warm, and as the flame began to dwindle a kindly brown bird began to fan the flame with its tiny wings before an ember landed on and burned its feathered chest – this has become a common tale explaining the bold orange-red breast of the robin, and links the beautiful bird to the very beginning of the Christmas story!

To find out more about these amazing birds, check out this super-informative RSPB page as well as our other blogs, including a look at the symbolism of robins and loads of other fun Christmas tips and inspiration!

Merry Christmas from The Olde Christmas Shoppe! One of our favourite things about the festive season – from autumn through to the new year – is the appearance of the beautiful robin, the beloved small bird that is distinguished by its signature red breast. People are often mystified by this small creature when it begins to appear in our gardens, largely due to the robin’s symbolism across many different cultures which give them many roles from an omen of death to a more positive emblem of rebirth, hope and new beginnings…

The Legends of the Robin

Robin image by James Wainscoat — Photo by James Wainscoat on Unsplash

Even in the UK nations alone, there are a number of different stories and superstitions about the arrival of a robin between our Celtic, Norse and Christian influences as well as location-specific folk tales. These tiny birds are loved by many in Britain, even despite their Norse roots as the favourite creature of the god Thor and the symbolic bringer of the ever-inconvenient thunderstorm! Don’t just take our word for it – the robin red-breast has been voted the unofficial National Bird of Great Britain by the public twice in 60 years, and in Irish and other Celtic traditions they were in fact so loved and venerated that to kill a robin or wren was believed to bring the punishment of fire to the hunter in some way. This particular superstition seemingly comes from an old Irish legend, a tale in which the fires of heaven were brought to earth by a very similar small bird – clearly, these winged creatures are not the birds to mess with!

Of course, this is not the only time that the sweet little bird has been featured in a religious context – the robin is also often associated with the biblical story of Jesus’ crucifixion, and is said to have gotten its signature red breast from the thorns of Jesus’ crown as the bird took pity and attempted to free him from the cross despite the risk to itself. From this story of the robin, many take a message of hope and kindness towards others less fortunate than yourself which is of course an important lesson that everyone can put to work in their day-to-day lives.

In modern times, however, perhaps one of the most popular superstitions surrounding these beautiful wee birds is the common adage that “robins appear when loved ones are near”. This lovely sentiment comes from the belief that robins are in fact loved ones visiting from beyond this life, checking in on their families and friends during the festive season which can be difficult for many dealing with loss. It is for this reason that robin decorations and ornaments are often seen as a popular and thoughtful Christmas gift for those who have experienced loss – while the robin is associated in this way with death, they bring a more positive message of love and hope to such a sad time and offer a way for us to feel connected to loved ones who are no longer with us for Christmas. To join in this beautiful festive tradition, be sure to check out our own range of lovely little robin decorations for your tree or the tree of a loved one here.

Thank you for joining us on this festive journey as we’ve learned about Christmas traditions. To learn more check out these sources below and, as always, please have a browse of some of our other blogs here for the latest festive facts and decorating tips this Christmas season!

The Guardian, ‘Robin Wins Vote For UK’s National Bird’. 10 June 2015.

BirdSpot, ‘The Legend of Robin Redbreast’.

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