Robin Redbreast

How the robin came to symbolise Christmas

Think of winter in the garden and you’ll most likely think of a robin. Think of Christmas cards and you’ll probably think of the same.

Why do robins have such a strong association with winter?

There is actually an increase in robin numbers during red uniforms, which earned them the delivery of letters, such as postboxes day, with the robin adorning everything from wrapping

the winter months. They migrate from Scandinavia, giving birth to baby Jesus in the stable, she noticed the its wings in front of the fire, fanning the embers, and causing it to roar back to life. As the bird flew around towards the tiny creature, scorching its breast bright the bird’s kind heart, which would be passed on to its descendants to wear proudly ever after. who was known as the Oak King of Summer. The Holly repeats every year and represents the changing of the

Russia and Europe swelling the ranks of our resident robins when the days become too cold and food becomes scarce in their own countries.

There are several legends relating robins to winter and Christmas in particular.

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COVID - 19 COLLECTION AND DELIVERY SERVICE DURING LOCKDOWN In local area The first legend hails from Victorian times, when the tradition of sending Christmas cards started. Royal Mail postmen of the time wore bright the nickname of ‘robin’ or ‘redbreast’. Victorian artists usually illustrated Christmas cards with pictures relating to and postmen. Eventually artists began to play on this word association and postman ‘robin’ was exchanged for the familiar little brown and red bird, who began to appear in illustrations, sometimes delivering the letters. Middle class Victorians loved all things sentimental and charming, so the trend caught on and continues to this paper to Christmas jumpers.

Even before the Victorian era, robins had a strong association with the traditional Christmas story and Christianity. In one tale, it is said that when Mary was fire Joseph had lit was in danger of going out. Suddenly, a small brown bird appeared and started flapping tending to the fire, a stray ember made its way red. Mary declared that the red breast was a sign of

There are also Celtic-based tales which link the robin with wintertime. One tells of the feud between the wren, known as the Holly King of Winter, and the robin King was driven away by the Oak King on the Winter Solstice, and the robin took his rightful place. However, on the Summer Solstice, the Holly King gets to take his revenge, and the wren replaces the robin. This story

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seasons. It was probably told by way of explaining why we see more robins during the winter months.

Whatever the truth, the robin is a beautiful cheery symbol of this time of year, and if you can spare a little food, particularly meal worms, and some water, the bird will reward you by visiting your garden daily. Happy Christmas!

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SeaFOrD STamP & POST CarD CluB Collecting Seaford postcards by Lynn Lawson

‘Just a line to let you know how pleased we are with Seaford’, says the message on a postcard sent by a visitor staying in ‘very comfortable’ rooms at 6 The Esplanade in July 1907. The view on the reverse of the card features a house called Telsemaure, demolished in 1937 and now the site of the Viking flats. Such postcards provide a wonderful resource photographs documenting changes in streets, buildings and fashion, and the messages often containing unique personal details about the town.

My own collection includes postcards sent by soldiers stationed here in WW1 – ‘we are standing by for Egypt’ – and residents of the convalescent homes and boarding schools, such as the Seaford College

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pupil who annotated the photo on his 1931 postcard to show the location of his classroom, the dining room and the ‘libery’.

Collecting postcards from a particular place allows us to compare views of the same scene photographed in different eras. In an early 20th-century postcard of Clinton Place (posted 1904) horses and carts move along the tree-lined street, while a lady in Edwardian dress peers into one of the windows. In the post for anyone interested in Seaford’s past, with the

WW2 view (posted 1951), motor vehicles now dominate the road, and the trees and wroughtiron balconies have disappeared – although the buildings themselves are still recognisable today.

The club has had to cancel forthcoming meetings but will start again as soon as it is safe to do so. The club holds its meetings every second Wednesday in the month at the Constitutional Club in Crouch Lane. The meeting starts at 7pm and ends at around 9.15pm. Details can be obtained from the club secretary David Manthorpe: tel: 01323492433, email: david.manthorpe10@gmail.com.

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